# Sharpening Lathe tools



## DonAlexander (Apr 12, 2012)

Based mostly on what I've seen at a club meeting and on youtube, I've been planning to buy a low speed grinder with a couple of the white wheels (60 and 120 grit as I recall) and Oneway (or similar) jig. 

I've got a friend who swears by his WorkSharp 3000 and is encouraging me to go in that direction. He thinks there's more versatility with it than with a grinder. 

Any thoughts, comments, opinions? In terms of lathe tools, I use at least most of them - spindle gouges, roughing gouges, bowl gouges, skews, parting tools, scrapers, and I expect detail gouges one day.

Thanks,

Don


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## knika (Jan 15, 2012)

While I can not speak for the WorkSharp, I do use a belt sander for sharpening. I believe that using a 320 grit or higher to put the edge back on the tool takes off less material. My tools last a lot longer.

Just my 2 cents.

Jack


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

I was just going to post a similar question about sharpening lathe tools. I have a 1x30 belt sander that sharpens my chisels very sharp. However I can not get the gouges and skews sharp. I was looking at some of the grinders out there, but man, they are expensive! I don't turn for profit. It's a hobby and therapy for me (disabled Vietnam vet). I looked at the worksharp 3000 today. 299.00 and it will except Tormek jigs. However.... The tool rest is 50 bucks and the jig for the gouge is another 100 bucks! There must be a less expensive way of getting this done.


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## UnisawGuy (Jul 20, 2014)

I use the 150gt white wheel to sharpen.


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## dartman (Oct 12, 2012)

I think woodcraft has the rikon grinder on sale in august.It's 99.00 with the white wheels.That is what I use with the wolverine jigs and it works great.


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## jokker78 (Feb 10, 2014)

I use the harbor freight 1*30 belt sander with 500 grit.and roll with it.
Is the best out there no it isn't , does it work yes it does


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I use a tile with sandpaper glued to it. Works fine for me


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

dartman said:


> I think woodcraft has the rikon grinder on sale in august.It's 99.00 with the white wheels.That is what I use with the wolverine jigs and it works great.


 I had a PC variable speed 6" grinder I bought at Lowes and just replaced it with the rikon 8" low speed grinder. I have the wolverine jig as well and it works much better with the 8" grinder. I might add that this grinder runs very smoothly with very little vibration.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Bob Willing said:


> I had a PC variable speed 6" grinder I bought at Lowes and just replaced it with the rikon 8" low speed grinder. I have the wolverine jig as well and it works much better with the 8" grinder. I might add that this grinder runs very smoothly with very little vibration.


The grinding wheels that come with it are a little too hard and the grit on both wheels are a bit too fine, but they will work. The Norton 3X wheels are well worth getting at about $50 apiece. The coarse one is 46 grit and the fine one is 80 grit.


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## Bill White 2 (Jun 23, 2012)

Every turner has his/her method, machine, system.
I don't think that there is a single method that is "the best".
I use a 7" high speed with gray Norton wheels, a Capt. Eddie style jig for bowl gouges, a Makita slow speed water wheel for edge tools (skews), granite plate, water stones, blah, blah, blah.
Kinda just pick a system, learn to use it well, and get on with turning.
Bill


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Bill White said:


> Every turner has his/her method, machine, system.
> I don't think that there is a single method that is "the best".
> I use a 7" high speed with gray Norton wheels, a Capt. Eddie style jig for bowl gouges, a Makita slow speed water wheel for edge tools (skews), granite plate, water stones, blah, blah, blah.
> Kinda just pick a system, learn to use it well, and get on with turning.
> Bill


My reason for not liking the aluminum oxide wheels has nothing to do with sharpening capability -- it is primarily health related. Aluminum oxide wheels generate clouds of fine dust that hangs in the air for long perios of time. It is this ultra fine dust that can cause silicosis. Our respiratory systems can't adequately filter the dust when overwhelmed with the volume that we breathe. If your system is equipped with adequate dust extraction then the problem can be mitigated. The second problem is that the coarser dust is a real nuisance and it gets into everything in the shop.


