Wolverine jig - which grinder?

[Jeff Clow]

I am getting the Wolverine jig to grind my lathe tools and want to set up a dedicated grinder for it. What are the recomendations?
From what I have read, it looks like a low speed (1750 RPM or so) grinder is the way to go. I have seen 6" & 8" grinders used with the system, what are the pros & cons of the two sizes.
So far I have only looked at the Delta 6" slow speed....what are other options?

[Bernie Weishapl]

I tried the 6" Jeff and had all kinds of problems. 8" is definitely the way to go. I bought the Woodcraft slow speed grinder and haven't looked back. It also comes with the grinding wheels so you don't have to buy those if you buy a different 8" one. Just my opinion but you can't go wrong with it.

[Neal Addy]

Doesn't matter whether it's a 6" or 8" grinder, slow-speed or high-speed. The Wolverine will work on either.

I've seen arguments against a 6" regarding the curvature difference (putting a deeper curve in the bevel) but personally I don't think it's significant enough to matter. The only valid argument I can see for an 8" is you can find 1" width wheels easier, giving you more grinding surface.

Oneway's site recommends high-speed but I've never seen a good reason why. Slow-speed works just fine, and it doesn't heat the tool quite as quickly.

The biggest thing to watch out for are grinders with a wide base. An example is the Delta 6" variable "Shopmaster". The "wings" (i.e. shoulders) on the base prevent the Wolverine guides from lining up under the wheels.

I personally recommend the Woodcraft slow-speed because it's a good bang-for-the-buck. The wheels that come with it are pretty decent and would cost nearly as much as the grinder if purchased separately. It's a good value.

[Brodie Brickey]

WoodCraft's grinder is probably the best deal out there for the money. It comes with the white Aluminum Oxide wheels. You basically pull it out of the box, bolt to counter and turn it on. The Wolverine jig will slide right underneath without height adjustment. Screw down the Wolverine Jig and you're ready.

[Kim Ford]

Ditto Bernie and Brodie. I have the woodcraft grinder and it is that easy.

[Bonnie Campbell]

I just got the Wolverine and WC slow grinder. I guess I'm doing things wrong because my Wolverine doesn't fit under the grinder straight off. Neal was kind enough to give me plans (with pictures) to set mine up. Got the bolts.... now to find/cut the riser and platform lol

[jim price]

I tried a Wolverine just once. Being ignant and not reading directions, i just went ahead and did what i thought the other guys were doing and set it up for griding a simple roughing gouge. Well i didn't have the gouge far enough above center of the wheel. It grabbed and threw the gouge in a nanosecond, so hard it could have gone through anything in the way. Bad start eh? Needless to say a lesson was learned. But the angle of the original grind on the gouge and the length of the tool seemed to dictate that kind of set up. Wrong... way wrong and dangerous.
My lesson, hard learned is carefully read the instructions.

Since then i've been using my JoolTool sharpening system. No such danger, fast and accurate sharpening, and no concave bevel shape. I love that thing!

Also tried out the Tormek (and Jet equivalent). Its fantastic! But set up is slow and you still get that concave bevel from the round wheel.

[John Shuk]

The Woodcraft grinder is a great choice. I would buy that if I hadn't already had a Delta grinder.

[Jim Becker]

8" x 1" wheels are far more flexible relative to tool size/sharpening and have a longer useful life.

[Jeff Clow]

I got the Wolverine & Woodcraft slow speed 8" grinder yesterday. Wont have time till at least Sunday to set it up.
What Jim Price said was interesting, I was thinking along the same lines for setup (I havn't had time to go through the manual). If you don't set up to grind the original angles, then what angles should be used?

[Lee DeRaud]

I just got the Wolverine and WC slow grinder. I guess I'm doing things wrong because my Wolverine doesn't fit under the grinder straight off. Neal was kind enough to give me plans (with pictures) to set mine up. Got the bolts.... now to find/cut the riser and platform lolYup. The Wolverine has a recommended base-to-shaft distance (which I don't recall offhand) and my WC grinder needed a chunk of 3/4" ply underneath to get into that range.

But it's hard to beat at that price.

[jim price]

not sure but i tell you its a bad time for underwear when that wheel turning 1750 rpm grabs the tip of a 2 foot gouge and sproings it out of the Wolverine holder.
And the tool tip was above the grinder axis.... well above or so i thought.


scairy

[jim price]

and as to the angles, it beats me how you can avoid what happened to me when you're trying to grind a really steep angle. How can you avoid getting too close to the grinder axis (and inevitable grabbing and follow up underwear change) and keep the angle?
I'm sure one of the Wolverine guys here can tell.
I'm gonna be watching.

for me though i'm still sold on my little Jool Tool.

[Paul Engle]

I use mine on a 4.5" wheel on the Delta wet grinder and once I understood the technique it is not a problem, I also set up my stationary belt sander to use my wolverine w/220 grt belt and is great for touch up.would not use to set initial grinds tho. and get a gum rubber to clean up the belt when done or your next " wood" project you sand may rust :rolleyes: .. don't forget as the wheel gets smaller you have to move you pivot point in toward the wheel as the gouge will move down the face of the wheel, it is not critical where the bevel grinds at on the wheel as long as the distance stays the same or the bevel angle will also change, I grind mine towards the top and have a mark on the motor side next to the wheel of about where the top of the bevel was when I first set the angle and if it is not there , then I recheck my distance and also every time I true up the wheel.

[Lee DeRaud]

and as to the angles, it beats me how you can avoid what happened to me when you're trying to grind a really steep angle.Ok, I'll bite: if you have that steep a bevel angle on a gouge, how do you avoid having the exact same problem when you're turning with it?

[jim price]

welp for me it seems that the steeper the angle the less chance the tool catches. The tool becomes more of a scraper than a cutter.

But remember i'm new. All i can say is it works fine for me.