WorkSharp WS3000 Thoughts

[HRRLutherie]

Hi Everyone

I've had my WS3000 for just under a month now and I wanted to share some of my thoughts. Firstly, I think that it's a very well built machine. The whole top is cast metal and the sides are sheet metal. Obviously it can't compete with the likes of Tormek, but I think in terms of capability, it's up there. I got hair shaving results with the included 3600 MicroMesh disc, but a decided to take it two steps further. I bought some 13mm MDF, cut it into circles, ordered some 3M PSA lapping film from Workshop Heaven and stuck it on. I put 1 micron on one side and 0.3 micron on the other side(12000grit and 30000+grit) and know my cheapo FatMax chisel is scarily sharp. It will do a push cut through paper and I now have a hairless arm!

While I have very few edged tools, I see it as a long term investment as my chisel/plane collection increases in size. Although I am a beginner, I saw this as pretty much as economical as the Scary Sharp or waterstone road. For scary sharpening (by hand) it is about £100 for all the grits (plus spares), glass and a good honing jig. Decent waterstones up to just 8000grit would be £150 give or take before you add a honing guide, and don't even get me started in the Tormek or clones!

Where the WorkSharp really shines, though, is in its versatility. When I bought my unit, I got a great deal from Rutlands and got the free knife sharpening system. This will put a really nice convex edge on blades and, while I haven't figured out a way to do it for cheap (yet), they do sell the belts up to 12000grit. Furthermore, it is a very capable tool for turners. WorkSharp make a tool bar attachment that is actually made for Tormek jigs. And if you don't like the money their charging, you could easily but one of the Jet tool rests and mount it in a base as StumpyNubs does in his YouTube video.

I paid £190 for the unit with two glass discs, replacement abrasives from 120-3600 + a knife sharpening system with three belts.
I then spent about £4.50 on abrasives from workshop heaven
And £1 for a few 80grit discs for heavy regrinding

So, if you're looking for an easy to use sharpening system with virtually no set up, take a look at the WorkSharp WS3000.

 

[pswallace]

Hi, 'Interesting to hear your views on the worksharp system as I am considering buying one. I currently have A tormek supper grind (older model) and think they are over rated,although they do A satisfactory job I would much rather use my Veritas mk 2 honing guide with lapping film. I did have the film stuck to a piece of 6mm glass but have just bought A large black marble effect bathroom tile for £4 (homebase) and find it very good.I find that with the honing guide and film I can get much more consistent results. Do you find you get the same result every time you use the worksharp? How much use do you get from each disc? Thanks Phil.

 

[HRRLutherie]

Hi Phil

The consistency has been pretty good, with sharp chisels easily attainable in a few minutes. However, I have noticed that when I sharpened my 6mm chisel, it wasn't completely square, although, if I had a decent square I could use the skew adjustment cam to set everything up. But, since you already own a really good honing jig, you could just make a little MDF platform and sharpen on top when using delicate tools. While it's not perfect, I think it's modular design means you can make it perfect with little effort. All I know is that my tools are properly sharp!

With regards to disc longevity, I can't really comment since I've only had it a few weeks and it isn't really seeing any heavy usage. They seem to be holding up okay, though. As long as you use the crepe stick, they should last a good while. It comes with loads of spares, and if you run out you can just make your own discs from 3M PSA abrasives from Workshop Heaven. And for the lower grits, you can buy perfectly sized discs on amazon at about 40p each. Just search 150mm PSA abrasive and you should find up to about 400grit.

 

[chippy1970]

I bought mine around the same time as you , the same deal with the free knife sharpener. I'm a chippy by trade so need to sharpen my chisels quite often but in the past i've just used a DMT diamond stone every now and then but now with this machine its quicker and easier to get a sharp edge. It took a while to grind all my chisels to 25 degrees as they've all wandered off a bit over the years. I ended up buying silverline 80 grit discs from Toolstation £2.99 for 10, I've made a few mdf discs too with the help of a little jig for my router table.

 

[jimi43]

I currently have A tormek supper grind (older model) and think they are over rated, although they do A satisfactory job I would much rather use my Veritas mk 2 honing guide with lapping film.

I am a bit confused at this statement....and I shall explain why.

Grinding and honing are two different activities. The first shapes or reshapes the edge tool to the required bevel and removes a lot of steel and the second refines either this edge or a secondary bevel to create a sharp edge.

The Tormek is a cooled grinder and Scary sharp is a honing system....so it is no wonder that you feel it is over-rated if you are trying to get a honed edge with it. The leather "strop" on the Tormek is the honing system and I grant that it is nowhere near as good as Scary Sharp....

Jim

 

[HRRLutherie]

That's the beauty of the WorkSharp, whack on some 0.3 micron and you have an automated scary sharp honing system.

 

[Shrubby]

Be cautious dry grinding with 0.3 micron/Micrometre grit. It's the most difficult size to filter effectively, it's respirable and can stay airborne
Matt

 

[pswallace]

I currently have A tormek supper grind (older model) and think they are over rated, although they do A satisfactory job I would much rather use my Veritas mk 2 honing guide with lapping film.

I am a bit confused at this statement....and I shall explain why.

Grinding and honing are two different activities. The first shapes or reshapes the edge tool to the required bevel and removes a lot of steel and the second refines either this edge or a secondary bevel to create a sharp edge.

The Tormek is a cooled grinder and Scary sharp is a honing system....so it is no wonder that you feel it is over-rated if you are trying to get a honed edge with it. The leather "strop" on the Tormek is the honing system and I grant that it is nowhere near as good as Scary Sharp....

Jim

>...Yea Jim , your right but I use the veritas to re-grind primary bevels on chisels and plane irons .I simply glue A 600mm strip of 80grit paper to A peice of glass (120 on other side) and use the guide set at 25 degrees ,the steel grinds away very quickly ,the steel does heat up A bit but I just take A short brake every 5-6 strokes,when I'm happy with the bevel I change to the lapping paper and two clicks forward on the guide for the micro bevel and I'm done. I personally find the leather honing wheel on the tormek poor compared to the lapping paper. P.s I do know how to use my tormek I just like the veritas better.

 

[ScouseKev]

It works so go with it

 

[wcndave]

I have the WS3000, also use glass / paper for hand sharpening, and a scheppach tormek clone.

They are all different, and have different purposes so not sure one can compare.

Tormek type slow cooled grinders in my view are excellent for turning tools.
I use the WS3000 for chisels, as it's so fast, and repeatable angle with no setting of distances and things
Scary sharp for bench plane irons.


Thing is that I normally want a camber (even if tiny) on plane irons, just to avoid corners digging in, and it only takes a few passes each time with scary sharp once you're all set up shaped etc.

I found freehand either under or over the disk on the WS3000 to be more difficult to get consistent results.

So if you only want / can afford one tool, then which one is down to what you mostly want it for.

My advice would be for turners to get a slow cooled grinder (with jigs), hand tool enthusiasts oil/water stones, general workshop users a WS3000, and sharpening enthusiasts scary sharp glass/abrasive system.

but YMMV!