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Well, I'm bending towards a grizzley wet grinder. However I need to find out what the difference between these two are?
http://www.grizzly.com/search/search?q=Wet grinder


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## UnisawGuy (Jul 20, 2014)

http://www.oneway.ca/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=4&Itemid=22


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Pauley said:


> Well, I'm bending towards a grizzley wet grinder. However I need to find out what the difference between these two are?
> http://www.grizzly.com/search/search?q=Wet grinder


Well, it is a knockoff of the Tormek -- a Chinese copy you might say ...literally. The biggest difference between the two that Grizzly has appears to be the price. Beyond that, it is the color of the paint, the color of the water tray, and some decals. It would be a good idea to call Grizzly to find out if there are any other differences. The one critical difference between the Grizzly and Tormek systems is that Grizzly does not have any jigs for sharpening woodturning tools, nor does it have any angle setting jigs that the Tormek has. It is possible that the Tormek jigs for turning tools will fit on the Grizzly, but then you really need the Tormek owners manual to show you how to use the jigs unless you are already familiar with using the Tormek jigs. At one time Tormek had the owners manual available online, but I am not sure that the do any more.

Some other differences that I noticed is that there is no stone grader for the Grizzly and the diamond tipped truing tool seems almost too cheesy to work.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I've got the Wolverine jig and I'm debating a CBN wheel on an 8" grinder versus using the Wolverine jig with a wet grinder. 

Any comments on using a CBN wheel versus the Grizzly wet grinder?


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## DonAlexander (Apr 12, 2012)

Well, after consulting a couple of local turners and reading the comments here, Saturday I bought the Rikon slow speed, 8" grinder on sale at Woodcraft and got the Wolverine-Oneway jig, including the Vari-grind 2 and the skew jig. I have little idea if I did the right thing or not but it seems most turners use a grinder to sharpen. My initial reaction of the Rikon isn't real good. Both wheel wobbled and one of the wheels has been a major frustration to "balance". By Sunday evening I had the Rikon mounted (a fairly simple task) and after hours of trying get the wobbling out of the wheel, I've got something useable. Attacking the wobble has been an exercise in frustration. I finally removed the wheel and inspected it closely. Both sides are flat. I suspect the cardboard bushing (yikes!?!) is the problem. I was expecting a plastic bushing but no joke, the bushing is cardboard. How much would a metal bushing cost? Pennies I suspect. I may make one on my metal lathe. 

Anyway, I finally got the wobble down to about .020 from something in excess of 0.150! Seriously for a few cents - maybe a buck with markup, I think a metal bushing would fix most of the wobble - getting 0.005 should be easy and Rikon's reputation for s-m-o-o-t-h would skyrocket. Enough whining.

After hours of putzing, I sharpened a few gouges with very good results. I'm still practicing on the skews and too tired and frustrated to even think about putting a fingernail grind on a bowl gouge...but tomorrow I'll give them a shot.

Thanks for the thoughts. 

Don


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## BigBadBuford (Jan 13, 2012)

I have the Grizzly 10" wet grinder and just recently started using it for my lathe tools. Grizzly does sell a kit for turning tools - but I don't think I'd recommend it. First the machining on it was lousy. The gouges fit in a ring with a half circular insert that is screwed in place. On mine it isn't machined right so it doesn't sit flush on one side. There are inserts that fit in the jig to tighten on the gouges - both of these were too large to fit in the opening and I had to file them to fit. Even with them properly installed they don't have a great grip on the tools unless you crank the nut down with pliers. The system comes with poor instructions as well. Once I finally got it put together I was able to grind my spindle gouges decently, but it will only do a straight grind. If I was going to buy a system again I'd still get the grizzly grinder but I'd get the Tormek jigs instead.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I have been playing with all the various sharpening methods for the last year or so. They all work. I have a belt sander and mostly use 320 grit on it. It gets my tools extremely sharp. The Grizzly, Jet and sheppac grinders are all about the same. The Tormek is a step up in quality from these. 
I'm not a fan of wet wheel grinding for lathe tools that I sharpen without a jig. I just can't "feel" the bevel as well and can't see sparks come over the edge. For jig grinding it's great.
My latest purchase is the CBNwheels on a slow speed grinder. That is probably the best way to go right now for turning tools if cost isn't a factor. My CBN wheel cost more than my grinder.


