Anyone used one of these

[Stevedimebag]

http://www.axminster.co.uk/multi-sharp-wetstone-water-cooled-chisel-plane-sharpener-117672

Anyone used a drill operated wetstone for sharpening? It seems like a pretty good deal at only £20 if it gives a good edge. Its a fraction of the price of some decent diamond or water stones.

 

[AndyT]

If it works, it is remarkably cheap. But I think I can see what would be negative points for me. If they don't apply to you, maybe you'd like it.

It has a lot of bits and looks fiddly.
It needs enough space for itself and a power drill, lying down. That's more empty space than I normally have clear on the bench. Plus it needs water, best kept away from the other things on the bench.

Presumably you hold the blade on an angle block and slide it side to side on the flat wheel. With two hands on the blade, you'd need a third hand to turn the drill on, unless your drill has a latching switch.
It must be ok for straight square edges and they say it's ok for gouges. Will it work on cambered plane blades?
They say it will sharpen "rebate chisels" but I don't know what they are.

Overall though, it looks as if it would make me put off sharpening for as long as I could. The one thing I would recommend first to any woodworker is to sharpen little and often. Several times in the same day. It should be as quick and natural as an artist sharpening a pencil.

 

[Racers]

I looks cheap and nasty to me, it probably needs lots of skill to over come its weaknesses and produce a decent edge, more than a guide and oil stone/waterstones/scary sharp.

Not to mention water near drill not designed to be used in wet conditions.

Pete

 

[Ttrees]

Just get a knock-off eclipse honing guide for like... a fiver and be done with it .
How are you going to work on the flat/back of the tool your proposing to sharpen ?
I have a very fine diamond for this.

I'm looking into getting an aggressive cheap diamond hone from ebay,
from somewhere in the far east to work on the bevel side...
All I have at the moment is a washita and a fine well worn diamond 1800g .

I have no problem in stating I aint the fastest at this ....so here comes the cavalry soon

On a newly(ish) ground primary bevel when it comes time to sharpen again .
I go to the diamond and work on the flat burr and wear bevel off a wee bit...
Flip it over to the bevel side, and start on the washita ...flip again to the diamond and again washita
and once more to the diamond and work on both sides this time on it ...

I don't stop sharpening until I cant see the edge reflecting

I should really get a rough diamond for speeding it up on the bevel side.
Something like a 400g cheapo or oilstone .
Someone should chime in with some advice on these cheap diamonds ,

I could use sandpaper for the bevel but I just don't like grit anywhere around where I work.
I also suspect my washita is on the fine side, or I wouldn't need a more aggressive stone ...maybe...
Or maybe it's the iroko I work though

You won't be sorry, you spent less than a fiver on the eclipse clone .

 

[rafezetter]

I did buy one of these a few years back and although I don't use it anymore for actual sharpening, I do still use it to regrind back to main bevel before sharpening, and for that it's fine, it's pretty quick, you do have to have a container of water handy to control the heat.

the holder / slider won't work for plane blade wider than 50mm, but otherwise it's good enough instead of a bench grinder.

 

[ED65]

Its a fraction of the price of some decent diamond or water stones.

That depends on who you're buying from and whether you're paying for a name.

As mentioned here recently in a couple of threads you can get diamond plates through AliExpress for very reasonable prices and despite their low cost they appear to be quite good as far as quality goes. Here's the thread I started on the 1000-grit plate I bought.

If you're after coarse plates I know there's at least one seller there who offers plates of a reasonable size in grits coarser than 250, possibly all the way down to 60 grit but I can't remember for sure. They're a little more expensive than the one I link to in the above thread but still wallet-friendly.

 

[Ttrees]

Thanks for that link Ed . 8)
I'm gonna bookmark this thread so I don't loose it .
I think I was looking before, but deemed it possibly troublesome being a thin plate .
I think I will seek some out soon though ...what better excuse do I have now, after pilfering some granite
from a local tile places rubble pile .
These pieces must have been a base for a stove of something.
I've went by this place too many times and seen suitable plates go to waste ...
I just couldn't go by again without salvaging something this time.
Have a looksey at your local tile or stove place
Good luck