grinders?

I think you need to define "slow speed" and "fast speed". Many people consider a 1725 RPM grinder "slow speed" and a 3450 RPM grinder "fast speed".

When you say "slow speed" are you referring to the very slow speed grinders, like a Tormek, or are you referring to a 1725 RPM bench grinder?

Anyway, I use an 8" 1725 RPM grinder for my turning tools and for general grinding. It's a Delta and I've always been please with it - although it's time to get some new wheels.

Mike

Chuck Thoits said:

Now that's messed up Vaughn. Your link does not work for me but mine works

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I think the page from your link is cached on your computer. My link was working earlier, but right now it looks like the whole http://www.makitafactoryoutlet.com site is down.

Between the two links though, I think we got people pointed in the direction you intended.

Okay Larry, now a real reason to come up. Want me to bring my slow speed grinder up with two different grit wheels from Woodcraft and my Worksharp with the different grits and hones? We could play in your shop one day. Some day after Christmas before New Years??? Of course depending on weather!

couldnt afford your rates jon your a celberty now and so that means you got a minum listing fee just for thinkun about doing something but your welcome anytime!!! and i wil make sure you get more than just the smell of the pie

Tony Baideme said:

For flatening, plane irons and chisels, it would be best. For tool grinding it would be better for straight edges, but only a round surface grind wheel will give the concave bevel that a scary sharp edge can be honed on.

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Well, now, that's not really true. I've got the Makita and use it regularly. I think it's a great machine for my purposes. Even though it's a flat grind, you can still hone a micro bevel with the scary sharp method. I do it myself - easy - takes maybe a minute to do.

I'm sure the Tormek works well, or it wouldn't be selling (despite its price), but the Makita does a great job for a lot less money. For sharpening my planer knives, it's the ideal tool.

There's more than one way to skin the cat. Find something that fits your needs and budget, and spend a bit of time honing your technique.

paulh

for the moment, I've got a 6" high speed, with a course and 'fine' (100 grit?) wheel. No real experience with them, but I'm building a wolvie clone and will start out with it until the budget allows for a slow speed 8"... got a lot of things in front of that purchase though... such as wiring...

Paul,

I can agree with what you wrote. I would use a 6" (or 8" if I had one working) round grinder to initially cut the shape of the bevel on a gouge, and then use the Makita (if I had one) to do the "scary sharp hone" on it. I am sure it would take a little practice to get that correct though. Maybe I should have clarified my statement to say that "only a round surface grind wheel will give the concave bevel to begin with and then a scary sharp edge can be honed on a flat surface after". Would that be a better way to say that? My "flat surface" could include the Makita.

The only picture I have seen of the Makita shows a guide system that doesn't seem to lend itself to grinding/honing rounds all that easily. I may be all wrong on that though.

My experience has been grinding and honing with no guides at all, by hand, on my round wheel grinder and then on wet stones. The only guide I have now is for flat chisels and plane irons which I use on sandpaper with a glass platen.

I think I would forgo the Tormek or its clones in favor of the Makita, mostly on based cost. And I will keep using a round wheel grinder to start my grinds because that was the way I was taught. Having that hollow on the bevel works to give a fine narrow honed edge easier, or so the experts say. Works for me anyway. I would like to have the Makita though for its flat grinding capabilities.

But, I'm still a greenhorn in this stuff, so I will learn.

Ned, I'm hoping to do what you are doing too. Stu sent me some pix of what he built and I like them. I just have not started yet.

Aloha, Tony

Chuck Thoits said:

Ned for sharping 100 grit is coarse. The medium grit grinding wheel for the mikita is 1000. The honing wheel is 6000.
Larry give this a read http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1460

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sounds good chuck!

Chuck,

That link tells of the offered green wheel being of 120 grit and being the grinder's orientation (side of the wheel rather than the circumfrance) and speed being lower, plus having the 1000 grit wheel for honing, would make that machine one heck of a good sharpening tool. The standard wheel on that Makita is 1000 grit and the optional fine wheel is 6000. Can we say "Scary sharp"?

Too bad they don't list the price. I wouldn't mind having it myself. Shipping it out to HAwaii would be a deal breaker though.

Larry, you should look into that deal.

Aloha, Tony