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

DonAlexander said:


> Well, after consulting a couple of local turners and reading the comments here, Saturday I bought the Rikon slow speed, 8" grinder on sale at Woodcraft and got the Wolverine-Oneway jig, including the Vari-grind 2 and the skew jig. I have little idea if I did the right thing or not but it seems most turners use a grinder to sharpen. My initial reaction of the Rikon isn't real good. Both wheel wobbled and one of the wheels has been a major frustration to "balance". By Sunday evening I had the Rikon mounted (a fairly simple task) and after hours of trying get the wobbling out of the wheel, I've got something useable. Attacking the wobble has been an exercise in frustration. I finally removed the wheel and inspected it closely. Both sides are flat. I suspect the cardboard bushing (yikes!?!) is the problem. I was expecting a plastic bushing but no joke, the bushing is cardboard. How much would a metal bushing cost? Pennies I suspect. I may make one on my metal lathe.
> 
> Anyway, I finally got the wobble down to about .020 from something in excess of 0.150! Seriously for a few cents - maybe a buck with markup, I think a metal bushing would fix most of the wobble - getting 0.005 should be easy and Rikon's reputation for s-m-o-o-t-h would skyrocket. Enough whining.
> 
> ...


 I did have a small amount of vibration on mine to start with but I did not like the coarse wheel on the right and I wanted the fine grind on the right so I changed them around and the vibration was completely gone you my want to try this http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/97/6196/Raptor-R3X-Grinding-Wheel-Bushing-2-Piece-Set as it stands now if mine had your problem I would have purchased the hub from woodturners.


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## dartman (Oct 12, 2012)

Most of the people I talked to before buying the wolverine system thought the veri-grind 1 was superior to the veri-grind 2.Also,even with the grinder and jig,I still sharpen my skew on the 1x30 belt sander.


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Wow! I certainly did learn a lot from this post. Thank you all very much. I have decided to go with the Grizzly 10 inch anniversary wet grinder and I will eventually purchase the Tormek jigs for it.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

*Looking for a CBN Wheel*

Oops - Meant to start new post - sorry!


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

dartman said:


> Most of the people I talked to before buying the wolverine system thought the veri-grind 1 was superior to the veri-grind 2.Also,even with the grinder and jig,I still sharpen my skew on the 1x30 belt sander.


The Varigrind 2 is supposed to be safer, but it is a one trick pony that only allows one shape of grind. I highly suggest getting the original Varigrind jig.

I mainly use my Tormek for sharpening my gouges and scrapers.


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## woodciro (Aug 23, 2009)

DonAlexander said:


> Well, after consulting a couple of local turners and reading the comments here...After hours of putzing, I sharpened a few gouges...
> 
> Don



Is "putzing" eastern seaboard thing? I have a sister and brother-in-law in Virginia and they're always just "putzing around".

Down here in the deep South, we "piddle".

Sorry, couldn't resist.

John


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

woodciro said:


> Is "putzing" eastern seaboard thing? I have a sister and brother-in-law in Virginia and they're always just "putzing around".
> 
> Down here in the deep South, we "piddle".
> 
> ...


I think that the folks back east also piddle, but in a different sort of way. :icon_rolleyes:


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## woodciro (Aug 23, 2009)

Bill Boehme said:


> I think that the folks back east also piddle, but in a different sort of way. :icon_rolleyes:


Yeah, Bill, I realize "piddle" has multiple meanings. But in the South, it just has one-as in "dawdle" or "putter". But if you said you were "puttering" down here, well, you'd draw some suspicious looks at your arraignment.

I think I've dawdled enough, not to mention hijacking a thread, have a great day,

John


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## Pauley (Jan 21, 2012)

Bill Boehme said:


> I think that the folks back east also piddle, but in a different sort of way. :icon_rolleyes:


The only thing that piddles in New England is something a woman would say when their dog is lifting their leg....


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## woodciro (Aug 23, 2009)

Pauley said:


> The only thing that piddles in New England is something a woman would say when their dog is lifting their leg....


Yeah, well, down here, we call that something else...except Southern ladies would say nothing.

Wonder when the administrator is going to get on us for "piddlin' around"? Glad I ain't the one whut started this.

John


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## dartman (Oct 12, 2012)

My wife and I have a joke about putzing around.There is a hardware store here that is called Putz's We are always making jokes about the name at their expense.Nothing mean just funny.


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## pv74 (Oct 30, 2014)

I have a little 6" grinder I bought at Kmart years ago. I use a star wheel dresser to true the wheels up. I've found that if the wheels aren't trued up, grinding accurately is next to impossible. I have a Wolverine jig. It does a great job on my gouges. 

The skews are still somewhat of a pain to do. Usually end up doing them on the grinder, but it's a pain to get the edge just right.


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