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pkowal
5th September 2009, 09:19 PM
Ok Lads and Ladettes.
I need a guide to sharpening turning chisels any tips or nonos.
Currently I am doing okay but I could be doing it wrong, just sharpening them by eye on a bench grinder. All tips no matter how stupid would be appreciated. Also why do some of my blanks come covered in wax, and what is it.:?

Regards Pete

hughie
5th September 2009, 09:56 PM
I need a guide to sharpening turning chisels any tips or nonos.
Currently I am doing okay but I could be doing it wrong, just sharpening them by eye on a bench grinder.


Guide to sharpening, Google is your friend [according to Google there are 44,000 references ] and check the "Notices" directly above and do a search from the left hand column on this forum



Also why do some of my blanks come covered in wax, and what is it.:?

Wax covered blanks denotes green timber.

NCPaladin
6th September 2009, 01:25 AM
You can sharpen them by hand with acceptable results. Two of the video’s I have, Del Stubbs and Dennis White sharpen by hand. That said, a jig is much easier and effective.
Easier because the jig does the work, effective because the grind is the same each time so all it takes is a quick touch, saving you time and tool steel. There are plans on line for making a grinding jigs for gouges for nothing but your time (and a very little wood), your tool rest on your grinder should be fine for skews and scrapers. A google search for grinding gouges jig shop made will turn up some good results, A search on youtube for woodturning grinding or gouge grinding will turn up about 100 short videos, probably 25 of these are really about grinding but they are easy to weed through.
The wax is just to keep the wood from splitting. It will still be very green.
Mike

Ed Reiss
6th September 2009, 12:15 PM
check out the Wolverine sharpening system...very versatile, and you get precise grinds...good stuff:2tsup:

Broda
6th September 2009, 02:16 PM
If you can get a good sharpener to show you how to do it freehand its much easier than mucking about with jigs and things.
And if there's someone else around watching you do it, you wont waste very much steel learning

Gil Jones
6th September 2009, 02:51 PM
You can watch the OneWay Wolverine system in use here
http://www.oneway.ca/multi-media/wolverine_videos.htm

jefferson
6th September 2009, 10:48 PM
Pete,

I have spent and wasted many $ on tools, lathes, jigs etc.

As a novice, I can tell you this:

- a 120 grit wheel with a jig (shop-bought or hand made) will give you a more consistent and much better grind. I've used the True-grind and it works pretty well on almost all tools, from gouges to skew chisels.

- if you want really sharp, go for a wet stone grinder. The Tormek is the ultimate, but Jet and Sheppach? make reasonable copies.

IMHO, whatever your budget, you must sort out the sharpening first - before you even start turning. Put simply, you cannot turn with blunt chisels. (What are you turning? Cooktown Ironwood / Gidgee..... or something soft?) I turn a lot of redgum with tools off the Tormek and there is still a lot of dust.

And if you are thinking that your chisels have an even bevel and are sharp free-hand, probably think again. That skill takes many, many years of practice. Or you may have the gift. :)

I've got quite a few "experts" on DVD turning with multi-faceted bevels. And a few not. And they definitely turn better.

Two different sets of skills - sharpening and turning - but you do need both.

As the guys have said, do a search. One great thread posted here by recently said it all. He's a production turner (if you didn't know) and even he is now converted to the wet stone system.

(DJ, please find the post. I cannot).

One last thought. Are your chisels sharp enough to shave with? If not, not sharp. And not sharp means more time at the grinder and worse still, sanding. More steel waste too.

Advice given freely from a novice.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
6th September 2009, 11:54 PM
I like to freehand, I'm used to it but, really, the hardest part is... not so much getting your chisels sharp, but being able to consistently resharpen the same chisels at the same angles.

For skew chisels, roughing gouges and scrapers a simple platform is all that's needed. Much the same as the 'orrible ones that come with some bench grinders, only larger and easier to set to the right angle.

It's only gouges with swept-back wings which really need a jig, and I'd suggest a Woodcut TruGrind jig for those.

If you have the pennies, Woodcut also make a platform (the Sturdy Rest) which goes well with the TruGrind, making it easy to swap between the two. But it's hardly an essential item.


Wax covered blanks denotes green timber.

Errrm... I'll argue over this. They may've been dipped when green but it doesn't mean that they're still green. But I know what you mean: one shouldn't assume that because they've been sealed they've also been fully dried.

It's a common method for slowing down the moisture loss from the end-grain during drying to prevent cracks, Pete. Any fresh-cut timber should have the end-grain sealed ASAP after cutting.

DJ’s Timber
7th September 2009, 12:29 AM
(DJ, please find the post. I cannot).



http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=99178

pkowal
7th September 2009, 09:52 AM
Thank you all for your support I think at the moment I will have to invest in a attachment for the grinder, but in the future I will definately learn to sharpen by hand.

So much to learn so little time. Shucks

orraloon
7th September 2009, 04:11 PM
If you get workable results by hand and are not wasting too much metal then stick with it.
Not that this is better than using jigs but it saves a lot of time. Jigs need setup time for every tool as they are all different lengths and profiles.
I use a tool rest to define the bevel angle and sharpen by hand on a white wheel. Skews and parting tools are kept sharp by hand on an oil stone and the occasional go on the grinder if the bevel is getting out of shape. The perfect grind will not be quite so good to look at done by hand but you should get it good enough for purpose and have more time to turn wood.
Regards
John