cheap sharpening system

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OLLIEwinz

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Mar 1, 2016
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nottigham england
i have high speed steel tools that are dull and i have been using my carbide tools recently, i need a cheap way to get into sharpening so i can turn the acrylics i want to.
 
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If you already have a belt or disc sander, you could hand sharpen with these and touch up with an inexpensive diamond hone.
Next up is to buy the Rikon Slow speed grinder on sale at Woodcraft and buy the OneWay Wolverine set up for grinding your tools. Also get the Varigrind jig for bowl gouges.
Hope this helps
 
You can easily make a disc sander for your lathe. I use one for blank squaring, haven't tried it for sharpening, but IDK why it wouldn't work. I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...26492&ref_=sr_1_26&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-26

and it works awesome for sharpening. Also very handy for other things. There is a wide selection of belts available for it. You can do flat grinds, hollow grinds (after removing the bottom guard) and convex grinds using the slack part of the belt (which is what I do for my chisels). There are many mods one can do to these. I've added a glass platen and have plans to add another motor and pulley system to allow for speed changes (in stock form it runs, IIRC, at 3250).
 
OLLIEwinz said:
i have a bench grinder its just a cheap thing but do you think if i bought this for it it would work https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/93/817/Oneway-Wolverine-Sharpening-System-4-Piece-Set?term=wolverine also what grinding wheel would i need?
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Slow speed is nice but regular speed grinder works too. 8" is nicer but 6" can work too. Just don't use those course gray wheels that come on some stock. I made a jig myself from wood for my spindle gouges at first but then got the wolverine eventually. I have two thoughts: if you have funds and are committed to turning , a good grinder and wolverine hug are a totally worthwhile investment. If you are tight on cash or not committed, work out something for now.
 
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I use a 6" high speed grinder with a 120 grit white wheel, and it works fine for sharpening. You can get a new 6" variable speed grinder at Lowes for $80 and the white wheel will cost you $26 at Woodcraft. Check out the Internet for bowl grinding jigs you can make yourself. Eventually, if you get serious, buy a one-way sharpening jig and vari-grind (about $80 and $56 respectively) at Woodcraft or on the Internet. Hope that helps.
 
If you already have a grinder then all you need to do is make your own jig and start sharpening. When I started turning I made a jig from scrap wood for my 6" grinder. Used that for about 18 months before I bought a slow speed grinder and the wolverine system.
 
If you are buying a grinder do not buy a 6", go with an 8". Same money. If you have the 6" it will work. Many ways to sharpen but also need to learn the angles that work well for you in what it is you are doing. There are charts out there that will get you close but you need to refine on your own. Everyone does not sharpen the same way. You will find out very quickly cheap is not always the best path. Buy once and last for ever.
 
jimmyz said:
I use a 6" high speed grinder with a 120 grit white wheel, and it works fine for sharpening. You can get a new 6" variable speed grinder at Lowes for $80 and the white wheel will cost you $26 at Woodcraft. Check out the Internet for bowl grinding jigs you can make yourself. Eventually, if you get serious, buy a one-way sharpening jig and vari-grind (about $80 and $56 respectively) at Woodcraft or on the Internet. Hope that helps.
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OR you could go to Woodcraft and get the Rikon 8" Slow Speed Grinder for $99.00 right now (March) which comes with TWO 8" White Wheels installed. One -80 grit and one 120 grit. AND it comes with a diamond wheel dresser included (costs around $15.00 or so if you buy one). SO it works out Cheaper than buying the 6" and then buying new white wheels for it. Then if funds permit add the oneway Wolverine basic unit. There are several drawings on the internet available to make a wooden imitation vari-grind and also an Ellsworth grinding jig (that one's a Cap'n Eddie Drawing).
 
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JimB said:
If you already have a grinder then all you need to do is make your own jig and start sharpening. When I started turning I made a jig from scrap wood for my 6" grinder. Used that for about 18 months before I bought a slow speed grinder and the wolverine system.
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Yes indeed! Check out the Captn Eddie videos on YouTube.
This video shows how to use a belt sander to sharpen tools.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaqIGVmVHY8

There are several videos that show a shop made grinder jig called a Blackhawk like the wolverine.
https://www.youtube.com/user/capneddie/search?query=Blackhawk
Checkout his video channel on YouTube.
 
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OLLIEwinz said:
i think i can spend the $80 for a sharpening system, what wheel do i need for my 6'' grinder
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Any time you ask for advice on sharpening you will receive a variety of suggestions. Please understand that there are no absolute rules, but there are lots of opinions!

I use an inexpensive 6" high speed grinder that has been modified so that the light can be left on all the time. The original 'out of the box' design had the light come on when the motor started, but for precision work its better to have the light on continuously.

Mine came with two wheels - coarse and fine. I still use the coarse wheel for more aggressive grinding and shaping tasks, but I have replaced the fine wheel with an 80 grit aluminum oxide wheel. The color of the wheel is not critical although white aor blue make it easier to seen metal filings become embedded in the surface of the wheel.

I have also made a grinding platform for scrapers, and an arm and jig for gouges using the instructions from Captain Eddie.
 
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