Two eureka moment in turning


duckkisser

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So had a good day I didnt make anything project wise but I did have some great eureka moments. First I finally got rid of my grind on my bowl gouge. Been using the standard grind that comes with the tool. But never liked it I have had to push to cut well so I wear myself out, it tended to catch and the top ege of my flute would dig into the wood. Been struggling with it since day one just thought that it was my technique. In fact I stopped using the tool and mostly used scrapers. We'll I ground my bowl out with swept back wings so now I have a elsworth type grind. Tried using it and it cut smoth no catches, use as bowl gouge, scraper or roughing gouge. Much more satisfactory turning exp. wish I had ground this 2 years ago.

The second moment is I come up with a way to get the same length of grind each time I grind. I just bought a one way sharpening system. Been using a board and a bolt well thought I should start using a more professional system. Part of my biggest problem is to have the same ground every time. I have seen some people put a notch or draw a line on the steel of their system but that still takes effort. I would have to line it up perfectly every time with the tiniest changes that could change my grind slightly. My solution is I took a PVC pipe and cut off part of a side. Then I cut a length of pipe to the length for each tools sharpening length. Now I pull out my bar on my one way sharpening system. And drop the u shaped PVC over the bar and slide the bar forward to where I need it. And the bar can only slide as far forward as the PVC will let me. Now each time I grind my tools the bevel is the same and I don't have to think about if the length is right. Today I sharpened all my tools in about 5 min. The easer it is for me to sharpen the more often I will do it.

How do you guys get the length of your sharpenings? Have you seen something similar in a magazine or a book? I'll post a picture tomorrow when I can get in the shop.

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That's what I was doing but my bevel was always a little bit off then I might waste time grinding till my bevel reached the edge. Now I pull the bar out grab the right length PVC spacer sharpen and go back to cutting. I use my blocks with my wolverine guide together how far my gouge sticks out from the guide but the PVC tells me how close the bar needs to be.

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Let me start by saying that I switched to a CBN grinding wheel. This wheel produces a finer edge than the normal wheels and best of all it doesn't change size as it wears. The stone wheels, even the best ones will get smaller each time you dress them and the distance you set on your sharpening jig has to change to accommodate.

 

I use the one way jig with the vari grind attachment to sharpen my spindle and swept back bowl gouges. I standardized on one setting for bowl gouges and a second for spindle gouges. I cut a piece of PVC the length of the bowl gouge setting the cut a notch corresponding to the spindle gouge setting. This piece of PVC lives on the shaft of the arm and gets turned to the appropriate position for the gouge to be ground.

 

I don't use the arm to sharpen other tools such as roughing gouges, parting tools, standard grind bowl gouges and scrapers. Instead, I use the platform for these tools. I made a set of gauges that sit on the wheel and the table and set the exact angle for each tool.

 

The important issue is to be able to replicate the exact angles each time you grind a tool. Sharpening then becomes a quick pass to refresh the edge without changing the shape of the tool. Tools last a lot longer this way.

 

 

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Let me start by saying that I switched to a CBN grinding wheel. This wheel produces a finer edge than the normal wheels and best of all it doesn't change size as it wears. The stone wheels, even the best ones will get smaller each time you dress them and the distance you set on your sharpening jig has to change to accommodate.

 

I use the one way jig with the vari grind attachment to sharpen my spindle and swept back bowl gouges. I standardized on one setting for bowl gouges and a second for spindle gouges. I cut a piece of PVC the length of the bowl gouge setting the cut a notch corresponding to the spindle gouge setting. This piece of PVC lives on the shaft of the arm and gets turned to the appropriate position for the gouge to be ground.

 

I don't use the arm to sharpen other tools such as roughing gouges, parting tools, standard grind bowl gouges and scrapers. Instead, I use the platform for these tools. I made a set of gauges that sit on the wheel and the table and set the exact angle for each tool.

 

The important issue is to be able to replicate the exact angles each time you grind a tool. Sharpening then becomes a quick pass to refresh the edge without changing the shape of the tool. Tools last a lot longer this way.

 

im thinking i might get cbn wheels after my tax return depends on price and how much i get. 

 

i would like to see your set up so that i dont have to replace the pvc each time i go to a new tool.  can you post a picture of your set up? both of your pvc gauge for the bar and the plateform?

 

only thing i use my plateform for is parting tools and scrapers dont like the result of trying to sharpen on a curved bar.  what kind of gauge do you use for your platform been thinking of finding something that would let me make the same angle each time.

