Suggestions for tool sharpening on a lathe

[Jake Vincent]

Hi Folks! Does anyone have experience with setting up a modified grinding wheel on a lathe for tool shaping/sharpening? I've got a Laguna 12|16 and it seems like a perfect candidate for it. It has a toggle switch for both forward and reverse, and has an rpm range from 650-3500. If I set that sucker to 650rpm and turned away from me, seems like I might could have a fairly simple (and economic) slow-speed grinder. I'm all about finding innovative solutions to shop needs that don't require additional tools, so if something like this is feasible, I'd like to try it out. Not at the expense of my current tools, of course, but that's why I'm posing the question to you fine folks.

I'm fairly new to turning and ended up picking up a sizable lot of lathe tools at auction for crazy cheap that are in not-great shape. They've got a LOT of potential though! I've been turning with the Rikon carbide set for the last year, and those work well for my beginner level, but if I can a) add to my collection, and b) hone my skills, I certainly would like to. If at all possible, I'll avoid getting a slow-speed grinder if I can set something up on the lathe to do the same job.

Any ideas, suggestions, or advice is greatly appreciated. (I couldn't find a thread with this info in my search, but I'm new to the forum and it may be a user-deficiency thing.)

Cheers!

[David Bassett]

I can't think why you couldn't make it work mechanically, but do you really want the metal and abrasive grit any where near your lathe?

[Jake Vincent]

I can't think why you couldn't make it work mechanically, but do you really want the metal and abrasive grit any where near your lathe?

It was something I had considered. I've got a roll of felt left over from a project awhile back that I'd thought about covering the bed with. If I'm going at that low speed, I don't think I'll be throwing metal too far just based on the wood chips I see coming off when I turn wood at that speed. It's entirely possible I'm off base though...

[David M Peters]

That's certainly an option! Here are a few adapters & kits that came to mind:

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCMPLUS.html
https://woodturnerswonders.com/products/new-cbn-lathe-mandrel

I imagine that your tool rest would be used as a (very) freehand grinding support for the latter product.

[Jake Vincent]

I did see that PSI attachment last night when digging around. I like the idea but think that the setup position might pose a problem. I work with a bunch of mechanical engineers and have had brief conversations about building a tool rest similar to the wolverine system that I can attach to the bed. I'd like to be able to have a solid, adjustable rest for this if at all possible. But good links, thanks! I might look into the CBN product more. It has potential!

[Thomas Wilson80]

If I'm imagining this correctly, you would have it set up to the lathe spindle, right? That means you would have to take whatever you are working on, off the lathe to sharpen. That would be a deal-breaker for me. Many turners are already too impatient to take the time to step away for 2 minutes and sharpen as often as they should, so anything to make it more cumbersome wouldn't work IMHO.

I've seen a lot of used grinders for sale on craigslist/facebook and if you are going to build a wolverine-type system anyways, you could have a separate grinding station fairly cheap. Maybe there are space issues or other considerations, but I wouldn't want to have to remove my work every time I sharpen.

Tom

[Jake Vincent]

If I'm imagining this correctly, you would have it set up to the lathe spindle, right? That means you would have to take whatever you are working on, off the lathe to sharpen. That would be a deal-breaker for me. Many turners are already too impatient to take the time to step away for 2 minutes and sharpen as often as they should, so anything to make it more cumbersome wouldn't work IMHO.

Ideally I would have the wheel mounted on a dedicated mandrel. It's still a good point to consider. However, the lot of tools I picked up is fairly substantial, so I may be able to get away with moving to another tool of the same type/dimensions. I lucked out with this auction :D. In an ideal world, I'd have the wheel mounted on a dedicated mandrel and I'd be able to do the changes fairly quickly, but you're right that I wouldn't want to remove a piece I'm currently turning. It's certainly food for thought. This is why I'm posing this question; I want to hear of all the potential downfalls and shortcomings before I dig into the project. Thanks!

[Richard Coers]

I can't think why you couldn't make it work mechanically, but do you really want the metal and abrasive grit any where near your lathe?
Exactly! If I took any visual clues from what my bench grinder and stand look like as a comparison, no way would I want all the broken abrasive dust and steel dust on my lathe. If I don't wipe off my lathe bed after sanding a bowl, I feel grit on the ways.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I dunno.... A pile of shavings on the floor, and sparks flying around. Seems like a disaster bound to happen. Also the already mentioned metal and abrasive dust all over your soft cast iron ways. And don't forget your electronics. They probably not going to enjoy metal dust.

