Shopsmith Forums

Hi folks. I'm new to turning on the Shopsmith and wondering about options for sharpening chisels. I have the sharpening guide, but am looking for an alternative to multiple $55 (!) sanding disks to hold different grits. Are plywood DIY disks feasible? How about using an old saw blade? If sanding disks are the best tool, are they reversible, so each side could have a different grit? Finally, Penn State has an inexpensive product called "Chisel Mate," an 8" aluminum disk that uses interchangeable Velcro disks. Does anyone have experience using this for chisel sharpening on the Shopsmith with a 1x8 tpi adapter?

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

-Ken

kenbu wrote:Hi folks. I'm new to turning on the Shopsmith and wondering about options for sharpening chisels. I have the sharpening guide, but am looking for an alternative to multiple $55 (!) sanding disks to hold different grits. Are plywood DIY disks feasible? How about using an old saw blade? If sanding disks are the best tool, are they reversible, so each side could have a different grit? Finally, Penn State has an inexpensive product called "Chisel Mate," an 8" aluminum disk that uses interchangeable Velcro disks. Does anyone have experience using this for chisel sharpening on the Shopsmith with a 1x8 tpi adapter?

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

-Ken

Ken
Let me address the velcro part. Velcro is plastic, and as you know heat will melt plastic. Sharpening steel generates heat. Now can that heat be controlled. I imagine it can but if not it will damage the velcro.
SS at one time and may still issue a warning not to use velcro disks when sharpening metal due to the possibility that the plastic velcro could be damaged.

I have found I can do most sharpening using one disk which is fairly coarse and then making the edge perfect with a few strokes on a fine wet stone.

However I believe for cutting instruments the best edge is obtained using a strip sander. The stripe sander SS sells allows the belts to interchanged at will. Rather than invest $55 plus sand paper to have interchangable disks for sharpening I would think it would be better to spend the money and get a strip sander. Personal opinion.

Here is an option from Woodcraft, but you'll need the proper arbor to mount on a Shopsmith -- http://www.woodcraft.com/product/200180 ... -grit.aspx

Here's a way to use the back of the sanding disk so you can sharpen without having to move the headstock to the left while turning pens.

Hope this helps.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2190&highlight=sharpening+jig

Sharpening and sharpening systems is a highly personal and at times intense subject.

My vote for the best value on Sharpening is to learn how to use stones.

Diamond, Oil, or water is a matter of personal preference.

I currently use oil stones (it's what I have on hand), diamond credit cards and a diamond file as a slip stone.

My next sharpening procurement will be this.
http://www.amazon.com/DMT-W6EFC-6-Inch-Diamond-Whetstone/dp/B003NCVFC4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=7DPMVE545BHU&coliid=IL7QD097KUY2L

DMT has a great reputation and while a bit spendy initially, compare to water stones or add up the initial cost of sanding discs and the recurring cost of consumable materials. It's also my understanding that Diamond is the way to go in terms of flatness (essential to forming keen edges), durability, and should also perform well with the new harder steels.

IMHO machine grinding is only required to get the initial geometry or remove serious nicks. I have a grinding wheel on a 1/2" arbor for those instances. I also have a stand alone strip sander that can serve that purpose.

The lowest initial entry cost into a decent sharpening system is a piece of flat glass or flat smooth marble/granite tile, some sand paper in varying grits from 120 up to as fine as you want to go (some people go as high as 2000) and some adhesive spray to adhere the sandpaper to the flat substrate. Voila flat sharpening stones in a variety of grits. Google scary sharp for details.

I have a lot of different kinds of sharpening equipment but one of these Belsaw 1" belt sander / grinders is really the flat-work workhorse of the shop for most stuff... Very very flexible.

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I was given one of these Delta sanders and for most people it would handle most such sharpening just fine very cheaply.

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As someone else was saying, I don't like to go overboard on power grinding... Use it for shaping and removing damaged material but keep stones handy for constant touch-ups. Personally I have become very fond of diamond hones.


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Thanks to all for the great info and advice.

Ken

fixit wrote:Here's a way to use the back of the sanding disk so you can sharpen without having to move the headstock to the left while turning pens.

Hope this helps.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2190&highlight=sharpening+jig

I have a Sharpening Table that is very much the same as that in the link above but mine does not rely on the extension table. It rests on the left side of the headstock.

I just realized that I do not currently possess this table. I loaned it to someone at a turner's club meeting I attended and I don't remember to whom.

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In reviewing the original post, I realized that Ken was planning on using multiple grits for lathe chisels.
When I was taught at a Traveling Academy about the Sharpening Guide, only one grit was used: Aluminum Oxide 150. Using finer grits may be overkill. A coarser grit may be used for initially shaping the chisel, but 150 is sharp enough.
If you want a keener edge on a skew, I would suggest a fine stone.
I used the sharpening guide for several years before switching to the strip sander. I could even put an arc on the skew.
I had one sanding disk set aside for sharpening. I put a PSA 150 grit on both sides. (Cut a hole for the arbor) I made a table that I clamped to the extension table on the left side of the headstock. It had a slot for the disk, mounted to the upper shaft on the left side. It also had dados for the sharpening guide on each side of the slot. It was long enough to rest on the headstock and extension table at any position on the way tubes.
With the sharpening guide, frequent sharpening seemed better than finer sharpening.
YMMV
OK, I hadn't followed the links above. My table was like fixits. Probably based on his. If I had it to do over again, I would copy Dusty as it would not have to be so long. But the grit advice still stands.
NYMRWV (Now Your Mileage Really Will Vary)

dusty wrote:I have a Sharpening Table that is very much the same as that in the link above but mine does not rely on the extension table. It rests on the left side of the headstock.
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I like your idea what keeps it from moving?