Preferred way to grind primary bevels?

[Neil]

What is your preferred way to grind the primary bevel on plane irons & chisels?

I'm going round in circles trying to decide what to do for this, being unhappy with my present approach. I know we've done this to death a bit, but never in the form of a definitive poll as far as I know. I would like to see how many forum members use one of the two methods I'm contemplating!

Cheers,
Neil

PS Alf, I missed off hand-cranked grinders but seeing as though you're managing 1100rpm I think you just about qualify for the high-speed option :wink: :lol:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Coarse diamond stone and WD40. If you do it regularly it takes no time at all and the secondary bevel never gets too long. An inexpensive option that really works well (and doesn't wreck your blades by burning them).

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Alf]

That's not high speed, mainly 'cos I can't keep going at that rate for that long... So I opted for "something you've forgotten" - 'cos I bet you did. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Lord Nibbo]

That's not high speed, mainly 'cos I can't keep going at that rate for that long

Cheers, Alf

Or is it really because in Cornwall do as the Cornish do ?

i.e. Drekly :lol: Manyana without the urgency :lol:

 

[Wiley Horne]

Hi Neil,

1800rpm grinder. 6", but 7" is planned. I like soft wheels; 'H' rating is great. One pink wheel at 40g and one white wheel at 80g or 100g.

Wiley......also in the 'Something I've forgotten' category, as 3600rpm is the typical high speed grinder.

 

[MikeW]

I selected belt sander.

It is what I use the most I suspect. But a "many of the above" selection would have gotten ticked if available.

Take care, Mike

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Depends just how much I need to take off. Reshaping, I'll use 60 grit paper to break its back, otherwise diamond stones, which at nearly the cost of a wet flat grinding wheel for an extra coarse I wouldn't consider particularly low cost, but I seem to be able to maintain my flats better than with wet'n'dry.

 

[Chris Knight]

I voted Tormek because I have one and use it for that purpose but I have also used many other means including belt sander, high speed grinder etc. Now, having built up experience I probably wouldn't spend the money on the Tormek but instead, go with a high speed grinder or a belt sander. Most of the work that's important for normal woodworking edge tools goes into the secondary bevel and subsequent final stages which I accomplish on bench stones etc. , not the Tormek.

 

[Anonymous]

If you do my favourite "rounded bevel" honing you never need to retouch a primary bevel as your chisel/plane never gets that much out of shape, unless you hit a nail or something. In which case: coarse oil stone, or wet grindwheel if things are really bad.
Worst of all is bench grinder cos of overheating.

cheers
Jacob

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Before I consider which method to grind a primary bevel, I will decide what shape I want the bevel to be.

My ideal bevel shape is a hollow grind - because this allows me to freehand hone an iron more easily. Just lock the two walls of the hollow flat on a waterstone/diamond stone/strop and away you go. This is important also because I like to strop the iron as I work - be it chisel or plane blades - and freehand is quick. (Often I just use a 1200 diamond stone and a leather strop loaded with green rouge).

The above process is straight forward with BD planes (mostly use a hollow grind of 30 degree primary created on a bench grinder, but a relatively tight control of the final secondary bevel is not that important). However, when it comes to the steep secondary bevels of HA BU planes, then I am looking to use a flat grind since a hollow grind above 35 degrees is not efficient (but can be done). Now I prefer a belt sander - quick, cool, safe.

I do see the wisdom of Jacob's rounded bevel for some applications, such as my mortice chisels, but it would not work (the bevel angles would be too unreliable) with BU planes or LA paring chisels.

I think that it is time to set up a jig to hollow grind on the belt sander.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[engineer one]

i think that one of the answers to this question is "how many bevels do you have to do right now?"

if it is a lot because you have just bought many new tools, then the tormek offers many advantages IMHO. :lol: , but then i know i am biased towards one. :twisted:

and as has been said if you invest (is that the right word :? ) in diamond stones, or shaptons, then they can be almost the cost of a jet, if not the tormek, by the time you have bought the stones, the lapping fluid, the hone, and the paste and strop, then made the workstation.

however the biggest thing is what have you learnt, and how quickly does that allow you to do what you want?

as we have seen elsewhere so many times, this is a difficult subject to
consider sensibly because of the many preferred options. :roll:

but personally now that the diamond truing tools is re-designed the tormek does it for me.

paul :wink:

 

[Neil]

Many thanks for the responses thus far, folks . The two ways I've been considering are the wet grinder and the coarse diamond stone (having found an very cheap source for an extra-extra coarse DMT) although I have considered the belt sander approach too. HS grinder is just too scary (in terms of overheating and getting a straight grind)

i think that one of the answers to this question is "how many bevels do you have to do right now?"

if it is a lot because you have just bought many new tools, then the tormek offers many advantages IMHO.

Not many new tools, but lots of old ones! Once everything is sorted out I don't see myself changing bevel angles every 5 minutes, so I could keep on top of the grinding via a fairly slow method like the diamond stone. I'm concerned that after the first week, the wet grinder wouldn't see enough usage to justify such a big outlay.

Please keep the votes (and advice) coming!

Cheers,
Neil

 

[engineer one]

typical irishnman :lol:

once you have worn it out during the first week, you will be able to sell it off cheap :twisted: :twisted:

old tools or new the number that you need to sharpen does make the sums seem strange, i guess the question is how much site work do you do where you might damage your nice sharp edges???

other wise go the way you are going.

paul :wink:

 

[Paul Kierstead]

I'm concerned that after the first week, the wet grinder wouldn't see enough usage to justify such a big outlay.

Well, then, you would just have to buy more things to sharpen. You clearly are not thinking straight here.

 

[Woody Alan]

Started off with high speed grinder got the knack but hated the messing about and risk once you've blown it that's it, also surprisingly messy. Used the belt sander and preferred that, still some risk albeit a lot less. Treated myself to a Tormek and don't regret it a lot less stress and speed and for me anyway less mess.
I do have an engineer mate who modified his high speed grinder to run wet, by drip feeding from a reservoir onto the wheel and gets colected underneath very simple and does work, just in case you want to go cheap.

Alan

 

[Colin C]

I use a HS grinder and have alway done ( well used the ones at work ), I now work for myself and got a cheap one from Alidi's that come with a grey and white wheels.

I do all my grinding on it, tools on the white one and metal that I need to shape on the grey one.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Another way, Neil, if you want to keep things as simple as possible, is to just use one bevel. The main reason for having a primary and secondary bevel is that it's supposed to make honing quicker. However, if you had, say, three stones (I have DMT coarse, fine and extra fine plus a leather strop) and honed fairly frequently (ie before the edge became too rounded over from use), it can be quick. I use just one bevel on my Multiplanes and some block plane blades (particularly those used for trimming laminate and similar stuff) and some other blades depending on what I am doing, and find it no real problem. Interestingly, I was chatting to Mike Hudson of Clifton at Ally Pally and he uses just one bevel on his blades (and they are really sharp).

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

I do all my primary honing on a Tormek which gives a good hollow grind primary bevel - Rob

 

[engineer one]

i think a lot of the need for multiple surfaces is the cleaning up the
none sharp side of the chisel/plane, (some of us call it back, others the front,but the side opposite the bevel.) to make this smooth and polished takes more tools than making and keeping the bevel. :?

paul :wink:

 

[Alf]

I'm concerned that after the first week, the wet grinder wouldn't see enough usage to justify such a big outlay.

Well, then, you would just have to buy more things to sharpen. You clearly are not thinking straight here.

:lol: