sharpening jig

[jow104]

Heres a good sharpening system, apologies if you have already received this in your email.

http://www.woodworkingtips.com:80/etips/2007/11/23/sn/

[munruben]

Thanks for the link Woody, even I can make that.:):2tsup:

[DJ’s Timber]

Are you sure John, it looks pretty complicated :innocent: :U

Good one Woody :2tsup:

[munruben]

Are you sure John, it looks pretty complicated :innocent: :U

Good one Woody :2tsup:Well I'm going to give it my best shot.:)

[jow104]

Now if you added rollers (use dowelling) it could get complicated.
Perhaps adjusting the base of the runners like a tongue (think ice skates) there might be less friction.
How about a competition for the greatest innovation?

[echnidna]

Glue some strips of laminate on the bottoms of the legs.
Then use the jig on top of a board with a laminate face.
It'll slide very nicely then

[jow104]

Yes Bob, plus a bit of wax.

[scooter]

Or iron on some melamine edging

[sumu]

Hello,

Does it really work?

I mean, it's support function as a sharpening jig is totally different than in conventional jigs, which all are kinda "balanced" so that one pressure distribution point is at the bevel edge to be sharpened. Then there is one or two support points following bevel point.

If that jig is set up so that the pressure is evenly distributed along the length of the "skates", eventually there will be no pressure at the bevel against sandpaper because steel wears off. Moreover, if the thickness of the next sandpaper is different, there will be no contact or the pressure will appear on the rear region of the bevel to be honed. You need to readjust the iron every time, right?

But if you replace the skates with single rolls on both side, it will work better, I think. I will be nicely wide, too, and no need to roll over sandpaper. You can still use the skates as rough visual angle guide, but not actually make a contact with support plate.

Or am I completely missing something essential here?

kippis,

sumu

[jow104]

I think you have spotted a problem, re the blade is fixed, and so some contact is lost each time because the blade wears away.

[echnidna]

I was taught to hone plane blades on a very similar jig many moons ago

[munruben]

I just knew it was going to get complicated.:(

[jow104]

I just knew it was going to get complicated.:(


Yeah they quite often do in the end dont they?:)

[sumu]

Gentlemen, please do not lose your faith in WWF :).

That jig got me interested anyway, because there seems to very favourable properties. Therefore I decided to under-engineer it a bit further (or backwards :) )

My version features basic cheapish hard-rubber wheels for mobile base furniture. They are here 34mm of height with the steel frame they are attached with.

It provides the same options as that previous jig design:

1. It is large, you can slap your both hands with full grip on the deck. No need to hold it with just your fingertips or inside one palm of hand. You can equip it with handles if you like

2. You can easily put pressure on the edge against sandpaper, or you can even add weights if you have to sit down or are otherwise not able to put enough of your body weight on it while sharpening. (For weight, a portable television would be nice :p )

3. It is wide, therefore it does not sway side to side like with those single roller sharpening jigs although there are slightly compressible hard rubber wheels. Their distance from each other ensures that jig is stable sideways. But, you can still tilt it as usual if you want to round edges of smoothing plane irons.

4. It is undeniably the most silent sharpening jig I have ever tried. Normally sharpening jigs have metallic wheels or rollers, rattling by nature. This one mainly keeps noise emerging from the edge honing. Hard rubber wheels are very silent here, indeed.

The first drawback is that it needs a bit more space to operate. But if sandpaper is cutted in half so that it fits between the wheels like in pictures, you can use up the sandpaper fully.

The second drawback is that it does not fit on the standard sharpening stone, unless you make such an board you can sink the stone in as levelled with the board surface.

I got the wheels at first, they should be as identical as possible. Then I made the square deck plate (something rigid enough like plywood), then attached wheels, then the plastic straight angle side support (anything straight, rigid and about 1-2 mm thick will do). After that I cutted the room for chisel handles.

There is that 120mm Bessey clamp I used, but I think there can be found various ways to hold the blade down.

The main dimensions depend on what kind of wheels you would find for it, but even then the dimensions are not actually very strict. And it is quite affordable and easy to make, too.

kippis,

sumu

[munruben]

I got the wheels at first, they should be as identical as possible. Then I made the square deck plate (something rigid enough like plywood), then attached wheels, then the plastic straight angle side support (anything straight, rigid and about 1-2 mm thick will do)But how do you keep the blade of the chisel at the correct angle to be sharpened?The jig in the original post shows the jig cut to the correct angle for the chisel and I assume one would have to make various jigs to suit the various angles required. How would you adjust to the correct angle on your jig to suit the chisel? Sorry I am a bit thick when it comes to these things.:)

[lukewarm]

But how do you keep the blade of the chisel at the correct angle to be sharpened?The jig in the original post shows the jig cut to the correct angle for the chisel and I assume one would have to make various jigs to suit the various angles required. How would you adjust to the correct angle on your jig to suit the chisel? Sorry I am a bit thick when it comes to these things.:)


You can control the initial angle of the jig by the placement of the wheels. Depending on their dimensions you can position them on the jig to achieve a close match to you desired angle(s). Moving the wheels forward with give you a greater angle and moving them backwards will make it smaller.

