Hi,
It's easy spending a great deal of money buying the best sharpening system and try for the ultimate sharpness but I wonder how many don't bother sharpening at all just switching to tipped tools which I don't think have been mentioned but I see a lot of. Recently I made three tipped tools at little cost the carbide tips bought in packs of ten through eBay. Because of the winter weather I've not yet really tried them out but hope to once I can get into the workshop without being frozen.
I've been around a bit and seen many instances where this or that is best; best chisels including Japanese types very expensive planes bought more for show than actual use; whilst restoring vintage valve radios some guys insisted on buying very expensive balanced valves for amplifiers saying they could tell the difference in sound?
Sorry if I'm diverting this interesting thread but what about the skill of the turner; an experienced turner can produce a very good finish on the work straight from the tool which is ground on less than perfect equipment but a novice using a perfectly ground tool could well produce a poor finish on the work.
How many spend more time sharpening chasing the perfect cutting edge than actually doing turning; sharpening and collecting tools can become an obsession; once the work is sanded and finished who could tell what tools had been used to create it?
What do production woodturners use to sharpen their tools after all time is money to them.
I believe tipped tools stay sharp up to 40 times longer than HSS tools; I've used TC tooling for years on my lathes and in my routers but have only just got around to spending time in the workshop although the time has been cut short by our dire climate. A razor sharp HSS tool won't stay sharp for long hitting bark or knots.
Buying tipped turning tools can be expensive but making my own is interesting and not difficult at all.
Obviously the person with the money has the choice of what to buy; I'm just a tight Yorkshireman who likes to make his own tools and even machines at a fraction of new prices for something not as good. Just a thought so please don't jump all over me.
Kind regards, Colin.
My new tipped tools; two are finished the third still needing the handle but finished after the picture was taken; What's the difference between these I made and those bought from a tool stockist apart from price? Round bright steel bar stock for shafts; 2" square blanks for handles; a bit of steel pipe for ferrules and the tips plus the enjoyment of making and using my own tools.
The three tip profiles to date but more can be added later if required. I drilled and tapped for two of the tips but just because I have the kit I brazed the third tip; I have a high speed diamond hone I made using a very cheap router and diamond cup wheel so I can even sharpen my carbide tooling.
I have a large selection of turning tools but generally only use about three of them
Has anyone some spare warm weather I could scrounge then I can start making shavings again.
