Making a Sharpening Station

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Sorry for the lack of pics, the girls were out at a Flower arrangement show with the camera, so I have only the two here of the one side of the Sharpening Station done.....

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/sharpening_station_gouge.jpg
Here you can see the one side that is meant for gouges, the track folds down, and the angle on the tip is determined by where the bar under the tip, and the handle stop are set.
http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/sharpening_station_gouge_closed.jpg

Folds up out of the way.

I've got to make the other side, which is just a flat bed, that can be set at any angle.

I'll post more pics later.

I think my set up would work better on longer handled tools, these suckers are all so short!

First project will be longer handles for the tools!

Cheers!

Cheers!

[Dick Strauss]

So far so good Stu!!!

[John Hart]

I've spent a whole day thinking about this one Stu, and I've decided that I can even make this one! I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!!!:)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hang on a minute there John, I "Changed" the set up a bit.

The problem I had was that the hinge in the folding shelf bracket was too wobbly. If you can find a folding shelf bracket that is not so wobbly, then go for it.

I ended up making a version much more like the one everyone else has......

Pics soon.....

Cheers!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Great idea Stu. Looks like it will work just fine.

Ernie

[John Hart]

Hang on a minute there John, I "Changed" the set up a bit.

The problem I had was that the hinge in the folding shelf bracket was too wobbly. If you can find a folding shelf bracket that is not so wobbly, then go for it.

I ended up making a version much more like the one everyone else has......

Pics soon.....

Cheers!
I also thought about another brace that would fold down with the rest of it. Whereas you would bring the contraption up and lock it into place vertically, then have another brace that went out radially and locked into a receiver on the bench.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Yep, that would work, I'm stuck in the L shop on a computer I do not have a graphics editing program on, so I cannot put up the pics of the new changes.... sorry

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK, pics.....

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/new_gouge_jig1.jpg

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/new_gouge_jig2.jpg

Rock solid.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/roughing_gouge_front.jpg

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/roughing_gouge_side.jpg

Now I'm not sure if this is the right angle etc, I was following the bevel that was on the gouge.

Cheers!

[John Hart]

Pretty slick Slick! I don't know how to weld, but I think I can duplicate it with bolting. My brother-in-law is going to teach me how to weld some time in the next 6 months....don't want to wait that long.;)

Nicely done Stu!!!:)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I tell you John, I cannot count the number of times that welder has save my sorry butt, if you can weld, you can make a lot of tools and jigs. Sure, you can make some stuff out of wood, but the welding is easy and quick.

Get a good unit, Hobart or Miller, a 200V unit with the gas bottle.

I can weld steel, stainless steel and aluminum, if I could afford the wire, I could weld titanium too :D

Yep really useful.

Now I have to get on the whole "Grind" of each type of tool.....

BTW, the handles of the tools don't "Have to be" wood, right?

I HATE the stupid itty bitty handles on these things, I have some steel pipe there that, would be just about perfect, for handles......?

Cheers!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Stu looks pretty good. Looks like it will work for you.

[Kent Parker]

Stu,

I'm applauding very loud:D Way cool idea!!

KP

[Keith Burns]

Very very nice Stu:) :)

[John Miliunas]

Bravo Stu!!! That's way, way cool. Looks to be more solid than the original OEM model out there. :) :cool:

[Jim Becker]

BTW, the handles of the tools don't "Have to be" wood, right?

No, they don't. In fact, some turners prefer heavier handles and metal is just the ticket. You can wrap them to make holding more comfortable, too. The other advantage to metal handles is that you can take advantage of hollow tubing to reduce the amount of the tool between the handle and the tip by fitting the handle with a nose that allows adjustment. This is the way the Kelton, OneWay, etc., handles are made. A simple setscrew can hold the tooling in the handle. And you can also use the same handle for multiple tool setups...even different diameters with appropriate sleeves.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Thanks Jim, told you I was new at all of this...... ;) :D

[John Hart]

Hey Jim....I don't know where I read it, but can't you also get golf club grips for the metal handles?

