I just recently purchased a CBN wheel and wolverine sharpening jig for my tools. I was getting a lot of snags after sharpening my gouges. I consulted with a season turning veteran and my wings were not straight but rounded. What am I doing wrong and is there a way to set up the wolverine properly?
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Sharpening with Wolverine jig
- Thread starter Richard Sondelski
- Start date
Yes, there’s a specific setup. Why not have the veteran or another club member help you?
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBR0yTl8A1k&t=338
Thank you!
Odie
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
Sharpening on the Wolverine jig takes a little time to manage your gouge wings properly.
I suspect you are using a little too much pressure, but with a little practice, you can solve this issue very easily.
In my opinion, it's not about getting instruction from others, but to just get more time doing it!
=o=
The jig sets your angles but you govern the shape of the tip and wings by the amount of time and pressure you use on the various parts of the profile. The flute shape has an influence as well. It's easy to get a "birdsmouth" with a little hook between nose and wings when grinding a v-shaped gouge with a quick transition from the bottom radius to the straight sides of the flute.
Get with your seasoned veteran and look carefully from the side at his gouge's profile. Then turn over your gouge, resting the top of the flutes against the grinder platform and shape it symmetrically to the same profile. Put it in the Wolverine jig at the recommended settings and grind back to the new profile until you have a sharp edge. Try it out and see if it works for you. Remember, "Practice makes permanent" so develop a method that works for you and be consistent.
I usually use an "Ellsworth" grind with swept back, slightly convex wings because it is a versatile shape, but many shapes will work as long as there is a smooth curve with no concave sections. If you are in a club ask other members if you can try out their gouges to see what you prefer.
Here's Doug Thompson shaping a gouge, although he does it freehand, at about 14:00. Thompson
Get with your seasoned veteran and look carefully from the side at his gouge's profile. Then turn over your gouge, resting the top of the flutes against the grinder platform and shape it symmetrically to the same profile. Put it in the Wolverine jig at the recommended settings and grind back to the new profile until you have a sharp edge. Try it out and see if it works for you. Remember, "Practice makes permanent" so develop a method that works for you and be consistent.
I usually use an "Ellsworth" grind with swept back, slightly convex wings because it is a versatile shape, but many shapes will work as long as there is a smooth curve with no concave sections. If you are in a club ask other members if you can try out their gouges to see what you prefer.
Here's Doug Thompson shaping a gouge, although he does it freehand, at about 14:00. Thompson
The jig setup is just part of the equation. Even with everything set up just right, over time you can change the profile by grinding too much (or not enough) in places, and end up with a sharp gouge that's catchy. I think a slight convex "hump" is OK, but if you have tall rounded wings, you need to grind more on the sides. If you have a concave dip in the wings that creates a pointy beak of a point, you need to lighten up on the sides and grind more off the point.
Thank you for the advice. I got several old gouges that I've been practicing on so I don't grind away my new, good ones. I go to my friend to get the good ones sharpened until I learn how to do it.Sharpening on the Wolverine jig takes a little time to manage your gouge wings properly.
I suspect you are using a little too much pressure, but with a little practice, you can solve this issue very easily.
In my opinion, it's not about getting instruction from others, but to just get more time doing it!
=o=
Central Wisconsin Woodturners are not to far away in Wisconsin Rapids. I'm sure someone there would be willing to help if you asked. Sometimes another set of eyes sees things we miss.
It's very difficult to know what you are doing "wrong" without seeing what you are doing. The wolverine is versatile but there are some things I think are better done in ways they don't describe.
When I first started turning I paid a guy at Woodcraft to sharpen my gouges at $6 each (not $60 - typo!) After a short time I realized I could do a better job.
I agree strongly - get someone with experience to give some help - all respectable woodturners are willing to spend time teaching sharpening. I've had many people come to my shop just for sharpening instruction. I have them bring all their tools so I can judge there level of sharpening experience and decide what to do differently. I should have taken before and after pictures of some. It was amazing that some were able to turn anything.
I first show them how I would sharpen that tool then let them sharpen, with me watching and gently advising. "NO, don't ever do THAT!"
With the Wolverine, I sharpen almost all tools free-hand with the platform: skews, NRS, spindle roughing gouges, parting tools, my special wiicked point tool, more. I use only CBN wheels on that grinder - an 80 grit for shaping tools and a 600 grit for sharpening.
I far prefer the "mini" platform over the big one that comes with the wolverine, especially with older tools that have been shortened by sharpening for years.
I use their gouge jig only for bowl gouges.
I NEVER use the long arm attachment. With improper use it's just begging trouble. I also never use the skew attachment for the long arm. There is no need.
I make plastic angle templates for my favorite tools. I made this one to set the platform specifically to sharpen hand scrapers.
I make others as needed for skews, NRS, etc. (In this photo I've not yet painted the backs white for visibility.)
JKJ
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I like the wings rounded a little. Everybody I know sharpens like that.