After the wheels are fixed, moving the chisel forward or backward will also allow you to adjust the angle.

With a couple of blocks cut to you desired angle you could use them as guides to check the angles.

I've attached a diagram of how I would imagine it to work.

I'm going to pick up some wheels today at lunch and give it a go.

Thanks sumu for sharing you adaptation.

[jmk89]

You can control the initial angle of the jig by the placement of the wheels. Depending on their dimensions you can position them on the jig to achieve a close match to you desired angle(s). Moving the wheels forward with give you a greater angle and moving them backwards will make it smaller.

After the wheels are fixed, moving the chisel forward or backward will also allow you to adjust the angle.

With a couple of blocks cut to you desired angle you could use them as guides to check the angles.

I've attached a diagram of how I would imagine it to work.

I'm going to pick up some wheels today at lunch and give it a go.

Thanks sumu for sharing you adaptation.

Actually, you don't even need to move the wheels - the further you let the blade project from the front of the jig, the lower the angle.

[lukewarm]

Actually, you don't even need to move the wheels - the further you let the blade project from the front of the jig, the lower the angle.

That's correct

I was mainly talking about the wheel position during the initial construction of the jig to get the general angle right.

As you say, moving the tool after that will give you different angles.

[jmk89]

That's correct

I was mainly talking about the wheel position during the initial construction of the jig to get the general angle right.

As you say, moving the tool after that will give you different angles.


A useful way to do your microbevel - just move the blade up enough to add a couple of degrees.

[lukewarm]

A useful way to do your microbevel - just move the blade up enough to add a couple of degrees.

Yep. A few measurements before using the first time should enable you to get the angles easily every time.

I've just got some wheels for ~$3 and with a couple of scraps of wood I should have a reasonable jig working.

Better than the one I've got at the moment. Which doesn't exist :U

[jow104]

I reckon a metal strap with a couple of wing nuts on topside would be better than the bessey clamp.:;

[lukewarm]

I reckon a metal strap with a couple of wing nuts on topside would be better than the bessey clamp.:;

I tried aluminium flat bar, as it's all i had lying around. Need to get some steel, or thicker alloy, the stuff I've got had too much flex.

[jow104]

I tried aluminium flat bar, as it's all i had lying around. Need to get some steel, or thicker alloy, the stuff I've got had too much flex.


blimey, that was quick:D

[lukewarm]

I'd already tried it actually. :U

Had the same idea at work today.

Thinking about it more, I just need to move the bolts closer to the blade so the alloy can't flex. Actually elongated holes would be best for accommodating wider chisels and plane blades.

Don't think I'll get back out to the shed tonight unfortunately, but tomorrow it's a goer.

[sumu]

Hello :).

Yes, the wanted bevel angle is here determined by measuring the blade protrusion from the front edge. The protrusion constants are based on the calculations like in the attached picture, and then by using them together with the deck main dimensions, whatever they might be.

The generous surface area of the deck underside provides a possibility to install rotating support guide for sharpening skewed bevels as well. Similar kind of calculations are used there, just determine some practical zero point where to start measurements.

I use a stopper pieces of specific length against the front end of the deck and then level the blade edge with them.

But I guess you can go as advanced as you like, there is for example both possible and feasible to mark some kind of protractor/sliding ruler on the bottom side of the deck, by the blade.

For clamping the blade there is numerous ways to do it. Jow104's suggestion is one of the most useful, I would think.

kippis,

sumu

[sumu]

You guys are fast! :cool:

kippis,

sumu

[Pusser]

If you want a consistant microbevel without moving the tool after doing the primary bevel, you could raise the wheels by laying two runners down (say steel rules) and running the wheels on them. That way you would not have to reset the tool. Once you had the right thickness you would always achieve a consistant micro bevel. Just a thought anyway.

[sumu]

Yes, it can be done that way too. The fact is that it is always the best to maintain the same blade position in the jig. The unintended skew tilt is the feared side-effect of the repositioning.

One effective choice is to exploit the thickness of the sandpaper itself. After using sandpaper like described, you can move to glass plate where is only a thin layer of polishing paste without the thickness of the paper. It makes a microbevel, and wheels are kept all the time on the flat surface.

kippis,

sumu