[Dick Strauss]

John,
I'll send you some drawings/dimensions for an all wood sharpening system if you are interested. I built my own setup. It works almost as well in most respects and better in some respects than the wolverine systems.

Take care,
Dick

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Boy what a difference longer tool handles make :D

I took apart this roughing gouge I have....

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/undone_gouge.jpg

and I had a piece of 3/4" gas pipe here that I bought for a clamp or something.....

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/unthreaded_pipe.jpg
I cut off both ends, as the threads are fairly sharp!

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/hole_ground.jpg
I ground a flat spot, and then drilled a hole.

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/nut_to_weld.jpg
Put the nut in place (I put a short bolt in there too, to keep the welding splatter out of the threads of the nut)

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/welded_nut.jpg

ZAP ZAP with the MIG

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/2_heads_better.jpg
....and now I have a long handled tool. I can swap bits if I like, but I think I'll be building another handle or two.
I ground a flat spot on the tang of each bit, to make the bolt holding it in place seat easier.

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/long_handle_on_grinder.jpg

Yep it even fits the grinding Jig!

http://ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/latest_goofing_around.jpg

Just goofing around, working on tool control etc. This is a piece of that rock hard wild grain Ash that I had so much vibration with before, almost none now!

Cheers!

PS, I found one of the sources for the bad vibes I was getting is the dead center on the tail stock, I was not running it tight enough. Now it is tight enought, but it was starting to smoke, I put some "3-in-1" oil on it, but that stunk real bad, so I put some PAM on it, that I use on the bandsaw blade, worked well, the vibes are gone, and as it burns off, it don't stink as bad as the oil.

I'm going to order a live center and face plate for this lathe, got to get on to some bowls! :D

[David Fried]

Is this a sneak peek at your bonker entry?

Dave Fried

[Jim Ketron]

Nice Job on them Both!
If you want to help the comfort and add some thickness to the Handel you can wrap soft tubbing around it. here is one I made from pipe.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=18866
and here is my homemade wolverine type jig http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=9657
I love making tools.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Jim, I saw you sharpening jig, great job, but I had not seen your Keton tool, also great jog!

How do you like the tubing on the KT?

I was thinking just some bicycle handlebar wrap would do the trick....?

Cheers!

PS, David, I'm not going to enter the "Bonker" thing, if I win, I'd have a bunch of guys with Bonkers mad at me....:eek:..... ;) :D

[Randy Meijer]

PS, I found one of the sources for the bad vibes I was getting is the dead center on the tail stock, I was not running it tight enough. Now it is tight enought, but it was starting to smoke, I put some "3-in-1" oil on it, but that stunk real bad, so I put some PAM on it, that I use on the bandsaw blade, worked well, the vibes are gone, and as it burns off, it don't stink as bad as the oil.

I'm going to order a live center and face plate for this lathe, got to get on to some bowls! :D

I think the old timers used to use bee's wax??

[Dominic Greco]

Stu,
I was searching through the accumulated acticles and "how to" papers on my computer when I came across this rather in depth article by Brian Clifford.

It documents how to build you own "Pseudo-Wolverine" Sharpening system. Maybe this can give you some more ideas. At least you can use part of the plans to fabricate your own fingernail profile jig (a "must have" IMHO).

Here is a link to the article and Brian's Home Page. You might want to check it out. It looks like this guy is pretty sharp (no pun intended).

wtsharpen.pdf (http://www.turningtools.co.uk/widgets/grindingjig/wtsharpen.pdf)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Thanks Dominic!

That is very slick,and all made from wood, heck even Mr. Hart could make that one ;) :D no welding needed!

Cheers!

[John Hart]

Yup...that's pretty nice Dominic. A breeze could blow me either way right now, but I'm gonna have to get something done. The little plates on my grinder are just not doin' it for me.