Lathe Tool Sharpening/Making

[mickey cassiba]

Been learning a lot from reading your posts, and listening to the folks in the turning club I recently joined. A lot of what I gleaned is the importance of sharp tools. I'm also interested in making some tools of my own, as there seem to be no local stores here that sell quality tools. While I will buy on-line, I'm a little old fashioned in that I like to hold and feel things before I shell out for them.
1. Any recommendations on a grinding system? Primary consideration is space, which I have very little. Secondary is price, but I won't let that get in the way of quality. I had a Delta wet slow speed grinder (the two wheel model), that I gave away before moving to Texas. I suspect that that machine wasn't really what I need any way.
2. Recommedations for tool making tutorials/forums. Most of what I found on line, seem to be trying to sell me tools, rather than teaching.
I'm looking for hard data on clearance angles, and related tool geometry, as well as materials used. The first tools I'll be attempting will be spindle type(pens and such) but later I intend to branch out to bowls and HF's. I've got some brazing experience as well as a ready supply of HSS and carbide.
I have made tooling for metal cutting lathes, but I understand that the geometry is quite different...or so I've been told.
The only thing I have to go by now is a set of the cheap mini lathe tools that were sold by delta a few years back. They are already dull to the point that honing no longer gives me a clean cut, I need to learn to re-hab them. I am in contact with a fella in Wisconsin, who has offered me info and tools in exchange for some HSS steel, but I'd like to get a well rounded education. I've sat and looked at the pieces you folks make, and I am just amazed. Although I have made some ornamental stuff on an engine lathe, it doesn't even approach that level. Thanks all,
Mickey

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mickey - can't help you out with the tool portion as I buy everything I use. As far as a sharpening system - a lot of us have the Woodcraft slow speed 8" grinder combined with the Wolverine sharpening system. Lots of alternatives out there but the Woodcraft grinder can be had on sale every once in a while for less than $80. Just have to monitor their sales.

[Bill Arnold]

I have the complete Wolverine system and a Delta VS 8" grinder. That combo works great and does what it's designed to do!

(Now, the next thing is to take some turning lessons so I can call myself a "turner".) ;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the Woodcraft SS grinder and the wolverine system.

[Joe Mioux]

ditto Wolverrine and WC slospeed grinder.

also recently purchased an older model but unused Tormek from a fellow creeker. The Tormek is very nice, but the Wolverine is really fast.... as in resharpening while turning.

[Art Kelly]

2. Recommedations for tool making tutorials/forums. Most of what I found on line, seem to be trying to sell me tools, rather than teaching.

Since you've made some cutters for steel lathes, you proably know quite a bit already (excuse the pun). If there is a knifemaker's guild that you can get to without a lot of effort, those guys have tons of hands-on experience with home-shop metallurgy. Also, they have forums that have beginner's sections which are good sources of discussion on metallurgy.

There is a knifemaker's guild in North Georgia whose "hammer-ins" I attend twice a year--Georgia Custom Knifemaker's Guild. (If you think toting a lathe to a remote location would be tough, think about a forge, a bunch of big hammers and a 100-pound anvil.:eek:)

I tell them up front that I'm a woodturner, but it doesn't seem to bother them. Most of those guys are just like turners--ready to tell you whatever they know.

$0.02
Art

[Richard Madison]

Mickey,
Ordinary HSS tool bits for metal lathes are often used in home made tools (mine) and a number of commercially available tools. The grind angle for woodturning usually means the included angle at the cutting edge, not the relief angle. Scraper type bits used for hollowing may be ground at about 75 degrees included angle. Oland type tool bits may be ground anywhere from 80 to 45 degrees, depending upon individual use. Note that these are not usually tools where one "rides the bevel", as mentioned in a post some days ago.

A typical bowl gouge might have an included angle of 60 degrees, but this varies considerably with the individual user. Might be interesting to try this with a 3/8 or 1/2 tool bit. This would be a "ride the bevel" tool.

Maybe not much help, but knew some metal working in a previous life before getting into wood. Keep asking questions. You can get there from here.

[Jim Sebring]

You miight want to take a look at the Tormek watercooled system.

The current edition of their Handbook has some great info on the various 'grinds' used by many turners. Go to www.tormek.com (http://www.tormek.com) and click on 'Handbook' in the left column, then click on the 'Download Handbook' link at the bottom of that page. The info on turning tools starts on page 69.

I have both a Tormek and the Wolverine system. The Wolverine, used on a dry bench grinder with a 80 grit wheel, is great for shaping turning tools. The Tormek, with a 220 grit, water lubricated stone, excels at sharpening without eating up much expensive tool steel.

The downside to the Tormek is the price - it's about 7X more expensive than the Wolverine. Fortunately, I bought my Tormek many years ago when it was about $400 - and I was gainfully employed. ;)

[Jeff Nicol]

Mickey, A good grinder with the correct stones for sharpening tool steel is the first place to start. With the Tormek being the top of the line in most woodworkers eyes as it will sharpen most any blade from a hand plane to a large planer blade with the right attachments. That being said a good 2 wheel grinder (Preferably an 8" slow speed) is the best place to start. You can sharpen with anything from a belt sander to wheel mounted on a drill clamped to a table but the grinder still seems to be the most used by all turners. The best tip to give some one about grinding tools is to keep the wheels clean and true. If the wheels get gunked up with steel or get a groove or are not parralel with the sharpening rest or system you are using it is difficult to get a nice consistent edge. Ne next thing is to let the wheels do the cutting with minimal pessure on the wheel, this keeps the heat down and does not prematurely wear out the grinding wheels. Like I have told you before, angles on each type of tool can be tweaked to fit each turners preference. Most of the time whatever the tools come with from the factory are a standard starting point and have been used for a long time. Scrapers are pretty straight forward with the bur left from grinding is doing the cutting, as long as there is a bevel away from the bur it will work. But there are times when the bevel needs to be more to get into certain areas and to do a good job. Skews can be straight or curved like the Raffan and Lacer skews. The bevel needs to be long enough to keep good contact to the wood and not to steep. If the angle is 45 or less it is almost impossible to get a nice cut with out catches. So keep them longer like 55-60 so the handle of the skew is at a flatter oreintation to the wood, it the handle is at an uncomfortable angle when it begins to cut change the angle. With all the gouges there are way to many options to explain and try to get across with any real good understanding with just words. So by getting a Mike Mahoney video, Jimmy Clewes, or any of the other great turners who have videos out you will get lots of sharpening tips on there productions. I have a little one on my website conecting to videos on youtube and that may help.


We will get it all worked out for you,

Jeff