Woodturning Chisel Sharpening Jigs.

[CHJ]

I think using a horizontal wet grinder with a jig would be much safer.

I'm thinking about getting the Draper http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/230v-Wet-D ... wwodGFgA6Q

Wet stone of no use whatsoever for turning tools, polished edge on chisels and plane blades maybe if you make up more robust tool rests, the supplied plastic rests flex too easily, and the stone is ultra fine grade, you certainly won't be able to easily make any form of fingernail jig that is convenient to use.
The small diameter white wheel will put a very difficult to work with bevel radius on any gouges.

 

[redmoorphil]

Well fortunately SWMBO is immobile for the next 6 weeks so I have time to formulate a plan!
Unfortunately, I rarely succeed so I might be turning myself a new pair!
At least my singing voice will improve.

 

[Sheptonphil]

I think using a horizontal wet grinder with a jig would be much safer.

I'm thinking about getting the Draper http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/230v-Wet-D ... wwodGFgA6Q

The first time you sharpen a gouge with it you will have a grove running the whole surface. How to you intend re-flattening the surface? You can't use a diamond trueing tool. Most turning tools you will sharpen will groove it to one extent or another and it will end up like a ploughed field.

Every three or four weeks I have to re true my wet wheel sharpening system. No problem, but a job that needs doing.

Phil

 

[Jacob]

So why is it less of a fire risk than a belt sander Jacob ? ( haven't seen one yet )

All metal and open construction. On my belt sander the sparks go round with the belt and blast at the same spot of the casing, where there might also be accumulated dust.

 

[Grahamshed]

Thanks Jacob. I was hoping you would say it was all metal.

 

[Grahamshed]

Well fortunately SWMBO is immobile for the next 6 weeks so I have time to formulate a plan!
Unfortunately, I rarely succeed so I might be turning myself a new pair!
At least my singing voice will improve.

I am sure there will be a welcome in the hillsides (hammer) (hammer)

 

[Blucher]

Yes they can dig in and yes they do, DAMHIKT
I now use the tiltable platform for all (bowl, roughing, flat scraper, round scraper, parting tools) gouges bar spindle gouges.


Edit: In fairness to the gent on ebay I had my mishap with the Wolverine jig, not one of his.

What does DAMHIKT mean (sorry newb-itus I am afraid).

Also SWiMBO ??

 

[nicguthrie]

I'd be interested in hearing how you get on with the Sorby system.

I wasn't keen on it as it seemed expensive when I first looked at it, but once I figure in all the spare parts, abrasives and jigs that I've bought for my Worksharp 3000, I've spent about the same as the cost of the full Pro Edge kit. I find the WS3k excellent, though the working surface feels a little small at times when working with long and wide scrapers and bowl gouges etc.

The Pro Edge has all the same advantages as the WS3k that I use, except that the changing the abrasive belt seems a bit fiddly if you've dinged an edge and need to cycle down through a few grits, whereas on the worksharp, it's about as complicated as changing an old vinyl record.

I'd quite honestly be very interested in hearing how you find it, in case I ever need to change from the kit I have (You never know). Any chance you might put a set-up and use review up after a while?

On the bonus side, if you find you want to get extra grits, Micromesh MX is fantastic for putting a finishing edge on metal, and if you know the dimensions of the belt, there's an online shop at http://www.sylmasta.com/acatalog/Micro-Mesh-Belts.html that may have the size that you need. They're pretty cheap too, for micromesh (it's usually pretty damn pricy)

Blucher, SWMBO stands for She Who Must Be Obeyed, AKA The Missus
DAMHIKT stands for Don't Ask Me How I Know That - a Useful phrase for distancing one's self a little from dodginess of all sorts :wink:

Nic.

 

[finneyb]

I use a similar jig. Never had a dig in.
But then again I don't press down hard it wastes too much expensive steel.


Brian

 

[redmoorphil]

Yandles called and left a message this morning so just called them back, they sold out of the pro edge this weekend after selling 5 units unexpectedly (must be lurkers on the thread!) but they will get more in early next week so gives me time to finish organising the workshop.
Fortunately SWMBO can't even get to the phone or they might have blown it for me :roll:

 

[nicguthrie]

There's always other retailers

http://www.stilesandbates.co.uk/browse. ... 86/level/4

And it's even cheaper than Yandles here:
http://www.ockenden-timber.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=107_140_141 (tho, TBH I don't know if that's inc VAT or not)

Nic.

