Sharpening Turning Tools: Options for the Beginner.

[wizer]

I thought I'd post this and get the views of everyone. It will be helpful for all beginners who come after me.

The options I have are

Tormek + Jigs
Sorby Pro Edge
Worksharp 3000
Grinder + Jigs + new wheel

I guess the cheapest would be the grinder option. What are the downsides of going this route?

The Tormek looks good in the videos and lots of hype on these forums over the years. But is it worth it?

I've seen the ProEdge in action and it's certainly very easy to use. The consumables cost seems to be lower, but the initial outlay is quite high.

I haven't seen much about the Worksharp system for turners, anyone used it?

Interested to hear everyone's views and what system they currently use.

 

[MikeG.]

Hi Tom,

well, this question is one which shows up the usefulness of fora (pl. of forum, I hope!!). Until I joined the Get Woodworking forum 6 or 9 months ago, I would never have dreamt of taking any of my blades to the bench grinder, and did the whole job on an oilstone. Every 6 months or so I would spend an afternoon with a friend who has a whetsone grinder (slow running, with water bath.....you know the kind of thing), getting everything back to square and the right sort of angles.

I was never too precious about angles (I'm still not that fussed).

Having heard from others who used a bench grinder, and after seeing one or to videos, inc. one from a member on here, I made an adjustable guide and then took my reserve chisels to the grinder.......with my heart in my mouth.

I needn't have worried......it is an absolute doddle if you don't work your way right to the edge. I also invested in a piece of glass and some spray mount, and now do "Scary Sharpening" with a cheapo honing guide. My tools have always been razor sharp, but have previously wandered off the straight and square a bit. Now, everything is ultra-sharp, and very square and straight. Additionally, because of the honing guide and a bench-mark, the bevel angle is pretty exact too.

So, that is my way...........£30 bench grinder, glass of water, and a bit of glass and sandpaper. It might be a different story if I was a turner, but I wouldn't bother with may hundreds of pounds worth of kit when I get magic results for virtually nothing.

Cheers

Mike

 

[TEP]

Bench grinder with White wheel. Or Pink, or Blue. Not a lot to choose between them other than the price, white is usually the least expensive. Home made grinding jig for repeatability of angle.

One thing to keep in mind is that even using a jig, home made or shop bought, there is still a learning curve to sharpening tools properly. This is where a lot go wrong and buy a more expensive set-up expecting it to be easier. It ain't, and all you need is a little practice.

This advice is only for turning, if your talking flat work, or carving, that is another ball game.

 

[Vulthoom]

I have the cheap white wheel grinder from Axminster - trying to sharpen by hand/eye (despite what Mr Raffan says) was a disaster of biblical proportions.

Now have the Sorby Deluxe Universal Sharpening jig in front of the cheap white wheel and life is much, much easier....

 

[Finial]

Bench grinder with White wheel. Or Pink, or Blue

or indeed gray. I actually like sharpening and i keep trying new methods and then back again. tormek gives a brilliant edge but at a rip-off price in my opinion. I started with an 8 inch gray wheel high speed dry grinder and sharpened freehand. The tools were carbon steel and I didn't burn them. I still use some of the same tools now after many years so they don't need to be ground away rapidly. it's a skill you learn like turning itself. What does help though is an angled jig for scrapers and skew chisels. That can be home made and makes getting a consistent angle very quick. If money is no object, get a tormek with fingernail jig for gouges (Don't get the so-called turner's pack, most is unnecessary) but you can easily manage without.

 

[paulmann]

Hi as a beginner I have the Sorby pro system, I can say that I have been able to sharpen all my tools without ruining the profiles and I guess the machine replaces years of experience. The only issue I needed to address was my tendency to blue small tools but this is more than likely me and not the machine. I have just changed to a ceramic belt and this seems to do the job better than the ali oxide one on HSS. See the thread about sharpening below this one. All in all sorby pro system very good.

 

[loz]

El cheapo B&Q grinder with a Sorby Universal Jig, Same profile each sinme !

Wonderful !

 

[duncanh]

I use a Perform (from Axminster) grinder with a wide white wheel at one side and a thinner, coarse, grey wheel at the other. They don't sell it anymore but this in their white range appears the same.

I've had it since 2004 and the white wheel is getting close to being replaced. When I looked at the Axminster site they don't appear to have replacement wheels, but after lots of searching I found one sold by ToolPost for Record grinders and it fits.

I use a TruGrind jig and a home made jig for by roughing gouges.

I'm pleased with the system I have but I've bever tried anything else, so I can't compare.

 

[John. B]

For my turning tools, I use a Tormek for my gouges, A thousand year old Wharco double ended with a red wheel one end,
and a white one at the other for my skew, scrapers, and parting tools.
For reprofiling I'll replace one of the wheels for a coarse grey one temporarily.
For my carving tools I've a small double ended slowish grinder with a mop one end, and solid rubber wheel covered with diamond dust.

John.B

 

[jpt]

Over the years I have tried different ways of sharpening, I have a Tormek, which I brought second hand, but only use it now for my wifes carving tools, non turning chisels, plane blades, knives etc.

In my opinion there are 4 problems with Tormeks.

1/ The inital cost of purchasing it.

2/ The cost of replacement wheels.

3/ The cost of the jigs, this applies to most other jigs as well.

