Sharpening Lathe tools.....

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Keith Heyer

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Joined
Aug 24, 2012
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Location
Tulare, California
Can you use a high speed bench grinder to sharpen the lathe tools? I know most people suggest you need a slow speed grinder because of heat build-up? If you are using a Wolverine jig or something else can't you get by with a high speed grinder?

Thanks,

Keith
 
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From talking to guys like Doug Thompson, heat generated from a high speed grinder has no effect on the steel used now adays. I use a 3200rpm Delta with a 8" White Norton to reshape if needed and especially on my scrapers. If it's just sharpening...I have a Tormek wet grinder.
 
Aesop's fable about the blind men and the elephant is pretty profound. Each of the blind men was allowed to touch a portion of the elephant's body, and then described the elephant based on their experience - and naturally the descriptions varied dramatically.

The bottom line is that what we individually believe is right is heavily biased by our individual experiences. What is right for me may not be right for you.

I mostly use a high-speed bench grinder for sharpening my gouges and scrapers, using shop-made jigs and platforms. A have a sanding disk that I can mount on my lathe that I use to sharpen my skews (and if my lathe is otherwise engaged, I can also use a belt sander) And if those tools aren't available, I also have an oil stone and a couple of diamond hones. .
 
Oil stones and diamond hones for the win!!

Oh and either a grinder or strip sander for grinding the geometry to shape. (Just don't let it get too hot)

Sharpening using the stones and hones though.
 
Yes, you can. I did for several years before I got my slow speed grinder. The issue with the speed is that a higher speed cause more friction. More friction causes heat to build faster in the steel. But it also removes material a bit faster so the tool doesn't need to contact the wheel as long... in theory.
 
Yes you can use a high speed tool. You may have to remind yourself whether you are "grinding" a shape or "sharpening" an edge. Modern tools can be quite expensive to replace if you grind the gouge down to nothing.
 
CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) wheel with either high speed (+/-2.800rpm) or slow speed (+/-1.600rpm) grinder. While costly as an alternative, heat is not an issue with CBN wheels.
 
ren-lathe said:
Have both use both but the heat issue on a high speed is very real. keep a "cup" water handy.
Click to expand...

For High Carbon steel you are correct.

For high speed steel you are making suggestions contary to the published literature and recommendations.

The water is not good with HSS as it tends to cause micro- fractures in the metal near/at the edge.

HSS can be heated to over 1000 degrees F with out losing ability to hold an edge.
 
About every half-dozen times, I use a variable speed 8 inch grinder with the speed turned all the way down to low for sharpening my skew using a fine grit, white stone by Norton. Between the slow grinding sessions I use a very fine (I forget the grit) waterstone to put the edge back on after a turning session.
 
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