Need help tweaking spindle gouge sharpening

[Jamie Straw]

Seem to have a consistent problem when sharpening the 3/8" spindle gouge using the Vari-grind 2 accessory with my Wolverine set-up. Problem is the tip is too "pointy." I've read several threads here, read Cindy Drozda's PDF on sharpening, and a few other things. Still can't figure out what needs to change to get a somewhat more rounded tip. Any ideas?

[Brian Greb]

Your probably not going to like my suggestion but here it is... Don't use the jig, Sharpen free hand. Set your rest to your desired bevel angle then sharpen the gouge to the desired profile. I'm not much of a fan of those "fancy jigs" my-self... so I don't ever use'em.

[Jamie Straw]

Your probably not going to like my suggestion but here it is... Don't use the jig, Sharpen free hand. Set your rest to your desired bevel angle then sharpen the gouge to the desired profile. I'm not much of a fan of those "fancy jigs" my-self... so I don't ever use'em.

Sorry, Brian, that's not an option. I've tried several times, and have ixnayed freehand sharpening for the time being. Thanks, though, no harm in trying. [I do believe that "someday" I'll be able to pull that off, if I don't get so old I lose my eyesight first. :eek:]

[David E Keller]

I don't disagree with sharpening free hand, but I get better results using a jig. I use the original varigrind, and I'm not sure how much it differs from the one you are using. With that said, spend a little more time with the pointy part of the tip on the wheel. I find that I need to spend more time grinding the central portion of the gouge than I do on the wings... There's more metal there so it take a bit longer to grind that portion of the profile.

[Mike Peace]

I think we all run into this when we start sharpening. The key to sharpening is having a clear understanding of what the grind is supposed to look like. If yours is too pointy, resharpen but take more steel off the tip. Don't keep grinding the sides. When you get the tip where it supposed to be, then blend the front with the sides by rolling from one side to another once or twice.

[Brian Greb]

I think we all run into this when we start sharpening. The key to sharpening is having a clear understanding of what the grind is supposed to look like. If yours is too pointy, resharpen but take more steel off the tip. Don't keep grinding the sides. When you get the tip where it supposed to be, then blend the front with the sides by rolling from one side to another once or twice.

That sounds like how I learned to sharpen. A former mentor told me to "think of it as reverse lathe work... use the grind stone to give you the shape you want..." He also said "sharpen light and easy... don't rush the process." He said that often (the second part).

FYI: the reason I don't use jigs is they mess up my rhythm I have to stop turning put the jig thing on the tool then sharpen the tool then take the jig thing off then back to the wood. I find it much easier to just touch up the edge and back to the lathe. So just to be clear I'm not saying free hand is better just better for me.

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks, David and Mike. I've tried doing more grinding at the tip, perhaps it's too late by the time I think of that? My process for grinding the spindle gouge (not simply touching it up) is taken from Ms. Klein: First I lay the tool on its side and shape the end to get that nice convex shape, then put it into the jig (Bonnie goes free-hand) and grind the bevel. Two things tend to happen: the tip gets pointy and the upper (cutting) edge of the end devolves toward straight or concave rather than convex.

I'll try getting the tip first, and then going to the sides -- that's reverse of what I've done in the past. Thanks.

[Jamie Straw]

..... I find it much easier to just touch up the edge and back to the lathe. So just to be clear I'm not saying free hand is better just better for me.

Brian, I greatly admire those who can sharpen freehand and do aspire to same. It's so efficient and I would think helps the flow of the work. I can imagine that learning by doing "touch-ups" first would work pretty well. Maybe by next year?....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jamie,

You have been given the answer to the problem. I had the same problem when I started out using the Vari-grind.

Start out grinding the tip and then swing to the sides. It takes less time to grind the sides than it does the tip. Spend more time on the tip. That is the secret.

[Reed Gray]

Jamie,
I was having that problem with my swept back grinds, and I think it was in the AAW DVD they put out a few years back about sharpening, and they said to start on the wing, and sweep to the nose. that did it for me. Just the opposite from what some one else said. I figure that if you start on the wing, you will grind the point twice.

If the wing is straight, or concave, you need to take more off the nose, and/or more off the wings.

robo hippy

[Jamie Straw]

Jamie,
I was having that problem with my swept back grinds, and I think it was in the AAW DVD they put out a few years back about sharpening, and they said to start on the wing, and sweep to the nose. that did it for me. Just the opposite from what some one else said. I figure that if you start on the wing, you will grind the point twice.

If the wing is straight, or concave, you need to take more off the nose, and/or more off the wings.

robo hippy

Yep, that DVD and a couple of other sources say, specifically with swept-back wings, to start there and then blend together with the nose. I suspect that, in the long run, that's a good way to do it. I think I'll try the opposite on this spindle gouge, though, and see if I can get a better grind.

[Bob Hamilton]

On a spindle gouge the bevel is considerably longer at the nose than on the wings, so when you grind it a lot more metal has to come off the nose to equal the metal being removed from the sides. If you just swing the tool at a steady rate from one side to the other then you will inevitably take more metal off the sides and the nose will become pointy. You need to consciously spend more time at the nose than the wings.

Good Luck!
Bob

[Jamie Straw]

... You need to consciously spend more time at the nose than the wings.

Consciously....OK, I won't try it before coffee.;) Thanks, Bob, I'll give it a try this afternoon and expect to report great results.