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The first picture is the spacer in bowl gouge mode. With a 2" protrusion from the vari grind jig, this yields a 45 degree front bevel.

 

The second picture is the spacer in spindle gouge setting. This yields a 35 degree bevel.

 

The final picture is the jig to set the platform at 45 degrees. I made this by setting the platform and placing a square of plywood so it overlapped the wheel.  I then traced the wheel onto the plywood and cut it out.

 

I have similar jigs -15 degrees (scrapers sharpened upside down), 0 degrees (parting tools sharpened flat), 30 degrees (deep bowl gouge), 45 degrees (roughing and standard bowl gouges) and 75 degrees (skews).

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post-457-0-34432600-1390566395_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-02468300-1390566407_thumb.jpg

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thanks mike i dont think that would work for my tools i have a wide range of lengths and sizes.  for example i have two roughing gouges a large one with a two foot handle and a smaller one with a 1ft handle so i would need two lengths just for those. plus my different size skew, captive ring tools, bowl gouge ect....  and i dont want to have to take my bar out every time i change it.   for me several pvc pieces cut in half would be faster then i just have one for each tool.   but i think that i will take your idea for the plateform angles.  did you just cut a chunk of wood at the desired degree on miter saw to get your 45 degree then cut out the circle?

 

how do you sharpen your skew on your platform i bought the guide that attaches to your bar and grind it that way.  but im inturested in your technique.

 

i am currently working on making a bench grinder powered strop that i can use to buff my carving tools and some of my turning tools into scary sharp tools.  my fine detail fingernail gouge and my skew mostly.  perhaps my bowl gouge if i have some realy delicate wood to turn. you can make a "paper" wheel with mdf then you just put honing compounds on the wheels and you can sharpen your tools very quickly. when i get it done ill make a post with a few pictures just too cold to get in the shop right now.

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I only use the bar with the Vari Grind attachment to make fingernail or swept back grinds.  I do everything else on the platform.

 

There are two techniques I used for making the template. 

 

1. The first method requires that you first set the platform to the desired angle. I then take a square of plywood with one edge resting on the platform and slide it alongside the wheel so I can trace the edge of the wheel onto the plywood. 

 

2. I start with a strip of plywood and draw a line down the center. I draw an arc centered on the line with a radius the same as the wheel. I then cut through the intersection of the arc and line using my miter saw set at the desired angle. Finally, I cut the waste away and trim the template to size.

 

As far as sharpening my skews, I set the platform to 75 degrees and lay the skew on the platform.  If I'm doing a straight grind, I place it at the correct angle and slide it side to side. If I'm sharpening a curved skew (ie Alan Lacer) I start at the toe and pivot it in an arc.

 

I use a hand strop to remove the burr on my skews, otherwise I use the tools straight from the grinder. I have tried using a buffing system for turning tools and found that the fine edge lasts a few seconds into the cut.  It just isn't worth the time.

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this is more for the carving tools those i want to be razor sharp and the buffer makes it so they stay sharp because i just have to turn around and hit it with a couple of passes.  when im realy going to town i dont even turn my grinder off i just turn around carve for 10 min strop it and carve for 10 min repeat.  but when i was working on making pine cone pens i  kept my skew razor sharp the entire time because the slightest catch made it explode.  the skew is the only tool that i want to be honed sharp.  if im doing very tiny delicate turnings then i want a razor sharp edge for example i made a very delicate finial last month and a rougher tool would have broke it but my skew sliced through the wood with no problems.

 

i dont think my hands are steady enough to use just the platform for sharpening a curved shape.  i rely on the bar and jigs plus i use those to teach how to sharpen the tools since even a base ameture can use them without mastering the perfect grinding techniques.

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my two bench grinders one for sharpening turning tools the other for stropping my carving tools. i curently have my grinder set up with my bowl gouge depth.  

 

th_DSCN0554_zps6df7fc11.jpg

 

here is my strop and my sandpaper grit wheel for sharpening knives. 

th_DSCN0555_zps71a5b9fd.jpg

 

here is the profile of my strop edge

th_DSCN0556_zpsfcabc762.jpg

 

here is my platform jig instead of a square i went with a longer rectangle so i can have a profile for two separate angles

th_DSCN0558_zps8ed2faea.jpg

 

i cut my pvc in half then it just sets on the bar of my one way guide

th_DSCN0559_zpsd94bbb88.jpg

 

here are my most common tools and there all at different lengths so  mikes solution wont work for me.  

th_DSCN0557_zpsf4f99262.jpg

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