Sharpening

[mudman]

Yes agreed. An 8” bench grinder would be a better bet in my view. You can buy or make the jigs for it.

Yes, I have the Axminster slow running 8" which I've had for a long time now and think highly of. I'm planning to replace one wheel with a CBN wheel and possible replace the other ones with a polishing mop facility.

 

[Robbo3]

Sorry for bringing this back up again, but I need a sharpening set up and have a limited budget.
Chris

Water wheels cut very slowly so are ok for when your tools are correctly shaped. If you need to remove a lot of metal then you are in for a long frustrating slog not to mention the wear on the stone & water wheels aren't cheap to replace.

Gouges with side cutting wings are the hardest to sharpen, requiring a roll & swing at the same time. That is why most amateurs use a jig. A jig also ensures consistancy & the minimum amount of metal removal on each sharpening.

So you need a 6" grinder & a gouge jig. Phil Irons says why have a slow speed 8" grinder when a standard 6" has nearly the same periferal speed.
Gouge jig £33 - Wood chisel sharpener jig tool turning gouge fingernail two jigs lathe tool | eBay
All the othe tools can be sharpened using the small platform that come with the grinder. If you want a separate platform there is one available for about £30 from the same seller as the gouge jig.
I mount my grinder on a King Heiple's platform (attached below) & sized the openings to take the sliding jig arms. Nuts added on the inside of each track to allow the arms to be clamped.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That is why most amateurs use a jig ...

I've yet to see a professional who doesn't use one.

 

[walnutboydave]

Tanks for the replies everyone, and so far I can't see a problem with the kit. It looks like it is a bit of a bone of contention as to whether amateurs or professionals need a sharpening grinder and/or a jig, but for what I can see the jig takes all the guesswork out of the issue and keeps the gouges and skews at the same angle every time so in turn keeps the consistency the same.
I think I'll have a punt and I'll report back on how it goes - the worst that can happen is that it goes back on fleabay!

 

[spanner48]

Cheaper and utterly superior is freehand with 2 or 3 oilstones. Less than £50 will see you kitted out for life.
Sharpening got rewritten by maniacs, sometime in the 80s, with the boom in DIY and hack magazine writers. Almost all traces of the simple trad system have been written out of the record

Agreed! I've never, in 65 years, felt the need for a sharpening jig. Learn the angle; do it right. The only change would be using diamond-grit stones, instead of oilstones. Quite cheap now, last 5 times as long as oilsontes and - above all - stay flat.

 

[spanner48]

I've yet to see a professional who doesn't use one.

Then look more widely . . . . .

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

For me, there's enough to learn when starting out turning that I don't want to add sharpening to the list. I'm fortunate that I could throw money at the problem and get a Tormek and it's plethora of jigs (beware, they add a significant extra spend, although you can acquire them gradually ofc), which basically eliminated 99% of the additional learning required. Yes I may save some time overall by buying a bench grinder with CBN wheels and learning to freehand, but in all honesty, that would more than likely have resulted in the lathe gathering dust and nothing getting learned at all.

Depends on your appetite. If you just want to get on and do the fun thing, and you have the money to splash, then there are options available.

In other news, can anybody recommend a good farrier, my horse needs some attention and I don't trust those new fangled "automobiles", my horse does the job just as well for much cheaper.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Not "ill advised" - it has been the method for millennia and is described in all the old books, Percy Blandford etc.
It's just an alternative worth investigating, especially if you haven't already lashed out on a lot of kit.
I had a Pro edge for a while but thought it wasn't good value when I discovered how effective are discs on the outboard end of headstock. (see above) so I sold it on.
I'll carry on doing it my way, sorry about that, I hope too many people aren't offended!

For millennia a pole lathe with RPM measured in 10s was the norm. Most now have lathes which can manage RPM in the 1000s. Probably needs a different level of steel (HSS etc), profile, precision.

A bit like fitting a wooden wheel with an iron rim to a supercar - the handling would be compromised somewhat. Better to use a modern rubber, steel, synthetic and pneumatic alternative.

 

[Jacob]

For millennia a pole lathe with RPM measured in 10s was the norm. Most now have lathes which can manage RPM in the 1000s.

but don't need it

Probably needs a different level of steel (HSS etc), profile, precision.

only if you insist on it! It's non essential.