[Jake Vincent]

I dunno.... A pile of shavings on the floor, and sparks flying around. Seems like a disaster bound to happen. Also the already mentioned metal and abrasive dust all over your soft cast iron ways. And don't forget your electronics. They probably not going to enjoy metal dust.
Would it really be throwing off sparks at 650rpm? Genuinely asking.

[roger wiegand]

Boy, I wouldn't want to have to dismount my work every time I wanted to sharpen. With the 1/2HP Rikon slow speed 1/2 HP grinder selling on sale new for about $100, and an infinite number of used grinders starting at $10 or less I'd opt for a dedicated grinder. Until I really learned how to hone effectively I was going to the grinder every 5-10 minutes, unmounting and remounting the work each time would make that an untenable situation.

Not sure why you want such a slow speed, doesn't that just prolong the task unnecessarily? Assuming you use modern HSS tools you don't need to worry about overheating unless you do something very extreme.

[Reed Gray]

Well, considering how often I sharpen, I would be wasting a lot of time taking the wheel off and on. Far more time efficient to have a slow speed grinder set up for sharpening.

robo hippy

[Jake Vincent]

Looks like the majority of folks think this'd be an unfavorable option. Suppose I'll hold out for a slow speed grinder. It's slim pickings here in the Denver area, though. I've had my eye out for a couple months and haven't seen anything available. Oh well...

Thanks for the thoughts, all.

[Dwight Rutherford]

The Rikon slow speed grinder is currently on Amazon for $ 129.00. Your local Woodcraft frequently has it on sale for about $100.

[David Bassett]

The Rikon slow speed grinder is currently on Amazon for $ 129.00. Your local Woodcraft frequently has it on sale for about $100.

$110 in Woodcraft's February flyer.

(BTW- this is the 1/2 HP model. Not what more preferred 1 HP model, but cheaper & good enough for most of us.)

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Looks like the majority of folks think this'd be an unfavorable option. Suppose I'll hold out for a slow speed grinder.
So glad the message got through. Also glad that you’re taking sharpening seriously. I’ve seen a leather stropping/honing wheel mounted on the outboard side of an older PM, but even that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. My grinder is literally two steps from the lathe.
Even a cheap slow-speed grinder is a better option than grinding on the lathe. As has been said, the rikon 1/2 hp goes on sale regularly and will last for years. Get an inexpensive 8” grinder, a jig setup and save up for CBN wheels.

[Richard Coers]

So glad the message got through. Also glad that you’re taking sharpening seriously. I’ve seen a leather stropping/honing wheel mounted on the outboard side of an older PM, but even that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. My grinder is literally two steps from the lathe.
Even a cheap slow-speed grinder is a better option than grinding on the lathe. As has been said, the rikon 1/2 hp goes on sale regularly and will last for years. Get an inexpensive 8” grinder, a jig setup and save up for CBN wheels.
Careful with the CBN and cheap grinder recommendation. I've read quite a few complaints about slow starting with the 1/2hp Rikon with 2 CBN wheels.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

You can get a harbor freight belt/disc sander cheaper. I have the slow speed grinder and wish it was a slower speed than it is. Maybe with use and experience I will grow accustomed to it. But flat bladed items like the skew, spear point and parting tool seem to sharpen easier on a belt sharpener. I also use an electric honing machine for the roughing gouges. Easier to use than a jig.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Careful with the CBN and cheap grinder recommendation. I've read quite a few complaints about slow starting with the 1/2hp Rikon with 2 CBN wheels.

Been using this setup for somewhere close to 7 years with no problems. Woodcraft no name 1/2hp slow-speed grinder (not the version they were selling that was 'problematic') with two D-Way CBN wheels (steel, not aluminum or resin). Does it take 5 - 7 seconds to get up to speed? Yeah - it always has; I''m thinking it was slow to start with the old AO wheels. Does it continue to work? Oh yeah. Will I be looking at a 1hp version next time? Maybe, if I can find one cheap enough. The difference in startup times at about 2 or 3 seconds isn't really a problem, at least for me.