I have one of the Tormek systems, and it sits unused in a dusty corner
of my shop. For the amount of turning and sharpening that I do, it
doesn't work for me. The wheel is too soft, and I spent more time
dressing the wheel than sharpening. A wheel would last me a month or
two at most. CBN (carbon boron nitride) wheels are my preference. They
are made to order, in any grit you want. I have an 80 grit for
scrapers, and a 320 grit for my gouges and skews. After a year and a
half, I have worn away about half of the 3/16 inch bond of CBN on the
wheel (8 by 1 inch wheel). At $300 per wheel, it is a bargain, not to
mention that my gouges last much longer. I don't think that the 320
grit sharpened gouge cuts me any better than a 125 grit sharpened
gouge, but it does do a much cleaner job of cutting the wood.
robo hippy



















Ecnerwal wrote:
In article ,
(Arch) wrote:

We mostly agree that our turning tool's edges ought to be sharp and
without serrations, the bevels smooth and even. We do not all agree
on

(Just don't look at the "smooth, non-serrated" edge with a microscope

;-))

A large number of woodturners at a New Hampshire symposium a few
years
back were having a grand old cheap time with belt sanders mounted so
the
belts ran up and AlZn belts. I keep dropping my tuit before I take
all
the corners off, but have used the same trick on my unmodified belt
sander by laying it flat and standing on the end it runs away from.
Works nicely - quick and cool. Clean out _all_ sawdust before trying
this trick on a belt sander that ever sees wood...

Naturally, you gould get a "real" belt grinder, or you could screw
around for several years (when most of your time to work on such
things
is taken up trying to get the new shop building done) on a homemade
version. I've taken the latter course, obviously.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by