Shopsmith Forums

Thanks, I have in my plans an evening at one of the Woodcraft classes in Ventura next month.

I have found sharpening lathe chisels a challenge. The shopsmith sharpening guide system didn't work for me which likely is an indication I am not bright or talented enough to properly understand it. I purchased the wolverine system and have had really good luck with it. Especially after watching their web video. I recently purchased the work sharp 3000. Now there is a sharpending tool. When Dusty describes sharpening "Scary Sharp" he isn't kidding. I am just today beginning to teach myself to sharpen lathe chisels with it. Not quite there yet.

How sharp should they be? I find if they are not sharp my results suffer. I plan to be able to make them "Scary Sharp."

Incidentally both the Wolverine and Work Sharp videos suggest using a black felt tip marker to highlight the surface you wish to sharpen.
Then use that as a guide to insure the angle is correct and the surface flat. Great advise. Good luck and enjoy turning I find its a blast.:D
fjimp

For the life of me I can't locate the magazine article I saw within the last 4-6 weeks. It could have been in one of the British turning magazines. Anyway, that article had direct Photos of wood-turning with chisels just-sharpened to differing grit levels. There is a performance benefit to finer grit sharpening, but I can't remember where in the grit scale the big difference was shown....

[quote="fjimp"]I have found sharpening lathe chisels a challenge. The shopsmith sharpening guide system didn't work for me which likely is an indication I am not bright or talented enough to properly understand it.


I have not got the shopsmith sharpening guide system to work for me either. I have tried 3 or 4 times with not results. I am sure I will keep trying.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. It appears that there are many variables but I may go ahead with the purchase of the strip sander attachment to provide versatility (and while they are still available). I see also the need to expand the number and variety of grits along with a strop and a wetstone at some point

Thanks so much for the feedback

Alan

kalynzoo wrote:But how sharp must the tool be to get good results? I am about to start turning for the first time. Really, always wanted to but kept putting it off. When I went to the Traveling Academy after purchasing my SS, the class showed how to sharpen the turning chisel on the sanding disc, using 150 grit and the sharpening guide. We were told that was all that was needed for turning.
Granted, when I sharpen a hand tool or knife I look for a razor edge, finishing with a 6000 stone and a leather strop. But what about a turning chisel?
Watching for your answers. Gary

There are a lot of different options and opinions. Here's a good link that will help get anyone started off on the right foot::D

http://www.cornerhardware.com/how_to_ar ... d_plane/05

gryllsbear wrote:There are a lot of different options and opinions. Here's a good link that will help get anyone started off on the right foot::D

http://www.cornerhardware.com/how_to_ar ... d_plane/05

Good primer thanks for sharing it. Jim

Reading through the archives I came across the TOPIC: Sharpening 555812 vs 555193. This did not come up when I originally searched the archives but has a lot of great information and discussion. Sorry I missed it earlier; there would not have been a need to post this question

Alan

Along with this sharpening thread I have to mention Norm's gouge on the New Yankee Workshop. I have never seen a gouge ground like his any where else... It looks like someone chopped a piece of celery with a cleaver. Very square across the end and a pretty blunt bevel. I must have 5 or 6 sets of lathe chisels (came with used Shopsmiths) of several brands and none of them are shaped like that. Is anybody here using that shape?