ProEdge Mods/Adaptations-Anybody have a favourite hint.

[CHJ]

Not being a fan of having to keep reconfiguring a tool that should be a quick 'go to' for differing projects I was frustrated with the prospect of having to change primary fittings for knife sharpening etc.
This set me on the road to simplifying things to suit my needs. The fact I have an aversion to spending money on 'posh' accessories when I do not need to also had a role in this thinking.

First of all, Gouge Jig and Gouge protrusion, not specific to ProEdge and by no means a new idea or method but if fine abrasives are to be used (as with the Tormek) then accurate protrusion length becomes significant.
To this end I use a setting block and the natural weight of the gouge to set my gouge protrusions, currently in all but one instance my gouge protrusions are the same (50mm)

the odd one is catered for with a packer/shim to gain the extra length.

All gouge nose profile angles that I use are then accommodated by using the different holes in the extended pivot block.

To ensure that Gouge Jigs are easy to set to suit the P.E. and other grinders I have setting templates, in the case of the P.E. set to 120deg.

I personally don't have my 'go to' Skews set to the lowest angle, but if you do then no doubt it will be found that the tool handle will foul the structure or the motor switch (what a silly place to mount that)
So just in case the lowest angle ever manifests itself I raised the support platform with a Packer.

This then of course resulted in the fact that a Skew or other low angle tool could protrude over the top of the belt support platen. To this end I drilled another set of holes and moved the platen further up the machine.

Another downside to raising the basic support platform is that in all but 90deg. the belt to support clearance becomes greater than ideal so I made all my support accessories with a view to providing less clearance, the simplest being an interference fit support platform that can be positioned right up to the belt.

To overcome the limitations of short tools needing yet another shorter platform I just fit a packer thick enough to lift handles clear of main platform.

Skew Guide and basic Angle Block to align round stock and of course a 90deg. guide, take care making this, it's almost certain that your support platform mitre slot will not be at true parallel to the belt so sharpening a Plane blade for instance will be out of true unless the side stop is angled to correct this.

Oval Skew Guide slot to hold them level on platform.

One of the major machine configuration chores, and expenditures is changing the belt support platen to one giving clearance for knife handles etc.
My answer to this was to make my own Packing Platen that just sits atop the standard platen, thus avoiding the bolting and changing of the platens back and forth.

You can see the repositioned Belt Platen nearer the top roller.

To go with this I made my own Knife Jig support rest to slip onto the standard tool pivot bar, this I must admit was just a cost saving exercise and I feel better for it.

 

[CHJ]

So anybody else got any Tips, ideas, preferred methods that might be of interest to others?

 

[TFrench]

I made my own copy of the pro set protusion thingy - but I like your version better!

 

[CHJ]

I made my own copy of the pro set protusion thingy - but I like your version better!

For years I used a simple horizontal distance template to set protrusions, but was forever finding that when using fine abrasives (wet wheel or fine stones) the 'distance' often varied by a fraction due to my inability to hold it tight up against the template consistently and tighten the clamp. Another members input pointing me to the 'Gravity Block' approach solved that problem and I've used it ever since.

As per Rob, I use 60 grit for shaping 120 grit for general turning but have 220 and 320 belts which I use for fine finishing cut situations where the wood plays ball to produce a better finish, it's then that the advantage of the better setting control shows for rapid touch up of the edge.

 

[custard]

What an excellent resource. Thanks for posting. I've put a link in the Main Section as this will be useful to other woodworkers besides turners.

=D>

 

[CHJ]

Thanks Custard, nothing very pretty as usual from me, home shop use bits and pieces tend to be made to be adequate for the job rather than looking pretty and show pieces*, just hoping the thread will turn up some other tips and ideas that others have had.

One other thing I've done at the P.E. location is hot melt fix some old Hard Disc magnets around the belt area and these collect the bulk of any grinding debris in attractive furry shrubs rather than it spreading around the shop from the motor cooling airstream.

* Experience has taught me that this weeks best thing since sliced bread often turns out to be next months dustbin fodder so the limited time I have left to annoy the world is better spent moving on rather than polishing the finesse.