rfas
Member
I'm considering trying to slowly make the transition from carbide to HSS tools. I know HSS tools have a bit of a learning curve to them, so my thought process is that I buy a couple and just play with them on scrap material. I've watched enough turning videos that I think I can eventually figure it out once I get my hands on them. One big hang-up though is the sharpening station. The way I see it, I have a couple options:
- Buy a low speed grinder (around $200), but then I need various sharpening jigs to get all of the proper angles for all of the tools (roughly another $200). Sharpening is another skill in itself that I will need to master. I do kitchen knife sharpening all the time (I have a pro jig for that), so it couldn't be that hard to learn.
- Buy a dedicated sharpening machine like a Tormek or a Sorby Pro Edge (another $500 - $600).
It seems to me that something like the Tormek T-4 would be the preferable way to go, and adding sharpening capability to my shop would also allow me to invest in things like a nice chisel set for the rest of my woodworking, so sort of a win-win.
Am I missing anything here? Any other tips on making the transition?
- Buy a low speed grinder (around $200), but then I need various sharpening jigs to get all of the proper angles for all of the tools (roughly another $200). Sharpening is another skill in itself that I will need to master. I do kitchen knife sharpening all the time (I have a pro jig for that), so it couldn't be that hard to learn.
- Buy a dedicated sharpening machine like a Tormek or a Sorby Pro Edge (another $500 - $600).
It seems to me that something like the Tormek T-4 would be the preferable way to go, and adding sharpening capability to my shop would also allow me to invest in things like a nice chisel set for the rest of my woodworking, so sort of a win-win.
Am I missing anything here? Any other tips on making the transition?