Point tool with Triangle handle

[Thomas Canfield]

There was a tip in the April 2021 American Woodturner (AAW) about making a triangle sharpening jig to use with sharpening the 3 face point tool. It said to drill a tight hole to insert the tool to provide jig to sharpen. I have drill bits by 64ths, but would not provide a tight fit to hold the tool, so I came up with using a screw to "index" the tool to the jig. Then the obvious answer came to me that I needed to make a triangle handle that would permanently index the tool and also give better holding when using the tool. The photo shows rough initial work. The triangle handle is 1-1/4" side and next one will be 1-1/2" side to provide a little larger handle. Handles only need to be about 6" long for single hand use. Ferrels are short section of 1/2" copper coupling. Both jig and triangle handle work well to grind the point and hope you get the point.456165 Tools made from 1/4" tool steel.

[Reed Gray]

Some have used a hex nut for the ferule, which sounded like a good idea to me...

robo hippy

[Thomas Canfield]

Some have used a hex nut for the ferule, which sounded like a good idea to me...

robo hippy

A hex nut would give a short flat for registering the grind and not require making the triangle stock. The hex might have to be used on some riser piece for sharpening if it is below the diameter of the handle. I actually like the feel of the longer flat of the triangle for my thumb to help give control using the tool. Have not used it that much yet as this was a quick prototype.

[Walter Mooney]

I made mine from what originally was a 6"-long #2 phillips bit. The point had snapped off a while back, and then one day the light bulb went on as to what the tool could be repurposed as. And, the hex shape is 'built in' -- no additional cost, no additional guide needed! The protection piece for the point does have some cost involved! :D

456306

[Thomas Canfield]

Walter,

The only obvious drawback I think of to using hex steel is that he hex changes the rotation slightly of the tool on the tool rest. Probably only noticeable to the extreme user. Good repurpose of the broken drive. I broke the square on a 4" bit this morning and saving steel for some future use, possibly for a sanding or buffing tool.

[mike ash]

I've been using a point tool I made from drill steel about 17 years ago and find it quite useful. I've been sharpening by hand using the the Wolverine V-Arm device to set the butt end of the tool in, thus giving me consistent tapers. A sharpening takes me maybe 5 seconds. Easy-Peasy!!!

[John K Jordan]

For a different take on "point" tools, I made a conventional one but I get more use from a grind I came up with maybe 8 years ago - I make this in two sizes, a 1/4" and 3/8", ground freehand from Thompson round stock.

456431

I call it my "wicked point tool." It's especially good at making clean v-grooves in places where a skew might not be as good such as on the base or top of a platter.

JKJ

[David Walser]

John -- This looks very similar to the 'vortex' tool Cindy Drozda, Stuart Batty, and others, have been promoting for years now. It's NOT the same, but very similar.

[John K Jordan]

John -- This looks very similar to the 'vortex' tool Cindy Drozda, Stuart Batty, and others, have been promoting for years now. It's NOT the same, but very similar.

My wicked point tool is not ground or used anything like the others you mentioned, closer to a simple 3-facet point tool but better at cutting clean v-grooves. The two bevels underneath come to a sharp vertical edge like a skew. I've been showing it for years too and I know some who have copied it.

Cindy showed me hers once, vaguely similar at first glance but not close in grind or use. It's angled flat on the top, curved underneath like a gouge. I've never held Batty's in my hand but I think it's also ground with a curved bevel underneath, someone described sharpening it like a spindle roughing gouge (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?241138-Shapening-Batty-Vortex-Tool). From what I understand it too is used in an entirely different way.

Zillions of possibilities.

JKJ

[Peter Blair]

This is the one I like the best.

[Thomas Wilson80]

I’m looking to make my own point (pyramid) tool from a 3/8” round bar - can’t seem to find any specs on it. Does it matter what angle the three facets are ground at?

John, your “wicked” tool looks pretty nice too - what angles do you grind the side bevels and what angle for the top?

Thanks and merry Christmas,
Tom

[John K Jordan]

Tom, a traditional point tool has three equal facets. To get the spacing around the perimeter right some people temporarily fasten a big hex nut near the end as the handle and rest every other flat on the nut on the tool test for grinding. I’ve never found this necessary, just eyeballed it. You can draw 3 equally space lines down the shaft as a visual guide. A 1/4” pyramid too seems more useful than a larger one - that’s the size my mentor the wizard Frank Penta used effectively.

I’ve made several of my Wicked Point Tools from various Thompson 3/8 and 1/4” round stock for myself and others. (I generally grind the point on one end and a round skew on the other and mount them in a handle with a metal insert so I can use either end.) BRW a 1/4” round skew is more useful than words can describe here - Hang out with Mark StLeger and others for an education.

I’ve never measured the angles but I could try when I get to the shop. I grind the upper face nearly horizontal at the tip and the two side faces ground to leave a much sharper cutting edges at the sides of the point - this cuts grooves much cleaner than the “traditional” three facet tool that have three identical angles, grooves both on side spindle grain but especially on end grain such as detailing the lids and bottoms of boxes, small finger tops, cleaning up the edges of textured areas, etc. I also use it to clean up tight places otherwise difficult to reach. Of course I reach for a skew for most grooves on spindles but the pointed tool is better in many cases and as a scraper gives a beginner no possibility of a catch.

492241

I’ve experimented with variations but the design I showed worked the best for many grooves. I made the first one years ago as an experiment and it has worked well for me over the years. One thing it doesn’t do as well as the common point tool with three equal facets is cut small beads.

JKJ


I’m looking to make my own point (pyramid) tool from a 3/8” round bar - can’t seem to find any specs on it. Does it matter what angle the three facets are ground at?

John, your “wicked” tool looks pretty nice too - what angles do you grind the side bevels and what angle for the top?

Thanks and merry Christmas,
Tom

[tom lucas]

I have one of the 3 sided tools that was given to me. I have yet to put an handle on it. I also have the d-way teardrop tool, which has similar uses. I love that tool. Maybe that's why I haven't used the 3 sided tool yet.

[Robert Hayward]

What does the three sided tool do that a D-wqy teardrop will not do? Note that I own a D-way teardrop and have never used the three sided tool shown in this thread.

[Thomas Wilson80]

Tom, a traditional point tool has three equal facets. To get the spacing around the perimeter right some people temporarily fasten a big hex nut near the end as the handle and rest every other flat on the nut on the tool test for grinding. I’ve never found this necessary, just eyeballed it. You can draw 3 equally space lines down the shaft as a visual guide. A 1/4” pyramid too seems more useful than a larger one - that’s the size my mentor the wizard Frank Penta used effectively.

I’ve made several of my Wicked Point Tools from various Thompson 3/8 and 1/4” round stock for myself and others. (I generally grind the point on one end and a round skew on the other and mount them in a handle with a metal insert so I can use either end.) BRW a 1/4” round skew is more useful than words can describe here - Hang out with Mark StLeger and others for an education.

I’ve never measured the angles but I could try when I get to the shop. I grind the upper face nearly horizontal at the tip and the two side faces ground to leave a much sharper cutting edges at the sides of the point - this cuts grooves much cleaner than the “traditional” three facet tool that have three identical angles, grooves both on side spindle grain but especially on end grain such as detailing the lids and bottoms of boxes, small finger tops, cleaning up the edges of textured areas, etc. I also use it to clean up tight places otherwise difficult to reach. Of course I reach for a skew for most grooves on spindles but the pointed tool is better in many cases and as a scraper gives a beginner no possibility of a catch.

492241

I’ve experimented with variations but the design I showed worked the best for many grooves. I made the first one years ago as an experiment and it has worked well for me over the years. One thing it doesn’t do as well as the common point tool with three equal facets is cut small beads.

JKJ

Thanks John - no need to measure. I’ll just eyeball it. Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a “golden” angle I should be using.
Tom

[John K Jordan]

What does the three sided tool do that a D-wqy teardrop will not do? …

What it does is save about $46 if you grind a similar tool from 3/8” or larger HSS tool steel rod. Unshaped rod can be ground into a variety of useful tools:3-facet point, wicked point, round skew, hollowing tool bits, a variety of scrapers, and other special tools.

For example I make several types of extremely useful negative rake scrapers from 3/8” and larger and smaller round and rectangular stock. I think having a supply of blank stock on hand is very helpful in a turning shop. There are lots of special tools for sale but I think it’s more interesting (and a lot cheaper) to make my own. If I don’t find a tool especially useful I just grind it into something else. I made a special-purpose tool a few weeks ago for a friend to fine tune holes in small vases to hold glass vials. (I keep a 60-grit CBN wheel on one grinder just for shaping lathe tools.)

I haven’t tried D-way’s version you mentioned so I can’t compare.