i am still old school in some respects. i sharpen my carbon steel tools with a Ouachita stone. some hss I sharpen with an old grinder with a jack shaft pully reduction that goes about 400 rpms.. I was given a new Rikon slow speed as a gift, but I really dont see much advantage to it. maybe with a cbn i dont burn edges with my current stuff.
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sharpening speeds and wheels.
- Thread starter Perry Hilbert
- Start date
Most folks will tell you slow is the way to go so you're all set there. I have an 80 grit CBN and a 320 CBN. I use the 80 for shaping new grinds, etc. and the 320 for sharpening. Lots of folks use a 180 for their finer wheel. The CBNs never grind away so the size is always consistent.
Finally, consider a jig system like the One-Way Wolverine. It takes a little bit to get set up (watch a lot of videos) but once you have it down you can sharpen a bowl gouge in about 30 seconds.
Finally, consider a jig system like the One-Way Wolverine. It takes a little bit to get set up (watch a lot of videos) but once you have it down you can sharpen a bowl gouge in about 30 seconds.
CBN is intended for 'hardened' metal, which is kind of ambiguous. It is fine for A2, which is what most modern bench chisels and plane irons are made from. Softer carbon steel, like lawn mower blades will clog them up. I think the main advantage to the slow speed grinders is that, especially if you are learning to sharpen, you will lose less metal each time you sharpen. When you are experienced, you learn and know the difference between sharpening and grinding. If your CBN wheel is loading up, some places have very hard aluminum oxide sticks for cleaning the wheels. It does work, but puts a LOT of dust in the air. For a turner, just sharpen your scrapers several times and that will peel the loading particles off of the wheel. More so if the tools are V10 or M42HSS.
robo hippy
robo hippy
You absolutely don't need a CBN wheel to properly grind a profile on any alloy of steel. What you do need to learn is how to dress an aluminum oxide wheel to remove bits of steel left in the abrasive matrix, and most importantly, learn that you need to put zero pressure on the tool as you grind. Let the weight of the tool and sharpness of the abrasive to do all the work. I sharpened with aluminum oxide wheels for the first 30 years of my turning. You don't need every new invention to get the job done.
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If you are happy with your methods why change change?
I switched to CBNs mostly because of the feel. I used CBNs for a couple of days when I demoed. I was taken by the smoothness.
And no dressing. Then our club got a great deal on CBN wheels.
CBNs supposedly work a little better on the powdered metal tools.
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I have that jig with my old 400 rpm grinder, it works. Maybe a bit slow for some speed demons, but only takes a couple seconds tops for a touch up.
On the bright side, if the Rikon came with the original white al-ox wheels, it'll be great for sharpening lawnmower blades and general shop stuff.
I'd offer that if the grinder came with white aluminum oxide wheels, use them for shaping and sharpening turning tools and all other edge tools. Some research at wheel makers' websites (Norton CGW, etc.) will explain that white AO are designed for, and work very well to grind and sharpen tool steels of most types, including just about any steels woodturners are using. I would agree.
I've used them for powder metal and other HSS turning tools for over 20 years before buying a CBN wheel (finer grit to sharpen). CBN is a great grinding medium (it rings like a bell), but I can achive the same results with white aluminum oxide wheels.
An 8" white AO wheel will last a hobby turner many, many years of service. Maybe not the life of a CBN, but a good white wheel should not be readily dismissed by woodturners.
I've used them for powder metal and other HSS turning tools for over 20 years before buying a CBN wheel (finer grit to sharpen). CBN is a great grinding medium (it rings like a bell), but I can achive the same results with white aluminum oxide wheels.
An 8" white AO wheel will last a hobby turner many, many years of service. Maybe not the life of a CBN, but a good white wheel should not be readily dismissed by woodturners.