Sharpening Turning Tools: Options for the Beginner.

[miles_hot]

Tep, Mike et al.

Many thanks for taking the time to comment - it is much appreciated. I am slightly conflicted at the moment - the two prime reasons for getting a jig is to ensure repeatability (something that they all should give me) and to make it as fast as possible (within reason) to get from the lathe, sharpen and back to cutting. With this in mind something like the tru-grind looks good as it seems to be something like: push the took through the jig to a set amount (against s stop), tighten up, couple of quick swipes across the wide wheel (slow or fast speed), un tighten and remove, back to turning. Jobs a good un.

The only thing holding me back a little is the thought of all the other things that I should be sharpening (chisels, plane irons etc). For this the tormek seems to be a better bet (based on Tep and others' comments about the ultimate edge - which isn't really needs for turning). How fast is it to set up a gouge into the Tormek jig? If it is pretty much the same as the speed to get into (and out of) a tru-grind jig then I can see that I can use the Tormek for both jobs even if it is over specified for the turning aspects. The only other thing that occurs to me is the speed of moving between different tools to be sharpened (much as I would like to be able to turn a bowl with just the one gouge I normally find myself using at least 1 or 2 scrapers as well) - I can see that this is fast on the tru-grind however I'm not sure that swapping between jogs on the Tormek is that fast?

Thanks all

Miles
PS Whilst cash is important I think that it is more important to pick the right system or combination of systems rather than buy the wrong one and have to buy another tools or waste time and energy on working around my mistake!

 

[TEP]

Right lets see where we can go from here! Let's see who can find the least expensive white wheel bench grinder.

I have found this one, Silver Line 6". £26.64 plus £4.75 postage.

 

[Mark Hancock]

Miles

Having seen the Tormek demo it is pretty quick changing jigs for different tools and grinds.

 

[wizer]

Right lets see where we can go from here! Let's see who can find the least expensive white wheel bench grinder.

I have found this one, Silver Line 6". £26.64 plus £4.75 postage.

That is cheap. I have seen them sub £20 in places like Netto, Lidl, Aldi. But they only come along once or twice a year. But don't you need a slow speed grinder?

 

[Bodrighy]

Having watched a retired pro using the same system as me to sharpen tools (a Sorby universal) I have come to the conclusion that whatever you use the result depends more on practice and experience than on the amount of money spent. I learnt more about sharpening in 5 minutes watching him than I have in all the reading etc.

Pete

 

[TEP]

Hi Wizer.

In a word NO! As I said earlier slow speed, and wet grinders are fine, but you DON'T need one.

Also as you say you can get grinders cheaper than the one I mentioned, but do they have white wheels fitted? A cheap white wheel will cost you at least a tenner.

 

[wizer]

Sorry Tam, I missed the fact it had a Wide White wheel.

A bargain I think!

 

[TEP]

Don't know if it is a WIDE wheel Wizer, but a 1" wide wheel is plenty IME. You can sharpen on a 3/4" - 20mm but it is better on a 1" IMO. I have found that with the wider wheels I tend to get a groove in the face, so end up dressing the wheel more often. So I stick with 1" wheels, but I only sharpen turning tools.

 

[wizer]

Thanks Tam. I think eventually I'd look into getting one of the Norton wheels which are great for re-grinding normal bench chisels and plane blades.

How often do these wheels run out?

 

[TEP]

The more you use them Wizer the quicker they need replacing! :lol: I honestly don't know mate, I was looking around for a 8" grinder for a while as of course the wheels last so much more because of their size. Then realised that I have had a 6" x 1" white wheel for almost 4 years and it is just coming up for replacement now. It has been used for at least 3 days a week in that time, so I have just decided to stick with what I have.

It can be never ending this turning lark. I need/want a bigger lathe, better jig, better tools, better hollowing gear, better this, better that. Thankfully I am at the stage where I am more than happy with my lot, and only replace gear as it wears out. And not with bigger. 8)

 

[CHJ]

........ I think eventually I'd look into getting one of the Norton wheels which are great for re-grinding normal bench chisels and plane blades.......?

Wizer just be aware that the Ceramic wheels cut much freer than the white oxide ones, hence only the lightest pressure on your turning tools else tool material will disappear at a great rate, also the stone may shed unnecessary grit.

The two wheels in this thread have been in use since 2005 and show no measurable wear on diameter.

If you dig around the various links (Example) in the associated threads you may get some ideas, as you may gather I don't spend on unnecessaries.

 

[tekno.mage]

Tep, Mike et al.

How fast is it to set up a gouge into the Tormek jig? !

The first time you do it, it seems a bit fiddly. However, once you've done it a few times it's very fast indeed (well I find it so). I was actually quite surprised at how easy it is once you are familiar with the jig, as I had read reports critical of just this aspect. I found that the Tormek demo DVD made the system look far more complicated than it really is, but that might be because I learn things better by doing than by watching!

I've not personally used any of the other gouge jigs available, but have seen some in use at Woodturning club meetings haven't noticed any difference in apparent ease of use between them when they are used by people familiar with a particular system.

tekno.mage

 

[wizer]

Chas, thanks for posting those links. Your sharpening station is brilliant! Can I ask how your getting on with the fingernail jig since 2005? Anything you'd change?

 

[CHJ]

Tom, if you need a simple jig for a spindle gouge or a fixed angle bowl gouge it's fine as-is.

As mentioned somewhere in the various linked posts over the time I have migrated to a home made version of the Tormek gouge holding Jig, same as used by Sorby, only difference being in how I mount it and adjust the wheel to stone distance to get the profile I like.
In principle no different to the Tormek system which also needs a set of home made spacers if you need a profile outside the 'Tormek Box' so to speak.

I personally found that making the three basic Gouge holding jigs to be found somewhere in those threads (or web link below)has lead me to a far better understanding of tool cutting edge form.

Regardless of what jig you end up with the final shape of the tool profile is down to the operator, and this is where a few minutes with someone who has been doing it for a while is invaluable.

 

[wizer]

ok, I think I am armed with more than enough information to make a decision.

Thanks everyone for chipping in. Very productive thread

 

[Anonymous]

It's the dressing that reduces the wheel dia....

(If there's going to be a wheel dressing debate may I suggest starting a new thread rather than add a digression on this one :wink: )