sharpening a monster (and extensions)?

Bill Lantry

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Hey, folks,

Just recieved my MONSTER +4 lathe tool (as seen on this page) http://www.monster-wood-tool.com/wst_page4.php

Even though I've only had a few minutes to play with it, it really does seem quite nice. But I'm not really sure how to sharpen it. My best guess is that it's the burr that cuts, right? So really, it needs to be treated more like a card scraper than a gouge, right? And that means burnishing instead of grinding?

Any tips or hints, at all, would be helpful...

Thanks,

Bill
 
The way that I sharpen mine is I use the grinder on the front cutting edge then I turn it over and use a oil stone on the top. I am not sure if it is right or not but it works. It takes about 20 sec. from start to finish and it keeps its edge for a while. If anyone has any other suggestions I for one would be glad to hear them.
 
Congrats on the new tools, Bill. Dunno if this is the right way, but I just sharpen mine on the grinder (on the front cutting edge) and I leave the burr edge on it. It develops a coarser burr than a card scraper, but it seems to do nicely on spinning wood.

I find that I use the same grinding angle on all the Monster cutting bits as well as my straight and round scrapers. Dunno what that angle is, but I set the tool rest on my grinder to match one of the Monster HSS cutting bits, and have just left it there ever since. It makes for very fast touch-ups.
 
Bill,

Glad you got the tool, the way I sharpen them is to leave the burr on the cutter. A lot of people want them that way. That being said, you can use a card on the top. You can sharpen the cutters in either way that you might be happy with. You can ask 10 people how they do something and no 2 people will have the same answer. Just try both and see which one you like for what your doing.

Randy
 
Dear Randy,

Yes, all arrived safe and sound... thanks for the quick service.

Let me tell you my situation. First, I'm a complete doofus when it comes to this stuff. I've only been turning a couple months, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Bowls regularly fly off my lathe or blow up in a spectacular way. It's so bad Vaughn suggested a nickname involving shop catastrophes... ;)

Not only that, but I couldn't afford a wolverine, or any other sharpening jig. What I *do* have is a ridgid belt sander, like this one:

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/rgideb4424rvu.html

I've got a belt on it that's about 150 grit, and I've been freehanding the gouges on it. Gouges, well, cheap harbor frieght scrapers and skews, really. I have a feeling that approach is not going to work for your tools. I guess I'll try to set up my grinder and do Vaughn's trick, and see how it goes. I *was* thinking of putting a tip in my vise, and making a burr using a screwdriver shaft. Is that a really dumb idea? Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot for even thinking about it... trust me, my wife does all the time... ;)

Now for another dumb idea. One of the reasons I got that tool was because the "bits" are interchangeable. In other words, you sharpen a regular gouge over and over, and eventually there's nothing left. I know you have square replacement tips on your site. But what I don't find is a tip that's square to fit into the tool handle, but with a business end that looks like a bowl gouge. Have you thought about making something like that? It would be great! Or does what I have already do essentially the same task?

Please let me know,

Thanks,

Bill
 
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I'm not really sure what your saying about putting a tool in the handle. I don't think of a way that your sander will work properly. I think you should try to use your grinder to sharpen the bits. They should have been sharp enough to last a while when you got them. I only sharpened one end on each one, but here I sharpen both ends, then when I need to sharpen, I just switch ends. Set your grinder up with the same angle that is on the tool bit and just take a little bit off, just enough to create a burr. Try that.
 
Well I tried using you technique on sharpening the Monster tool and it did cut faster.The only problem that I ran into was an operator error. I made the bowl a little thin. It is now scattered from one side of the garage to the other. I will never get used to them exploding like that.
 
Well I tried using you technique on sharpening the Monster tool and it did cut faster.The only problem that I ran into was an operator error. I made the bowl a little thin. It is now scattered from one side of the garage to the other. I will never get used to them exploding like that.
Yeah, it's never pretty when the inside becomes the outside. :)
 
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