Opinions on sharpening systems, please

[Gene Michael]

In the past, I've seen positive comments in the turner's forum about the Wolverine jigs combined with the Woodcraft 8" slow rpm grinder. Tonight, saw some heavy compliments on the Worksharp 3000 in the general woodworking tools forum. Went to a sight that showed an excellent demo for flat chisels, but there was nothing for curves. Has anyone sharpened a gouge on a Worksharp, and if so, how difficult was it? I hope to add a sharpening system to the shop this summer and will greatly appreciate any comments and advice.

[Les Kuesel]

I bought the woodcraft slow grinder and made my own wolverine jig system. Its simple to use and works great. The plus it has 2 wheels with 2 grits one for shaping and sharpening the other for fine sharpening. I got the woodcraft on sale and the jig materials only cost me $20. (really easy to make if you have access to a welder). I did buy the fingernail sharpening jig for my bowl gouges.

[Ron McKinley]

The Wolverine System works very well and is the one I use.

As far as the Worksharp I have never used it but keep in mind that you're sharpening freehand when you sharpen turning tools on it.......Ron

[Bruce Pennell]

Gene the wolverine system is simple easy to use. Get a black marker like they show you in the video and you can really see your edge. Love mine, I thought I knew how to sharpen a tool after a life time in the restaurant business sharpening my own knives. The wolverine system really surprised me how bad a job I had been doing free hand.....just my 2 cents...Bruce

[Ken Glass]

Gene,
I have both the wolverine System, with the Woodcraft slow speed grinder, and the WorkSharp WS3000. I use the WorkSharp for flat irons only, and the Wolverine System with the Vari-grind jig for all my gouges. I have tried to sharpen gouges with the WorkSharp, but found it harder to hold a consistant angle like the Vari-Grind jig does, to get the best edge on my gouges. I use the fingernail grind on both my Spindle gouges and my Bowl gouges. The left side of the wolverine system works great for other Lathe tools such as skews, etc. If I had to choose between the two, I wouldn't. LOL

[Cary Swoveland]

Gene,

There are a number of past threads on this topic at SMC. You'll want to have a look at them. In one of those threads, someone made an interesting observation about the Worksharp, Veritas and other power systems that use a spinning, sandpaper-covered platter: the outside edge of the tool is ground faster than its inside edge. (Each revolution of the platter exposes the tool to 2*pi*ri [inches] of paper at the inside edge and to 2*pi*ro at the outside edge, the ratio being ro/ri, where ri and ro are the radii at the inside and outside edges.) A few posters found this to be a problem when sharpening tools with relatively wide edges. In any event, it provides an argument for using a larger platter, and for keeping wider tools near the outer edge of the platter.

Cary

[Gene Michael]

Thanks to all for your replies and advice. I'm now convinced that the slow speed grinder and Wolverine jigs will best do what I need.

[Steven Wilson]

I have the Tormek, Shapton stones, and the Woodcraft slowspeed grinder with wolverine jigs. I prefer the Tormek for sharpening turning tools, I prefer the grinder/wolverine jigs for reshaping turning tools, and I prefer to use the Shapton stones for sharpening plane irons, chisels, and such.

[Gordon Seto]

There is going to be an alternative to the Wolverine and Varigrind introduced at the AAW Symposium.
Dave Hout showed the prototype at our Club demo couple weeks ago.
He has developed a new sharpening system and they are going to be introduced at the AAW Symposium. He has been field testing it at John C Campbell Folk School. He said he and his class assistant has to watch the grinding station on the first two day in the week long class. In each class there would be at least one student has the tool dropped off the side of the wheel and took off ¼" of the wheel. Since he put his new jig in, he could concentrate on teaching.
His new jig would fit ¼" to 1" tools and solved the Varigrind jig spring steel problem.
They would be sold by CSUSA and Packard. They would be around $110 complete with side grind jig.
He also commented on the flat grind with belt sander. He said he likes his tools with hollow grind so he can hone them easier.
This is the prototype that he has spent 1½ years to work the bugs out. The production jig would look different cosmetically.
His jig also comes with attached built-in gauge for setting the stick out. He would have a retrofit kit for Varigrind. He also said he won't recommend us who already own the Oneway system to go out and buy his. It would be an alternative for those who start out. Dave is a straight shooter and a member of our Club.

It was also reported from other forum that CSUSA has started selling the Varigrind upgrade kit. It is not in the web site or catalog, you have to call in.

[keith zimmerman]

I own the Wolverine system and like it, but it takes up a lot of room in my very small space. I have recently purchased the new Sorby ProEdge system and really like it. The only drawback I have found is that this machine can't do an irish grind "out of the box". It is designed to do the Sorby fingernail grind as it comes from the factory. I am working on an adapter that will allow me to do the irish grind, which I like.

keithz

[Dean Matthews]

I have the wolverine paired with a variable speed 8" delta bench grinder. Works pretty well as far as I can tell. I still have issues with the skew (yes, I have the jig for that) but I am apparently deficient when it comes to sharpening anything... Knives... tools.... etc....

But the spinny things still get whittled down. =)

[Jack Mincey]

I have both the Wolverine system and the Tormek in the school shop, I teach at. I prefer the grinder for scrapers, but use the Tormek for all other turning tools. I write the setting for each tool on the back of the handle. It only takes 10 seconds to set each tool up using the turning tool setter and about 20 seconds to sharpen. This is after you sharpen the tools on the Tormek the first time. It takes a minute or two to get the tool sharp the first time on the Tormek. I could use my skews to shave with if needed.
Jack