Dakota Waterstone Grinder

[Evergreen]

Hi All

Just got my new Rutlands catalogue and have been eyeing up the Dakota horizontal waterstone grinder. I like the principle of horizontal grinding and I like the price. But does it actually work? Has anyone got one of these grinders, please? I'd want one for light hobby use, just plane irons and chisels, etc.

I tried using the forum's search facilityand couldn't find any reference to one of these.

TIA.

Regards.

 

[Slim]

This One? It looks identical to the Rexon which I believe Tony owns. I'm sure he'll be along soon to tell you about it.

 

[Slim]

Just did a quick search for Tony's threads on the Rexon.

here, here and here

 

[WellsWood]

I have the Rexon as well and this is clearly identical in all but colour and the fact that with the Rexon you get the planer knife jig with it like this so it actually works out cheaper.
It's OK for honing up planer knives (bit of a learning curve to get the best from it) but full regrinds are out of it's league because they just take too long and it's more cost efficient for me to send them out.
If I had my time again, and knew what I know now, I probably wouldn't buy it again - I'd put the money towards a Tormek or similar.

 

[Evergreen]

Slimjim81 and MarkW

Thanks for the information.

Regards.

 

[Fred Page]

Why is it that nobody on this forum ever appears to get enthusiastic about this kind of sharpening equipment. I've just had an email from Rutlands offering the Dakota at a reasonable price but I must admit to being reluctant about purchase - I don't know why!
The principle of a water sprayed horizontal flat stone is surely the IDEAL in sharpening so what's going on? Will nobody speak up for these things? No matter what you may say about Tormek and other 'circular' wheels, you are after all grinding a curved edge (unless you hone this off afterwards - which surely takes a deal of time?).

 

[beech1948]

Hi,
I have had one. I have used one. I sent it back and got a refund.

Issues were:-
1) Stones were not flat. As much as a 1/4 inch difference between outer and inner thickness. A lot to lose when trying to flatten the horizontal stones
2) P/T blade jig was very poor
3) Ability of jig to hold chisel blades square was poor
4) Finish achiveed was average.

BUT: its a question of what is it good at. If you strip off the jig mechanism then its quite good at flattening the backs of blades.

You could make your own jig to properly hold tools or blades to sharpen.

I bought a Tormek and some waterstones. Never looked back.

regards
Alan

 

[DaveL]

The principle of a water sprayed horizontal flat stone is surely the IDEAL in sharpening so what's going on?

Well it is if you are trying to produce a totally flat bevel. However the build of the machine and its rests becomes very critical as you now have a plane in contact, not just tangential point contact as with a Tormek.

No matter what you may say about Tormek and other 'circular' wheels, you are after all grinding a curved edge

The bevel produced is hollow ground, which for my sharpening system* is better than a flat bevel. I have a Jet whet stone grinder and use that to produce a primary bevel, I then use a Veritas Mk2 guide on ceramic stones to produce a secondary bevel as well as a third micro bevel. Due to the primary bevel being hollow ground the amount of metal that is removed on the stones by hand is very small. This also allows a number of hand touch ups before the primary needs to be reground, quick hand sharpening encourages me to keep the tool very sharp as its not a chore any more.

(unless you hone this off afterwards - which surely takes a deal of time?).

I think that would be a waste of time.

As Tony has said in the threads linked to above, these machines are very good for flattening the backs of chisels but limited for everyday sharpening.

*I think David Charlesworth recommends this system, I did not think it up by myself.

 

[Andy Pullen]

I bought a Draper version of this years ago, it also had a vertical wide white grinding wheel. The white grinding wheel was good but the flat honing wheel was useless to be honest. I wouldn't consider another.

 

[WellsWood]

The principle of a water sprayed horizontal flat stone is surely the IDEAL in sharpening so what's going on? Will nobody speak up for these things?

If it really lights your candle Fred, have a look at this Viceroy Sharpedge. 16" wheel on this baby - that's the way to do it :wink:

 

[JackL]

Andy wrote

I bought a Draper version of this years ago, it also had a vertical wide white grinding wheel. The white grinding wheel was good but the flat honing wheel was useless to be honest. I wouldn't consider another.

I too bought the Draper version some years ago and my experience is the same as Andy's. I still use the white grindstone but the tool rest on the honing stone is terrible and now I only use it to flatten the back of plane and chisel blades.

I have a Cruesen low speed grinder and that is pretty good - if you ignore the fact that the grinding wheels are very soft and disappear in a cloud of dust at the least provocation!

 

[Fred Page]

Thanks for all the above comments. Now I know!
Interesting that Axminster seem to show little interest in them.
Fred

 

[andrewm]

I can't help but feel that based on the responses so far the issue is not really one of edge versus face sharpening on a grindstone but one of the quality of the machines. If someone produced a flat waterstone to the quality of the Tormek I am sure a lot more people would recommend it.

Andrew

 

[Lord Nibbo]

The principle of a water sprayed horizontal flat stone is surely the IDEAL in sharpening so what's going on? Will nobody speak up for these things?

If it really lights your candle Fred, have a look at this Viceroy Sharpedge. 16" wheel on this baby - that's the way to do it :wink:

Blimey the last time I saw one of them I was at school in 1962 :lol: