A
Anonymous
Guest
Well, more accurately, a mod for the Rexon horizontal grinder to turn it into a powered 10,000 grit waterstone - that doesn't need dressing or flattening 
(I originally read that 0.5 micron is 9,000, but most people claim 10,000 grit waterstone at about 0.5 um)
Hope this is useful to you Rexon (and similar) owners
The only issue I have with the Rexon is the wear rate of the waterstone and the difficulty flattening it. Excellent for flattening backs but not sharpening.
But what about sharpening? Everyone wants a powered sharpening that gives a razor edge in seconds.
Well, I saw some of this http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=33004&cat=1,43072 and a review of this http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48435&cat=1,43072 which rated it best on test.
I thought that the paper (60p a sheet) and the Rexon would make a great sharpener. I initially thought of making an aluminium platter but then decied to spin a bit of MDF on the lathe. Worked a treat. One could just as easily use a disk sander with a pivot pin or a bandsaw to make the disk.
I shapened a secondary bevel on the chisels using my guide and waterstones. I then cut a micro bevel on the edge using the Rexon + 5um paper. I got a wire edge in 15 seconds and an incredibly sharp chisel. I then tried cutting a micro bevel (1 degree more than secondary) using the 0.5um paper. WOW!!! I have never had chisels cutting like this before. 8)
I used a plant sprayer to lubricate the disk using very occasional sprays
0.5um took about a minute to get the wire edge - by the way, i remove the wire edge by paring a spare block of oak, not grinding the back of the chisel as I find this gives a better edge.
Fast and so easy. This is the best way I have found to finish off the blade for cutting and it is also the fastest. The veritas still gets used to cut the secondary bevel but during use, I just hold the chisel to this beauty for 15 seconds to get razor sharp all over again :lol:
The abrasive comes on a plastic backing and so peels off easily. However, I ground a micro bevel on 15 chisels and 2 plane irons with a single sheet on the disk - and it is still on there as it still cuts fine :wink:
No more flattening of the stone required 8)
Ohh, and it is great for putting a curve on a plane iron by hand using the 15 or 5um paper :wink:
Disks awaiting paper. I made a few so that I could have 2 sides of each grade to hand for a quick changeover when required. I protected the MDF with Danish oil as there will be a little water around.
Papers - 15um, 5um and 0.5um
I made a little prototype tool rest - it works quite nicely and I may not replace it. I set the angle with blocks at the standard angles or one degree steeper for micro bevel. The disk is dead flat - the edges curl over a bit as you can see in the photo, but this is not on the cutting surface.
Sharpening a chisel on 5um is quick and easy. The paper wears a bit at first and is actually finer than 5um. The edge is superb after about 15 seconds and there is no heat generated as the disk turns slowly and I spray a little water on to it
Sharpening irons with homemade holder or the standard holder
Half micron on disk
(I originally read that 0.5 micron is 9,000, but most people claim 10,000 grit waterstone at about 0.5 um)
Hope this is useful to you Rexon (and similar) owners
The only issue I have with the Rexon is the wear rate of the waterstone and the difficulty flattening it. Excellent for flattening backs but not sharpening.
But what about sharpening? Everyone wants a powered sharpening that gives a razor edge in seconds.
Well, I saw some of this http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=33004&cat=1,43072 and a review of this http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48435&cat=1,43072 which rated it best on test.
I thought that the paper (60p a sheet) and the Rexon would make a great sharpener. I initially thought of making an aluminium platter but then decied to spin a bit of MDF on the lathe. Worked a treat. One could just as easily use a disk sander with a pivot pin or a bandsaw to make the disk.
I shapened a secondary bevel on the chisels using my guide and waterstones. I then cut a micro bevel on the edge using the Rexon + 5um paper. I got a wire edge in 15 seconds and an incredibly sharp chisel. I then tried cutting a micro bevel (1 degree more than secondary) using the 0.5um paper. WOW!!! I have never had chisels cutting like this before.
8) I used a plant sprayer to lubricate the disk using very occasional sprays
0.5um took about a minute to get the wire edge - by the way, i remove the wire edge by paring a spare block of oak, not grinding the back of the chisel as I find this gives a better edge.
Fast and so easy. This is the best way I have found to finish off the blade for cutting and it is also the fastest. The veritas still gets used to cut the secondary bevel but during use, I just hold the chisel to this beauty for 15 seconds to get razor sharp all over again :lol:
The abrasive comes on a plastic backing and so peels off easily. However, I ground a micro bevel on 15 chisels and 2 plane irons with a single sheet on the disk - and it is still on there as it still cuts fine :wink:
No more flattening of the stone required 8)
Ohh, and it is great for putting a curve on a plane iron by hand using the 15 or 5um paper :wink:
Disks awaiting paper. I made a few so that I could have 2 sides of each grade to hand for a quick changeover when required. I protected the MDF with Danish oil as there will be a little water around.
Papers - 15um, 5um and 0.5um
I made a little prototype tool rest - it works quite nicely and I may not replace it. I set the angle with blocks at the standard angles or one degree steeper for micro bevel. The disk is dead flat - the edges curl over a bit as you can see in the photo, but this is not on the cutting surface.
Sharpening a chisel on 5um is quick and easy. The paper wears a bit at first and is actually finer than 5um. The edge is superb after about 15 seconds and there is no heat generated as the disk turns slowly and I spray a little water on to it
Sharpening irons with homemade holder or the standard holder
Half micron on disk
