Thread: Jig for gouge fingernail grinds

Steve, it's dead easy freehand.

You're just swinging the edge across the wheel.

.. Skew on platform, finger lightly on skew at the point you need it to pivot, then swing the handle through an arc.

Practice first with the wheel stopped.

Thanks Ern!!I'll give it a go later,I have an oval skew,a cheaper one,and I'll try that one first.Then I'll go my other one from Crown tools.I love my good one,and the steel is really hard.
My brother bought a lathe and chisels to make pool cues,and quickly gave it up,lol.
Anyway,the headstock spindle got bent,and he gave the works to me,I fixed the lathe with a new spindle,but don't use it,it's a Mastercraft lathe,from Canadian Tire,but I've learned with the chisels a good bit.
I'm a beginner,but have developed the "full blown addiction",lol.About 2 years at it now.I first bought a Delta Midi lathe,and this summer bought a Delta 14" swiveling headstock lathe,,and about 6 good chisels/gouges,one at a time as funds alow.
I have to get our winter firewood cut up an put away,and a few more chores,then when the bad weather comes,I'll be at my lathe!
Also got a few "hobbles" to do for some extra cash,to buy more stuff,lol.
Anyway,that's a bit about me,and thanks again for the tip!
Steve.
PS: Really love this forum!!

I wish you were closer, Steve. I'd trade skews with you. I have one I rounded the long point on, and wish I hadn't. I use the point so much, and don't have one now... what a stupid mistake for me to make. I never was too smart... so I can't get over it.
Anyway, I think you're right tryin' it on the cheap one first.

Originally Posted by Christopha

Anyone who needs or uses a grinding jig is;
A: no sort of bluddy woodturner
B: not likely to be any sort of woodturner.
C: A bluddy dill! (please don't blame me, Cliff made me say it!)

I'm all of the above, specially the dill bit.

I sharpen freehand, not often enough, and after a year or so or one piece completed whichever is the lesser, I like to get the grind back to where it's s'posed to be. That usually involves inviting someone who knows what they are doing, to show me how to sharpen by hand. (thanks Toolin' ) and I end up with a perfect fingernail all ready for me to bugger up for another year.

The jig is useful for dills, or people who don't turn frequently enough to get their hand in, to straighten up the grind every now and then, just as a plane blade sharpening jig is useful for setting up a blade.

I wouldn't have the patience or the desire to use it all the time, but it's really useful for us mugs setting up.

Cheers,

P

Originally Posted by rsser

but a freehand Irish grind would take a deal of practice, downtime and lost steel.

Wouldn't you just need an Irish Jig?

P

... a fiddle, jug of poteen and an audience?

Not!

Originally Posted by rsser

... a fiddle, jug of poteen and an audience?

Not!

Originally Posted by rsser

or D: a pro woodturner looking for easy repetition of std grinds in order not to waste expensive HSS

So which of these are you Christopha?

I have never met a professional turner who used a jig to grind tools.... EVER!

I have been asked to demonstrate and sell many different grinding jigs at woodwork and turning demonstrations over the years, I have even been given some of them and in my humble opinion they were all just about making a quid out of poor newchum turners. And that always did make me cross! It is not difficult to learn to grind turning tools freehand unless perhaps you are a victim of Parkinsons or similar.

Isn't that like all trades though?

Mechanics don't need to consult manuals to adjust tappets.
Architects (could once) draw to scale freehand without using a rule.
Brickies don't need levels.
Carpenters don't use sharpening jigs.

That doesn't mean that people who need some other form of assistance are dills necessarily, just that they don't have a lifetime of practice.

I'd think twice if I saw someone who effectively sharpened for a living (like a turner) who couldn't do it with his eyes closed, by feel. I don't ever intend to get that much practice, but I still like to have my tools correctly sharpened when I use them.

Cheers,

P

Which pro woodturners have you met Christopha?

Originally Posted by rsser

Which pro woodturners have you met Christopha?

MANY Ern, many and I am not about to start some sort of silly list thing either. Why not ask if he uses sharpening jigs?
Pete, the dill thing was and is a joke really.
When I started out turning many years ago I was 'had' by a number of salesmen and I really hate being taken for a mug and I hate seeing others 'taken' the same way.
Freehand grinding really is not too difficult at all. An old friend who is a tradesman turner taught me in about 10 minutes, NO exaggeration! The spindle gouge is the trickiest to master I guess but if once sorted it makes all other grinding a breeze.

Originally Posted by Christopha

It is not difficult to learn to grind turning tools freehand unless perhaps you are a victim of Parkinsons or similar.

"... or similar..." there it is. Similar. It's called a Benign Familial Tremor.
I'm also not a professional, and don't even play one on TV.
When honing becomes laborious, I use a grinding jig. Consistent bevel every time... I don't ever have to hunt for the sweet spot... I know where it is. Always.

Originally Posted by Christopha

I have never met a professional turner who used a jig to grind tools.... EVER!

I have been asked to demonstrate and sell many different grinding jigs at woodwork and turning demonstrations over the years, I have even been given some of them and in my humble opinion they were all just about making a quid out of poor newchum turners. And that always did make me cross! It is not difficult to learn to grind turning tools freehand unless perhaps you are a victim of Parkinsons or similar.

Hi Chris

Weighing in on this,

Not professional, but highly active. I was taught by a three of the best, however, and too true, they all freehanded. However, in 3 years of parttime instruction, while I could grind freehand, it took time and steel, and the edge was not always reproducible. One of they above, also introduced jigs as an alternative, and I found them preferable, for some applications. He also used them for initial grinds on new tools.

I use a home built version of the unijig. Only use for roughing, detail and bowl gouges. Skews, scrapers, bedans, parting are all ground "semi" freehand on an adjustable toolrest.

Regarding the time vs efficiency debate, I have jigs set up for all settings except the offset angle. To "touch-up" grind a series of different tools to different grinds will take me just over a minute each, complete with setup and changeover. Thereafter, edge is just refreshed on slipstone during job.

Where I usually regrind, is when flogging the bowl gouge. With jig set up, I generally take about 30 sec to rejig, touch up the grind, and return to turning. I doubt that I could even locate the (short) bevel in this time freehand.

While someone turning 24/7 will no doubt have the skills, and would achieve some improvement in efficiency, I am convinced that the elevation of freehanding to demigod status is not necessarily appropriate for the remainder of turners. As I choose not to worship at that altar, I'll stick to my mix of jig and stand, it works for me.

Regards

Originally Posted by Christopha

Pete, the dill thing was and is a joke really.

I know!

P