Is this a decent type of low speed grinder for sharpening lathe chisels???

[bob blakeborough]

Hey everyone,

Please mind the newbie sharpening question...

I have lots of experience hand sharpening my flat blades (planes, bench chisels, etc) but I know nothing about sharpening curved and round edges. It seems like everyone uses a grinder which makes sense. I have been researching and the most common reccomendation is a slow speed 8" bench grinder with something like a Wolverine jig. I came across the following grinder at busy bee here and it seems like it might be a good option, but I am unsure if it is too low speed to be effective for gouges etc. It has a small 5" wheel that spins 3450rpm, but it also has a 10"x2" large wheel in a water bath that turns only 72rpm!

Is this going to be appropriate?

http://www.busybeetools.com/products/SLOW-SPEED-GRINDER.html

http://www.busybeetools.com/product_images/16/1616/B412N_zoom.jpg

[Roger Chandler]

Too slow! You need about a 1725 rpm grinder with 8" wheels to be ready for turning. The one you show would be okay for just light touch up once a grind is on a tool, but you could hardly get a proper grind on one with that. A 1725 rpm with a wolverine set up underneath it is a proven and very effective setup for lathe tools.............that is why probably 95% or better of the turners have a similar set up!

there are other systems that will do well, but the wolverine is almost like an industry standard, so I would recommend that to you!

[Brian Libby]

Go with a 1725 grinder and wolverine jig. IMO the brand of grinder does not matter, inexpensive is OK. What you have pictured will not do the job!

[Dave Ogren]

The low speed 8" at woodcraft is about $80.00 maybe $90.00 plus shipping if you are far away.

Good Luck,

Dave

[Deane Allinson]

I don't have much experience with turning gouges to comment on them. I believe that the one in your picture is a clone of an older 1980's-1990's Delta. It does a nice job on flat chisels and plane blades. It's a bit slow (really slow) grinding but you never worry about burning the edge. Makes a nice size hollow ground on flat chisels. it's hard to keep the stone flat if you do much with gouges, etc.
Deane

[Terry Beadle]

Grizzley's compliment and cheaper.. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Slow-Speed-Grinder/G1036

I've have one of these units for about 5 years now. It doesn't get much use except for initial fettling of chisels or plane blades and only if they have a significant edge issue.

I think a 1725 slow speed grinder with good wheels on it is more productive. I have one of those with the Wolverine blade sharpening attachment and it works great, much quicker, very controlled results. Woodcraft has one on sale : http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080939/29437/8in-Slow-Speed-Grinder.aspx
I don't know how good a quality this unit is but the price is very attractive. I bought mine from Japan Woodworker when they had them on special sale years ago.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the Tormek and don't have a problem with it being to slow. I do have a slow speed dry grinder with the wolverine for shaping but the Tormek does all my sharpening at 90 rpm and honing. I don't see why that one wouldn't work. I will say my Tormek has all the wood turning jigs with it for the different gouges and skews which makes it a lot easier to use.

[bob blakeborough]

Grizzley's compliment and cheaper.. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Slow-Speed-Grinder/G1036

I've have one of these units for about 5 years now. It doesn't get much use except for initial fettling of chisels or plane blades and only if they have a significant edge issue.

I think a 1725 slow speed grinder with good wheels on it is more productive. I have one of those with the Wolverine blade sharpening attachment and it works great, much quicker, very controlled results. Woodcraft has one on sale : http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080939/29437/8in-Slow-Speed-Grinder.aspx
I don't know how good a quality this unit is but the price is very attractive. I bought mine from Japan Woodworker when they had them on special sale years ago.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I am up in Canada so the prices actually work out quite similar between that Grizzley and the one I had posted up. Probably a bit cheaper for me actually as I don't have to ship it or drive a long way to get it... I think, however, I may just up and get the standard 8 inch low speed grinder. I finish all my regular bench chisels by hand anyways, so a super slow speed may be overkill right now. Who knows down the road though. I just think I will get a bit more versatility out of something in the 1700rpm range at this point in time...

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

[Raymond Sprouse]

I had a grinder simular to that. I didn't like it for lathe tools. It was difficult to use and slow. However, grizley has one that is modeled after the tormak and it might be what you need.
8" model: HERE (http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Grinder-Sharpener/T10097)
10" model: HERE (http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Wet-Grinder-Kit/T10010)

[Steve Schlumpf]

One other thing to consider is that if you ever plan on getting a Wolverine system to assist with sharpening - you may have some challenges trying to mount it under this system and get the correct height difference between jig and wheel.

[Doug Palmer]

I just bought the slow speed (1725 rpm) grinder and Wolverine jig from Woodcraft this week. Both are on sale (grinder $89.99 jig $79.99). The grinder has the right wheels for turning tools. It is pretty obvious why the Wolverine jig gets such high reviews. The woodcraft grinder and the Wolvering jig both got a good review in the May issue of WOOD magazine, which is what prompted me to buy them. I got both of them set up this week and sharpened all my tools for the first time with the jig an grinder. I must say, I am very happy with the edges I got on them. All factory smooth edges with not one double bevel in the bunch (which I must admit is not unusual when I just used my old grinder with no jig). I even sharpened some of my old starter tools made of carbon steel without blueing them. I'm no expert, but trusted the reviews I read and am very relieved to have the confidence of sharpening my expensive tools without messing up the edges.