On Sep 22, 8:05*am, "Dr. Deb" wrote:
DejaVoodoo wrote:
I'm new to turning and have successfully turned my first two pieces.
I have not yet sharpened any of my tools (my skew is the only thing I
have really used so far, but I think it needs a tune up). *I have a
bench grinder from yester-year and I believe it to be 3450 RPM. *I'll
have to look it up to make sure. *Most sites I have visted recomend a
slower grinder. *Two questions: Can I slow this puppy down some how,
or if not, can I still use it but dip the chisel in water every few
seconds?

Thanks
Mark

If you are merely going to sharpen you skew, "scarry sharpening" will work
fine and give you a sharper tool. *

Scarry Sharpening is merely working your way up through the grits with
silicon wet/dry paper on a hard flat surface. *This does not work for
gouges, but works fine for skews. *Reason is simple, you are working with a
flat surface, just like you are on your bench chisels.

Deb

My mistake - it is my gouge that I have been using. I'm not sure why
I called it a skew, new turner’s mistake I guess. My wife said I
could sell my existing grinder on craigslist and pick up a new one.
Woodcraft has an 8" low rpm model for 109. Not cheap, but we can fit
it into the budget. I have lots of scraps in the garage, so I'll
start making the jig tonight. My wife got me the lathe about a year
and a half ago and last week was the first time I fired it up when my
dad asked me to turn some beer tap handles. Man is this addictive, I
have only turned three beer taps so far (and they all turned out
great) and I am absolutely hooked. SOOO HOOKED.

I want to do some pens for Christmas presents and eventually work my
way up to some larger stuff. After hurricane Ike came through
Houston, I went around and gathered up a bunch of branches and have
them out back drying. There is some sweetgum, pecan, birch, elm and a
few other varieties in my small stack. I think most of it is ready to
use. I have gotten pretty comfortable with the gouge, but the skew
will take a lot more practice. Every time I have used it, it ends up
catching the wood and I go back to the gouge. The chisels I have are
el-cheapos from harbor freight that I picked up over a year ago during
a sale, so better tools could be on the horizon soon, but I figure
these are good enough until I get a lot more time under my belt.

Anyway - thank you all.
Mark