Recently I moved my Lathe from the main workshop to another building, creating more space in the main workshop as a part of plan to build a small extension to create even more space for a second workbench and worker.

When sharpening my turning tools, I always used to use my "green" slow water grinder, which produced really good results, but when trying to grind a new profile onto a tool, the grinding wheel tends tends to disappear quite quickly, and I had to replace the wheel about every 6 months and at $140 a time that is quite expensive.

In addition my sharpening system is in the main workshop, although on wheels, taking it into the Lathe area was not a solution, which meant I had to walk 10m (30') from one building to another every time I had to resharpen a tool (not nice in rain or -20°C), which really slowed things down.

I looked at alternative methods of sharpening my lathe tools, but found that dedicated sharpening systems really expensive here (Finland) and to import them, whilst the items were cheaper, the shipping costs and taxes were becoming higher and higher, plus I already had the jigs for my "Green" grinder.

I just upgraded my "Green" Grinder (cross bar) and I was not sure to do with the old parts, when I came up with this idea.

The belt sander/grinder is new and cost me $50, but the rest of the parts I already had (from the upgrade {$45}], so even if I were to buy every thing it still comes out at less than $100.

There is nothing too tricky about this jig, the belt is 41° to the horizontal, so the plywood block is tapered at the top at 45°, close enough to 90° for the movement and adjustment of the support bar.

The riser block for the bar, is just simply made up from a stack of 3/4" ply wood glued together and screwed to the base.

The mounting bracket is not square to the plywood block, but is adjusted (skewed), so that the support bar is co-planer with belt.

This shows the jig in operation, the sanding belt fitted at the moment is 150g, but I may reduce this to 80g for a heavy profile change on a tool.  The result with 150g is extremely good and only takes a few seconds on the jig to get a perfect, repeatable profile, which is ultra sharp.

The advantage of using a jig for sharpening, vs freehand sharpening, is you have exactly the same profile every time and you do not remove as much material from the tool being sharpened, therfore your turning tools last longer.

I have not decided how or where to mount the sharpening sytem in the Lathe room yet, so for now it is just being held to to a table, with some clamps.  I hope you find the idea useful

Tags: sharpening, lathe, grinder

Categories: Jigs & Tools