SHarpening turning tools and alan lacer

SHarpening turning tools and alan lacer · 10-24-2009, 12:19 PM

Just watched a show about sharpening turning tools by Alan Lacer... Good stuff for a novice like me.
Think I need to buy a dry grinder. Right now just using a hand turned grinding wheel and some japanese water stones...ug.

froglips · 10-24-2009, 12:29 PM

While I hate the act of turning, I also enjoyed Alan Lacers DVD "The Taming of the Skew". He's quite thorough.

Don't be hasty on a powered grinder though

Looked at any of the pedal powered grinders? Some folks jury rigged such a thing to their hand cranked wheel grinders.....

Of course, if you are using HSS or any more modern steels, then I retract my statement. Those steels are just too hard to bother with the good old ways.....

Jim

CarvedTones · 10-24-2009, 01:15 PM

I am guessing you just watched him as the guest with Tim Yoder. He made free handing the fingernail grind look awfully easy, didn't he? I am still going with flat grinding on my WorkSharp. I don't think it is better, but I can do better with it than I can my cheap 6" dry grinder.

MrAudio815 · 10-24-2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by CarvedTones

I am guessing you just watched him as the guest with Tim Yoder. He made free handing the fingernail grind look awfully easy, didn't he? I am still going with flat grinding on my WorkSharp. I don't think it is better, but I can do better with it than I can my cheap 6" dry grinder.

Not to take away from the post...

But Andy the Fingernail grind freehanded is easy, at least after you make some of your own oland tools. Go to Habor Freight and get a little pack of HSS steel pieces for $3.95, comes with 6 differet pieces, then tractor supply for a 4 foot piece of cold rolled steel 5/8 to 3/4 round, and some set screws. cut a 12" piece off or shorter for you liking(12" means you can make 4 oland tools for around $20). Then drill, tap, and put the HF HSS bit in with a set screw. Then have at it on the grinder till you get that Finger Nail Grind down.

It took me a while to get it down, but I am still on my first bit (the large one of the 6) and it's the tool I used most out of all my oland tools.

Welp enough of me gabbing on.

Don't be Afraid, Try Something New~!

Mike Davis · 10-24-2009, 01:59 PM

A bench grinder maybe, die grinder- no way. The wheels made for those are not friable enough to keep your tools cool, to harsh and too small.

Get an 8 inch bench grinder or a mandrel set up for two stones and a pulley. The pulley can be driven by a belt attached to a peddle or a flywheel powered by a treadle.

Even a bench grinder can have one wheel replaced by a pulley and driven by any foot power in an emergency.

Now if you want to go high tech/space age get a set of diamond bench stones in all available grits.

CarvedTones · 10-24-2009, 04:07 PM

Mike,

Yes - bench grinder. We were discussing dry (versus wet) not die grinders. That's what Alan Lacer kept referring to it as, so by the end of the show he had me saying dry instead of bench.

Mike Davis · 10-24-2009, 06:23 PM

Well, that makes sense now and looking back at the OP I see Dry - not Die.

I never heard of that distinction since any bench grinder can be rigged to run wet.

Anyway my ideas about using treadles and peddles to run a bench grinder still apply.

02blues · 10-25-2009, 12:22 AM

Well.... its a deep subject as they say....

A few thoughts...obviously this is new to me so I don't know the details. I would like to stick with my Neanderthal ways of remaining powerless (in more ways than one). Here is a photo of my "Black Knight Carborundum B70" bench top hand cranked grinder. It needs to be dressed badly. Does take off the material nicely despite its age and condition. Since I know so little about HSS and tempering I always keep the tool and wheel wet.

Froglips: interesting thought to make into a pedal powered devise. It is difficult (impossible?) to get a clean grind with one (left) hand... maybe with a dressed wheel but thats another topic.

I then go to the water stones. All seems to clean up nicely and gives me a sharp tool...I think.
Not necessarily a perfect tool though. Any input appreciated
cheers.

02blues/ John

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another..."
Proverbs 27:17
Seems appropriate. No?

View image in gallery

Mike Davis · 10-25-2009, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by 02blues

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another..."
Proverbs 27:17
Seems appropriate. No?

One of my favorite verses.

CarvedTones · 10-25-2009, 06:37 AM

John,

As far as "handed-ness", can you put another rest on the other side and then use your left hand on the crank? Turning and carving have made my left hand more useful than it used to be. Especially hiking stick carving - working on the "off" (left for us righties) side at the top is very difficult unless you swap hands. Turning, I swap hands on the skew a lot.

froglips · 10-25-2009, 10:09 AM

I'm not having luck finding a good pic of the pedal hand crank thing.

You can try tying a rope around the knob/handle, then put a board for the pedal on the floor with a hole in one edge, drop the rope through and tie a knot to secure it.

With the gearing inside a hand crank grinder, you will find its a bit of an art to get the rhythm down, but of all the folks I know, I have no doubt you will master it

There is lots of great stuff written on steels, so I'd not embarrass myself by misrepresenting it. Older (and new cheap) turning tools were most often high carbon steel, which is softer, but easier to sharpen. Newer HSS and other "blends" are much harder, hold an edge longer and resist burning.

As I understand it, in turning, its easier to burn your tools, so while the old ways are good, in this case, it might not be the best way. Then again, with your lathes, you might not run them nearly as fast, so burning the tool may not be the same issue.

At least this is what I think, at this time on this day. Subject to change at any time for any reason including new learn'n or better luck on Google

Jim

CarvedTones · 10-25-2009, 11:28 AM

My understanding is that durability while working hot is the only significant advantage of HSS. Most high end carving tools are still carbon steel.

02blues · 10-25-2009, 11:31 AM

Ok Guys good advice as usual. I am inspired to strive for a sharp tool and will try to create some pedal device. I really want that large grinding wheel that Roy has....grinding wheel envy.

nuf said.

When making my lathes I thought I should incorporate a section that had a wheel in line with the work piece. It could act as a fly wheel and would also be available for a quick sharpening ....

maybe my 3rd lathe...

Gunslinger · 10-26-2009, 06:05 PM

How about this? $25 on Craigs List in Cary.
Remove the machine and hook up the foot petal to the crank?
Mike

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02blues · 10-27-2009, 09:06 PM

Eureka!!

In 30 minutes I had the old boy apart and covered the gears in fresh grease.

Can't change the support to the other side BUT I did make a very effective foot pedal.

A rope tied around the handle of the crank which then connects to a board / pedal on the floor with a hole in it. Amazing how nicely it works. I put my left toes on the rear of the board to hold it in place and pump with the right foot. I'll post a picture soon.

thanks for the ideas guys.

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