Thread: Sharpening Gouges

Oh I forgot to also ask what people prefer to use/do to remove burrs. I used a slip stone but was wondering if anyone uses or has tried a strop or cloth wheel & some honing/buffing compond & would this be quicker or better ?

Cheers
Woodchuck

I've been turning for a bit over a year and I'm just starting to get the hang of sharpening gouges

The white wheels work much better than the grey. For touching up a 1" vertical belt sander does a nice job also.

You can get a nice fine edge with a stitched buffing wheel and grey steel polishing compound - but I generally don't worry about it. The time taken to remove the burr really isn't worthwhile - in fact in some situations the burr seems to help cut better.

Sounds like you bought the larger platforms - 4-5" square with the small mitre guage? Good move. For a fingernail profile on a gouge, set the angle on the platform for the angle you want at the front. Start grinding (lightly) with gouge straight. Keeping the tip in place, swing the handle right while rolling the gouge to the right. Nice smooth motion. Back to center and do the same to the left. I'm sure that's not the 'perfect' method, but it works for me.

Far from expert on this but I've got a book by Peter Child called "The Craftsman Woodturner" and in it he says not to bother trying to remove the burr because the first couple of passes will do that anyway and it's not detrimental to the cutting action.

Hi Woodchuck, I'm a relative newbee but I'm keen to pass on what I have learnt as long as you keep in mind the source. It sounds to me like the gouges you have are roughing gouges, which are supposed to have a straight across edge. Quick look on yahoo found a page, http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintr.../roughing.html
which shows their use and a very simple detail of the profile. Also the only gouge in the relatively cheap but useful set I am starting with which has a straight across profile is the roughing gouge. There are also spindle and bowl gouges. If I am totally wrong in the assumption of what type of gouge you actually have, sorry but I've never seen a gouge sold as needing a fingernail profile without it at least having the semblance of one. Another site to check out for good pics of the different gouges is www.fine-tools.com/turn1.htm
Good luck, Jhunt
And I never strop or hone my tools either as I have not seen the need as yet; they work great straight off the white wheel I bought with the grinder.

Sorry All

I wasn't very clear, I am using the white aluminium oxide wheels on the grinder & I was refering to bowl/spindle gouges.
I think your correct about roughing gouges always being straight.

About the honing again, I guess a burr would remove itself very quickly in use yes, But what about honing to keep the keen edge between grinds ? Or do most find it just easier/faster to just re-grind whenever the keen edge is lost ?

Thanks & Have a safe Xmas
Woodchuck

Oh almost forgot,

Darryl, yes I got the large adjustable grinding platforms. I bought 2 of them seeing as they only cost about $40 I thought they were/are a cheap & great idea, much better than the small tool rests that come with grinders & far more adjustable to any kind of angle. They work a treat

Cheers & have a safe Xmas
Woodchuck

Again, no expert but I have my grinder right next to the lathe and I touch up the edge often. This only takes a few seconds. Very slight pressure and you should be able to touch the edge with your hand immediately after grinding. If it burns your finger, you used too much pressure. I guess the object is not to remove too much material and not to overheat the edge.

Most wood lathe tools are made from M2 HSS steel which is best ground with a softer stone. You can use a grey carborundum stone but are more likely to burn the edge than with a white stone. There is also a blue one being sold as the Blue Max and I use all of them but find little difference between the white and blue stones.

If you check out previous posts you will find that the reccomended stone is the white 46 grit. Coarse and nice and soft. I followed this advice and can assure you that this is the only wheel that I will use from now on.
Regards
Termite

Woodchuck,

Seems general consensus is that you're well set up. Since Xmas is coming up fast, maybe ask SWMBO to get you Richard Raffan's book Turning Bowls - or better still the boxed set. All 3 are brilliant turning books - I'll probably still be learning something reading these 20 years from now. He has a really good section on sharpening in Turning Bowls, and a lot of other really useful things to learn.

They stock them in my local Angus & Robertson, so you should find the books easily.