 

[Grahamshed]

Not sure that anybody selling sanding belts per say would have ones to fit the pro edge as the belts are only 2 inches wide.
Toolpost however do do a selection of cheaper ordinary belts and finer posh ones.

 

[nicguthrie]

There's 11 different lengths of 2" wide belts at that sylmasta link for micromesh, But I've no idea what length the pro edge system takes, so there may not be a fully compatible one.

 

[Grahamshed]

Thats good to know. I have read somewhere how long the belt is but cannot find it now. The Sorby site lists belts down to 3000 grit though.

 

[redmoorphil]

Hi Nic, I went for the pro edge plus version and also ordered the pro set gauge and the long grind adapter so yandles worked out best price as everybody else I looked at charged delivery. Poolewood said it was £5.99 delivery on site but at checkout this shot up to £12.99 so just went back to yandles. I did look at the retailers you mentioned and many others but couldn't get any cheaper than the one I ordered.
Not in a great rush so next week is fine for me.

 

[nicguthrie]

Fair enough, I just thought you might like another option if you had to get it purchased before SWMBO veto's the idea! :wink:

I've been stung by the phantom delivery costs myself a few times, there's one site that offered me a set of clamps for £5.95 delivery, only to bounce that figure up to £25+ as soon as I logged in and went through the checkout process...

@Grahamsled: I bookmarked the sylmasta site for the micromesh belts, cos they do 1" by 18" versions at about £1.90 each. That's the exact size that the Work sharp Knife sharpening attachment takes, and the official versions, due to having only one official distributor in this country, cost £17 for six belts in only 3 grits. They seem to do more variety in Micromesh than any other retailer I've seen so far.

Look forward to hearing how the pro edge system works out for you.

Nic.

Edit: @Grahamsled, just noticed your comment about 3000 grit! Very nice! I wonder how that "translates"? I know Micromesh MX 1200 grit is equivalent to 3 micron but with every manufacturer using different standards, and with Micromesh they even change the standard from type to type, it get's hard to directly compare... Needless to say they'd both put a nice shiny edge on

http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/conversion.htm

 

[Jacob]

Thats good to know. I have read somewhere how long the belt is but cannot find it now. The Sorby site lists belts down to 3000 grit though.

I only use a coarse belt, for shaping a new bevel and do everything else by hand on oil stones, or hone on leather etc. The fine belts will blue an edge very easily but the coarse run cool.

 

[Grahamshed]

Thats good to know. I have read somewhere how long the belt is but cannot find it now. The Sorby site lists belts down to 3000 grit though.

I only use a coarse belt, for shaping a new bevel and do everything else by hand on oil stones, or hone on leather etc. The fine belts will blue an edge very easily but the coarse run cool.

:lol: I have so much to learn.

 

[Spindle]

The fine belts will blue an edge very easily but the coarse run cool.

Hi

Whilst I wouldn't condone purposely blueing edges when sharpening it's worth bearing in mind that high speed steel is manufactured to have a continuous working temperature of up to 600 degrees Celcius, (at this temperature it will be red hot). Blueing the edge of a high speed steel tool will not significantly affect it's cutting ability or edge retention.

This, however is NOT the case for carbon tool steels which will lose their temper if the edge is overheated during sharpening.

Regards Mick

 

[nicguthrie]

I only use a coarse belt, for shaping a new bevel and do everything else by hand on oil stones, or hone on leather etc. The fine belts will blue an edge very easily but the coarse run cool.

TBH, I normally just use plain 240 or 400 grit abrasive myself too for most turning tools.

I only use the finer grits on the skew and shear scrapers. My really fine grits are reserved for a once-in-a-while fix-up of my hand chisels and plane blades, and the micro mesh belts I mentioned, are for my kitchen knives and pocket knives. I like those to have a nice gleam for appearances sake, as well as being very sharp.

I'd love to see your technique for sharpening a fingernail profile, free hand, with an oilstone! I'll bet that took a helluvva lot of practice

As for fine belts blueing edges, it's something that I've never managed to do, as normally the fine belt is used last, in short bursts for the finishing touches, or just for refining the very edge. Light touches and short contacts, and yer not gonna blue even carbon steel.

@redmoorphil One thing I like about the Pro Edge is that you can do knives etc on the same belt. On my worksharp I need the knife adapter, it's not ideal, but it works very well.

I'd much appreciate a review when you get it up and running. All the reviews I've ever seen for it have been from Robert Sorby marketting reps.

Nic.