4/ The time it takes to set up for each jig/tool, this applies to most other jigs as well.

I now use the following system



The tool rest on the left is set for my gouges, I use the same angle on all of them and I can even do long grinds on this system.

The tool rest on the right is set for scrappers and one bowl gouge which has a very flat bevel to be used on the bottom of deep vesels.

For skews I use the left rest, I have drawn 2 lines on it to get the angle of the skew correct.



I line the edge of the skew up with the line and the tip with a mark on the guide attached to the left side of the guard, like this.



This system works for flat, round and ovel skews.

For parting tools I have another mark on the side guide to line the tip up and then just move it across the wheel and it is done.

Like all systems it does take getting used to but I know a couple of new turners who made their own system like this and they picked it up very quickly. It is also cheap to make, which has to be a plus.

john

 

[Anonymous]

Cheapo grinder, white Sorby wheel, Keith Rowley home made rest. Simple ply template to set the angle.

Less than 30 secs to sharpen a standard grind. As our colonial brethren are wont say 'Go figure'

Loadsa sharpening toys out there... if you want fancy, borrow someone's to see if it suits .... before you shell out hard earned readies!

There's a link (one of my postings) on here somewhere pointing to a youtube vid by Mike Mahoney showing simple and long grind methods...

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Wizer,

I'm another fan of the grinder and freehand grinding of turning tools. The only real down-side that I see to this is that you really need to find somebody to show you how to do it (at least that was how it was for me).

Once I had got an OK technique I find it quck and easy. I found the instructiosn for freehand grinding in Rowleys book to be of no help, but once shown a slightly different method (by Tony Wilson) I found things to be far better.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[wizer]

Thanks for the responses so far guys. I'm thinking, due to budget more than anything, that I'm going to start with a grinder. I need one for normal WW Chisels anyway, so it won't be wasted money. I'll have a go at freehand/homemade jigs. I have Rowley's book and am slowly working my way through it. There's some stuff on YouTube which I found useful. If I remember, I'll post links. In a few months I can consider the Sorby Jig or plump for a full 'system'. Actually I just noticed on our turning club's website that there's a 'Grinding Evening' on the 11th. Not sure if that's demonstrations or just an opportunity to sharpen your tools. Will check with the club.

Keep the ideas coming, this will all be useful for other newbies.

 

[tekno.mage]

I've been turning for about 6 months now and to start with neither myself or my partner had much joy with freehand sharpening anything but roughing gouges or scrapers on a grindwheel & sharpening by hand on a flat stone (as I do with my carving tools) was never going to be a sensible option for HSS.

Having tried a friend's Tormek, I liked the system but not the price so bought a Scheppach "Tormek lookalike" ex-demo for £70, fitted a Peter Child micro-crystalline wheel (£60) and then invested in the Tormek Woodturner's jig kit. Now sharpening any turning gouge is fast and easy and I have nice symmetrical, repeatable long grinds on those tools that need them. We still use the dry grinder for scrapers and some initail shaping of new tools and I use the softer original wheel that came with the Scheppach if I want to sharpen carbon-steel plane blades or similar items.

I would say that it's the jigs that make the real difference to sharpening repeatability, not the make of the wet grinder and I was lucky to find a wet grinder that takes the Tormek jigs & accessories at a very good price. I personally prefer using a wet grindstone there is no risk of overheating the tool edge and it's harder to remove too much metal in the wrong place than with a fast dry grindstone.

tekno.mage

 

[John. B]

Tom,
The club grinding evening is for members to bring grinding devices and or tools, and to show, and learn ,how to grind turning tools.
Hopefully there will be a plethora of grinders, jigs, tools and expertise.
We already have double ended grinders so so I doubt we'll need any of those.

John. B

 

[wizer]

I'm keeping my eye out for a cheap grinder. I know they're only £40 from Axi, but I'm trying to be Frugal. Got a lathe to pay for

 

[cornucopia]

I use a 6" grinder with a white wheel and keith rowleys toolrest just like the one in jpt's post and a tormek for my bowl gouges.

 

[Gordon T]

Hello all,

I have the sorby pro system, the trugrind system and sharpen freehand depending on which tool I am sharpening. I think it is down to what suits you following lots and lots of practice.

GT

 

[miles_hot]

Unless I decide to hang the cost and go for the tomak it seems to come down to two choices - the Sorby Delux jig(s) and the Tru-grind. It appears that the sorby delux can do more than just my (to be purchased) wood turning tools and so can be used for plane irons etc - is this right?

Am I right in thinking that the Tru-grind is specifically for wood turning stuff and not for anything which is not mounted on a shaft?

Does the Sorbey jig perform well on plane irons etc or is it no better than a grinder with a normal rest? How repeatable is it for skews etc - this is something that the tru-grind seems to do well...

Finally (and I'm sorry for all the questions!) can I mount both the systems in front of one wheel - I suspect not but I/m just hoping that I'm wrong as I have a horrible feeling that they address each other's weaknesses but are mutually exclusive!

Many thanks
PS I'm assuming that both work best with the slow speed grinders to avoid burning the steel...

 

[Jenx]

The tru-grind can also sharpen wood chisels, drills, carving tools etc ...
Can't tell you anything about the Sorby.. but thats what the tru-grind does :wink: