Help with sharpening.

[Doug Hogue]

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I am new to woodturning and am trying to learn to sharpen my tools. I have a rikon slow speed grinder with the oneway wolverine system. I also am using CBN wheels. I bought some cheap tools from harbor freight to learn to sharpen on. I am having trouble with the roughing gouge. I have the angle set to 45 degrees and am using the v arm. I keep getting a point instead of it being square/flat across the end like other roughing gouges I’ve seen. What am i doing wrong? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Jim Morgan]

Some CBN manufacturers explicitly warn against using the v-arm with spindle roughing gouges - the wheel can grab the edge of the SRG, possibly causing it to snap- bad for the gouge, bad for the wheel, and potentially very bad for the operator.

Use the platform instead, set at the appropriate angle. Pinch the gouge between thumb & index finger to set the exposure and roll the gouge from side to side.

[Doug Hogue]

I should have mentioned i had originally used the platform with similar results. I reground the gouge square with the platform set to 90. Then tried with the v arm but ended up with the same results. I tried the v arm after seeing several people on youtube use it for the roughing gouge. Im not sure why I am getting a pointed end.
Thanks

[Tim Elett]

It looks like you are spending more time on the edges than the middle, also metal is getting too hot. The flat plate is what I use for mine. I am learning also, maby others will help us both.

[Brian Deakin]

For freehand sharpening you may find the link below useful

https://stuartbattytools.com/free-videos-%26-articles

I would also reccomend watching the 34 attached videos

[Bill Howatt]

Remember that things like the Wolverine, Vari-grind and equivalent from other vendors are aids, not equivalent to templates. While the aids help maintain consistent angles, it is you who determines the final shape. If you aren't grinding enough at some place, then grind more at that place until you get the shape you want. The aids are great for touching up your "shape" without removing much metal.

[Edward Weber]

508869508868508867

I am new to woodturning and am trying to learn to sharpen my tools. I have a rikon slow speed grinder with the oneway wolverine system. I also am using CBN wheels. I bought some cheap tools from harbor freight to learn to sharpen on. I am having trouble with the roughing gouge. I have the angle set to 45 degrees and am using the v arm. I keep getting a point instead of it being square/flat across the end like other roughing gouges I’ve seen. What am i doing wrong? Thanks in advance for any assistance.
A photo of your grinding method would help a bit more than just the results.

[Reed Gray]

I do all of my sharpening on platforms, and do have a number of videos up on You Tube, mostly about bowl turning. I took one look at that long arm thing on the Wolverine set up and said no way, and that was before I started doing all of my sharpening on platforms. With the SRG, you just roll the tool from side to side. Some start on one side and roll all the way to the other side. Some start in the middle and roll to one side, then come back to the middle and roll to the other side. Try it a few times with the grinder off, just to get the feel of the rolling motion. From an old movie about Cyrano de Bergerac, "Hold the sword as you would a bird. Too tight and you kill it. Too loose and it flies away." Same with our tools when turning and sharpening.

robo hippy

[Richard Coers]

I've sharpened spindle roughing gouges on the V arm ever since Oneway invented it. A CBN wheel is not what will cause a grinder wheel catch, and wheel can do that. It all depends on the angle of the gouge and how close you are to the centerline of the wheel. As Bill said, you still have to learn the skills. Most often, people push the tool hard into the wheel. Just let the gouge lay on the grinder and rotate it in a uniform arc.

[Doug Hogue]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I was able to successfully regrind and sharpen it. It seems the sides grind faster than the middle. This is why i bought the cheaper set of woodturning tools from harbor freight. I knew there would be a learning curve and I would make mistakes.
Thanks again for everyones help!
Doug

[Doug Hogue]

For freehand sharpening you may find the link below useful

https://stuartbattytools.com/free-videos-%26-articles

I would also reccomend watching the 34 attached videos

Thanks. I will watch these.

[Neil Strong]

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.... I am having trouble with the roughing gouge. I have the angle set to 45 degrees and am using the v arm. I keep getting a point instead of it being square/flat across the end like other roughing gouges

Doug, I would call that a Continental Spindle Gouge and they are usually sharpened with a partially swept back wing.

Spindle Rough Gouges typically have a much deeper flute and are mostly used with a straight across grind. Here is the flute on one of my P&N SRGs...


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[mike calabrese]

There are a bunch of sharpening vids on Youtube including those by Robo Hippy as posted above.
calabrese55
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sharpen+lathe+chisels

[Doug Hogue]

Doug, I would call that a Continental Spindle Gouge and they are usually sharpened with a partially swept back wing.

Spindle Rough Gouges typically have a much deeper flute and are mostly used with a straight across grind. Here is the flute on one of my P&N SRGs...


508943


Interesting. The package labels it as a roughing gouge. However when I look at pictures of continental spindle gouges, mine looked like that when I initially sharpened it.
Thanks

[Doug Hogue]

Yes, I have watched several of those. Sometimes its the little things you pick up in a conversation that you cant from a video that clicks for me.
Thanks Doug

[Bill Howatt]

Dare I say that most non-production turners don't really need a roughing gouge? Just use your largest spindle gouge and gently get the sharp corners off and away you go.

[Neil Strong]

Dare I say that most non-production turners don't really need a roughing gouge? Just use your largest spindle gouge and gently get the sharp corners off and away you go.

Agreed!

For the new turners doing spindle work I recommend rough down with a....



Spindle Roughing Gouge
Spindle Gouge
Bowl Gouge


For the new turners doing bowl/cross grain work I recommend rough down the outside with a....



Bowl Gouge
Spindle Gouge
BUT, leave the SRG in the tool rack!