Does anyone sharpen their lathe tools by hand, without jigs, guides or other
aids. Just a grinder and holding the chisel by hand. Would like to hear
about you experience. Thks in advance.


Dan J

On Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:55:08 -0500, Dan Jefferson wrote
(in message ):

Does anyone sharpen their lathe tools by hand, without jigs, guides or other
aids. Just a grinder and holding the chisel by hand. Would like to hear
about you experience. Thks in advance.


Dan J



I sharpen my tools freehand. I am very satisfied with the results and have
not burned an edge yet. Use a light touch, do not be too eager to remove
metal, have a container of water near the grinder to keep the metal cool. I
do not even use the tool rest directly. A right-handed person, I cradle the
tool in my left hand (resting or lightly touching the tool rest with the
backside of my left forefinger) and manipulate the tool with my right hand,
holding the tool wherever works best, to get the angle I want at the time. I
can tell just where the edge is in relation to the stone by watching where
the sparks are going. When it seems like I am splitting the stream of sparks,
with some going under the chisel and the rest coming just over the top of the
edge, I know that I am actually grinding on the cutting edge. My touch is
light enough that I think I can count the sparks when I am finishing.
Please note that I am not disparaging the use of jigs for sharpening. I
simply prefer to do it my own way, that's all.
tom koehler

--
I will find a way or make one.

In article ,
"Dan Jefferson" wrote:

Does anyone sharpen their lathe tools by hand, without jigs, guides or other
aids. Just a grinder and holding the chisel by hand. Would like to hear
about you experience. Thks in advance.


Dan J

Yes - sometimes. Doing it successfully is a matter of practice and feel
(Harbor Frieght chisel sets can be less expensive to waste while
learning.)

OTOH, jigs can be handy too, and many can be made for free (well, the
time and some scrap wood.)

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

On Oct 17, 8:55*am, "Dan Jefferson" wrote:
Does anyone sharpen their lathe tools by hand, without jigs, guides or other
aids. *Just a grinder and holding the chisel by hand. *Would like to hear
about you experience. *Thks in advance.

Dan J

Hello Dan,

I sharpened my tools freehand for many years, then in 1999 I bought
myself a "Christmas Present" the Oneway Wolverine sharpening system
and a slow speed grinder from Woodcraft with white wheels. I've had a
couple of other jig systems which I didn't like quite as well. I also
have a Tormek Wet Grinder. My current system is set up with the
Wolverine jig system plus the jig set up to use the Tormek jigs. The
wheels are now Diamond wheels from Andre Martel in Canada, a 100 grit
wheel on the left side and a 360 grit wheel on the right side. I
sharpen all of my bowl gouges with an Ellsworth Grind administered by
the Tormek jigs on the 360 grit wheel. I have gradually migrated to
this set up in the last 12 years. The diamond wheels I started using
about three years ago and would hate to have to go back to a to a 3/4"
wide wheel normal white wheel. I'm not sure exactly what my current
set up cost, because I built it rather slowly. The diamond wheels are
expensive, but I sure do like the finished grind I get from them.

Fred Holder
http://www.morewoodturning.net