I overhauled an old Sears slow speed wet wheel grinder. One
with maybe a ten inch diameter soft stone. Old washing machine
motor I had been storing for xx years is now turning it at about
80 or 90 rpm.
Question is, am I turning the stone the correct direction? It now
turns towards me, like a common bench grinder. Seems to sharpen
OK, but the tool being sharpened planes water off the turning
wheel so it runs down the tool handle and onto my shoes.
There's got to be a better way, and it looks like maybe rigging
it to turn away from me, and sharpen on an up-turning stone
would work better.
I think the old Dane that lived next to us when I was growing
up, peddled his big-time sandstone away from him.
Can anyone set this old newbie straight?
Thanks in advance!
Old Chief Lynn

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:23:20 -0800, "Lynn"
wrote:

I overhauled an old Sears slow speed wet wheel grinder. One
with maybe a ten inch diameter soft stone. Old washing machine
motor I had been storing for xx years is now turning it at about
80 or 90 rpm.
Question is, am I turning the stone the correct direction? It now
turns towards me, like a common bench grinder. Seems to sharpen
OK, but the tool being sharpened planes water off the turning
wheel so it runs down the tool handle and onto my shoes.
There's got to be a better way, and it looks like maybe rigging
it to turn away from me, and sharpen on an up-turning stone
would work better.
I think the old Dane that lived next to us when I was growing
up, peddled his big-time sandstone away from him.
Can anyone set this old newbie straight?
Thanks in advance!
Old Chief Lynn

my delta wet wheel turns toward me. the rest is set high. the runoff
water goes back in the pan. maybe its because of the rest hight. my
rest positions the chisel on the top of the stone, unlike my bench
grinder that uses the front of the stone. it works well but its a slow
process.

skeez

Hi Old Chief, If your Sears grind stone is directly driven by a
rubber spindle rubbing on it, I have one too and mine turns away from
me. I haven't ever found much use for it except for kitchen knives and
hatchets. Adjusting the tool rest isn't much help. Maybe I'm misusing
it, but I don't think it was ever popular among woodturners.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Arch wrote:
Hi Old Chief, If your Sears grind stone is directly driven by a
rubber spindle rubbing on it, I have one too and mine turns away from
me. I haven't ever found much use for it except for kitchen knives and
hatchets. Adjusting the tool rest isn't much help. Maybe I'm misusing
it, but I don't think it was ever popular among woodturners.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings



The Tormek allows for either direction based on how the rest is placed
relative to the wheel.

Hi John, I've known the Tormek, it's a friend of mine and Sear's
grindstone, you're no Tormek!


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

I've never sharpened lathe tools with a wet wheel.

What's the advantage?

I see the main disadvantage being time wasted.

I like my edge SHARP. After 5-10 minutes on hard wood, I can feel the
drag. Two steps to the grinder, about 45 seconds to touch up the
edge, and back to the lathe. Frequently I don't stop the lathe, takes
to long.

I doubt that I could do that with a wet wheel.

I'm interested, but sceptical.

What can you tell me.

Old Guy



On Nov 23, 4:23*pm, "Lynn" wrote:
* * *I overhauled an old Sears slow speed wet wheel grinder. One
with maybe a ten inch diameter soft stone. Old washing machine
motor I had been storing for xx years is now turning it at about
80 or 90 rpm.
* * *Question is, am I turning the stone the correct direction? It now
turns towards me, like a common bench grinder. Seems to sharpen
OK, but the tool being sharpened planes water off the turning
wheel so it runs down the tool handle and onto my shoes.
* * *There's got to be a better way, and it looks like maybe rigging
it to turn away from me, and sharpen on an up-turning stone
would work better.
* * *I think the old Dane that lived next to us when I was growing
up, peddled his big-time sandstone away from him.
* * *Can anyone set this old newbie straight?
Thanks in advance!
Old Chief Lynn

"Arch" wrote: in message
...
Hi John, I've known the Tormek, it's a friend of mine and Sear's
grindstone, you're no Tormek!

Yuk, yuk, This old Sears must not have been anyone's friend!
Asking price at yard sale was $4. My $2 offer was happily accepted.
Old Chief Lynn
(large picture of grinder on ABPW as "Sears Wet Grinder)

"Old Guy" wrote:
I've never sharpened lathe tools with a wet wheel.

What's the advantage?

I see the main disadvantage being time wasted.

I like my edge SHARP. After 5-10 minutes on hard wood, I can feel the
drag. Two steps to the grinder, about 45 seconds to touch up the
edge, and back to the lathe. Frequently I don't stop the lathe, takes
to long.

I doubt that I could do that with a wet wheel.

I'm interested, but sceptical.

What can you tell me.

Old Guy

I suppose time wasted is why the slow wet grinder has all
but disappeared (unless one invests in a fancy-dancy "Tormek
or equivalent)

I use (because I'm cheap, I suppose) a lot of carbon steel
tools around the shop. I have become quite proficient at
burning the edges just a little.

Just getting into woodturning now, but I have done quite a bit of
work with a hand plane. (time wasted, you are probably thinking)
As we all know, sharp is key here, and a really nice edge (without
any blue tinges is pretty easy with a wet or oil stone...... just thought
hey, with a motor here, this could be pretty cool!

I have tried sharpening my lathe tools with a conventional bench
grinder, but haven't quite perfected the stance and roll necessary to
make a pretty grind.... Some tools have gotten shorter, quicker than I had
hoped, so probably will try a homebuilt jig like a couple of the pro's
show on their web sites.

Picture of my old time Sears wet grinder is posted on ABPW,
(Alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking) but is pretty big unless you
are on some sort of broadband service.

Old Chief Lynn

"Old Guy" wrote in message
...
I've never sharpened lathe tools with a wet wheel.

What's the advantage?

I see the main disadvantage being time wasted.

I like my edge SHARP. After 5-10 minutes on hard wood, I can feel the
drag. Two steps to the grinder, about 45 seconds to touch up the
edge, and back to the lathe. Frequently I don't stop the lathe, takes
to long.

I doubt that I could do that with a wet wheel.

I'm interested, but sceptical.

What can you tell me.

Old Guy

well, there is "sharp", then there is "Sharp", then there is "SHARP", and
finally there is SHARP!!!!!!!!!"

if you make a pass or two on a 60 grit grinder and touch up the edge so you
get nice curly shavings, that's "sharp" - do it with a sharpening guide on a
120 grit wheel and carefully touch up the edges and you get "Sharp" - it
will dull faster but on soft woods you will get a better surface finish.
Use a Tormek wet wheel and a jig and you get SHARP - it will do a much
better finsh pass, but except for finishing it's not much different from
"Sharp" and that's why many don't bother. Finally, if you want to make
transparently thin shavings because you are in a hand plane contest, or you
are carving by hand, or you are doing surgery, you need "SHARP" - requires
careful honing with progressive grits and will easily split a hair in half
(though I've never figured out what to do with the other half of the hare
besides make soup).

hope this clarifies the matter
bill n


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