Sharpening Woodturning Tools

This may help if you are going to make a homemade jig:

Make the center of the grinder the same height as the center of your lathe. Just in case you decide to grind freehand. That way you're doing pretty much the same motions as if you were cutting wood, only this time the rotary action takes steel from the tool, not vice-versa.

If you're going to gage grind, you will have to rig a mount up front to suit the gage you use and the handle it'll accommodate. Otherwise, minimal table in front.

And mount the grinder on the tailstock end of the lathe. That way it is just one or two steps away and you do not have any excuse to use dull tools.

James