CBN wheel on Tormek or other grinder

[redknife]

I'm considering adding a CBN wheel setup to my sharpening options. I have a Tormek T-7 and diamond plates with honing guides. I want to do some carving gouge work. Also, I turn with easy wood tools and want to add traditional wood turning tools. Particularly a skew.
I like the Tormek, but -to me- it is so slowwww. Others have looked at me in disbelief when I say that but I've used it properly quite a bit and for my needs it is just too slow. It would be great if only for touch-ups (again, my opinion). The stone truing is just another step that while not long is just another barrier.
I understand that CBN wheels are faster and stay flat. I also understand that they are great with gouge and turning tool sharpening,
I have read a bunch of threads here and elsewhere about the use of CBN wheels but I still have questions:

• Option 1- replace Tormek wheel with 10" CBN. Would be nice in that the jigs would work. I don't have the Tormek turning jigs but I guess that would be the way to go if just changing wheel to CBN. What grit? Downside?
• Option 2- add grinder. Slow speed vs high speed? Two CBN wheels (probably 8") with different grits or one? Would ostensibly involve adding the Wolverine system. If slow speed grinder, would the Grizzly Tormek blond make sense for jig compatibility. Specific model rec, realizing I do 't want to blow the budget on a baldor. Seems like the cheap grinders run more true with the CBN wheels.
• Option 3-?

Budget- as cheap as possible to get to fast and sharp.
Any pertinent thoughts welcome -TIA

 

[gmakra]

Chris is that a Mastiff?
Here are my thoughts and those are keep what you got and have a little patience.
I worked around a tool room that made, repaired and sharpened HSS and Carbide cutters for Sloan Valve. That's the toilet valves people kick in the back of the stalls.
I became good friends with the senior grinder which I found out is a specialty in the tool and die world.
Here is what I learned from that gentleman they did not use CBN wheels they ground everything abrasive wheels so that they could profile the wheel the way they wanted.
He said he didnt like them and they were junk end of story.
And every thing is flooded with coolant and ground with light cuts and its a patience game.
I also found out that there are many different grades of Carbide from very cheap to very expensive which explained why I could destroy a saw blade in a day and others would last forever.

I have the Tormex and it is slow but it does a good job, once you profile the cutters its quick touch up.

 

[redknife]

Chris is that a Mastiff?

Yup, she is 2 and shares my birthday. Sweet dog.

Here are my thoughts and those are keep what you got and have a little patience.
I worked around a tool room that made, repaired and sharpened HSS and Carbide cutters for Sloan Valve. That's the toilet valves people kick in the back of the stalls.
I became good friends with the senior grinder which I found out is a specialty in the tool and die world.
Here is what I learned from that gentleman they did not use CBN wheels they ground everything abrasive wheels so that they could profile the wheel the way they wanted.
He said he didnt like them and they were junk end of story.

Interesting experience, thanks.

 

[Willemjm]

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/97/6810/Woodcut-8"-CBN-Sharpening-Wheel

For a CBN wheel, you need a higher speed normal bench grinder like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Delt..._clickID=fa23ebf4-18f4-437c-99ec-86a6183d03e2

Then you need all the OneWay jigs:

https://oneway.ca/products-category/sharpening-grinding-jigs

You will not need the wheels, the balancing system and the dressing system in the above link

I use the above exclusively.

Re-sharpening a lathe tool takes me about 15 seconds.

If I have to completely re-shape the lathe tool, say a friend brings a bowl gouge with the wrong shape, it will probably take me about 1 minute to grind and sharpen to a new profile.

For carving tools, major re-sharpening 15 seconds on the CBN wheel on the right hand side of my grinder and then about 5 seconds on a fiber wheel with a compound fitted on the left side of the grinder which ends in a hair shaving hone. For just touching up the carving chisel, 5 seconds to hone on the fiber wheel.

To do a major re-sharpening on a plane iron, you have to take the time to set up the grind and hone jig, about 2 minutes. 30 seconds to grind. After that I do a micro bevel with a Veritas jig on a water stone which takes only a few swipes, probably about 2 minutes and I am done.

I will never go back to the time it took me in the past, with limited jigs and using a wet grinder which is real slow, or a normal abrasive wheel on my bench grinder.

Just remember, a CBN wheel is not good for soft metals, which will ruin the wheel. Only hardened tool steels or high speed steel. The grinding is extremely fast, without much sparks and heat, you apply light pressure.

 

[JonB]

The earlier comment that CBN wheels are "junk" is simply not true, I don't believe there is a better solution for sharpening turning tools. I've used several methods from belt sander to regular grinder to Jet wet, slow speed grinder to slow speed grinder with CBN wheel. By far the best method is the slow speed grinder with CBN wheel and Wolverine jig. I have a CBN on one side and regular stone on the other for softer metals.

You can get a CBN for the Tormek but it's pricey and won't be any faster than the stone wheel.

The best deal on CBN wheels can be found at woodturnerswonders.com, Ken is very knowledgeable and he sells package deals with Rikon slow speed grinders and CBN wheels. I have no association with Ken other than a satisfied customer.