A bit like fitting a wooden wheel with an iron rim to a supercar - the handling would be compromised somewhat. Better to use a modern rubber, steel, synthetic and pneumatic alternative.

Why the obsession with turning speed? Do things get done sooner, better, etc?

 

[Lons]

Complete and utter tosh, have you been on the wacky backy again?

Nothing is essential except food water and air but maybe you should get rid of your bike, car, tools, clothes and house, go and live in a cave where you belong. You will have disposed of your power and hand tools and reverted to bits of flint so won't even need your oilstones. Best of all no computer so we wouldn't have to read your copious amounts of carp.

Adjustable or variable speed on a lathe is very useful indeed and is adjusted according to the size and properties of the wood or other materials you're turning, sanding or applying a finish to. Higher speeds are used for small spindle work say a pen blank than the lower speed needed for a 12" bowl blank and is adjusted as you progress from rough to a cylinder. You really need to go and have a few lessons.

 

[Jacob]

Complete and utter tosh, have you been on the wacky backy again?

Nothing is essential except food water and air but maybe you should get rid of your bike, car, tools, clothes and house, go and live in a cave where you belong. You will have disposed of your power and hand tools and reverted to bits of flint so won't even need your oilstones. Best of all no computer so we wouldn't have to read your copious amounts of carp.

Adjustable or variable speed on a lathe is very useful indeed and is adjusted according to the size and properties of the wood or other materials you're turning, sanding or applying a finish to. Higher speeds are used for small spindle work say a pen blank than the lower speed needed for a 12" bowl blank and is adjusted as you progress from rough to a cylinder. You really need to go and have a few lessons.

Don't worry about it!

 

[Lons]

Don't worry about it!

I don't
Have you learned yet how to operate that dual flush to avoid floating logs, it isn't essential of course you could just go to the woods and do what the bears do.

 

[Jacob]

.....
Have you learned yet how to operate that dual flush to avoid floating logs, .....

Yes thanks. It's a modern flush mech installed in an old cistern/WC and not quite compatible. Or may just need a service - do they wear out?

 

[Vulcan]

I've yet to see a professional who doesn't use one.

 

[Jacob]

Yes thanks. It's a modern flush mech installed in an old cistern/WC and not quite compatible. Or may just need a service - do they wear out?

Yes needs a service. Just bought the kit only £7 on ebay. No more floaters!!

 

[Vulcan]

Phil Irons says why have a slow speed 8" grinder when a standard 6" has nearly the same periferal speed.

I don’t see the advantage of taking twice as long to sharpen a gouge? The vast majority of turners seem to use HSS tools these days so it’s almost impossible to draw the temper using a grinder no matter what speed it runs at.
Personally I prefer a flat grind so I use a belt grinder.

 

[walnutboydave]

Great video, but that took ages even for someone with his experience. I'd have gouges that ended up about an inch long if I tried that. I'll stick to the jigs and make sure it's the same every time.

 

[Lons]

Stuart is a very good turner but I'll always remember sitting next to his father Allan at an early Harrogate show where Stuart was demonstrating and Allan publically derided him for being so wasteful of abrasives as well as tool steel. He said you wouldn't be doing that if you had to pay for your own tools and materials. It was said with a smile.

 

[Vulcan]

Great video, but that took ages even for someone with his experience. I'd have gouges that ended up about an inch long if I tried that. I'll stick to the jigs and make sure it's the same every time.

I don’t disagree, I use jigs myself. I disagreed with the statement about professionals, I’ve seen several sharpen free hand. I happened to remember a Stuart Batty demonstration where he stopped to sharpen a gouge. It was done before some could mount one in a jig to get ready to sharpen it.

 

[Jacob]

I don’t disagree, I use jigs myself. I disagreed with the statement about professionals,

The gadget industry as a whole was developed to exploit the amateur novice market

I’ve seen several sharpen free hand. I happened to remember a Stuart Batty demonstration where he stopped to sharpen a gouge. It was done before some could mount one in a jig to get ready to sharpen it.

A quick freehand dab, little and often. Much quicker than setting up a collection of expensive modern sharpening gadgets. Also wastes less metal. You get into the habit and hardly notice you are doing it.