Sharpening Stations?

Randy Privett

In Memorium
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171
Location
Mooreland, Indiana
I know that there are a lot of you that use the slow or veritable speed grinders for sharpening your different tools. My question is, who uses a belt sander or disc sander? I have 11 different grinders here and have tried most all of them in sharpening the different tools that I use and make and I still go back to the belt and disc sanders to sharpen the tools. The pictures are of a Doug Thompson gouge.
 

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Looks Great Randy, I saw on a AAW sharpening video where Bonnie Klein uses a disc sander to sharpen, she says it is the way to go, just get the right pads for metal, as they are different than the ones for wood :dunno:

I have the standard slow speed grinder, but I can certainly see the advantages of a belt or disc sander, one is never needing to sharpen it (well, I guess you would have to change belts/discs) and the steel will not heat up much at all.

If I had it to do over, I'd look hard at a belt sander like you have.

Cheers!
 
Stu,

The belt that you see, is probably 2 years old; feels like 800 grit. You don't need a bunch of grit to sharpen your tools. I have other belts I use when I have to put a new profile on a tool, but for the most part I keep using them until they unravel.
 
Randy, we have a combo belt/disc sander to grind our tools, which we rarely use. To get them polished and ready to use, we use a couple of cotton buffing wheels with red and green rouge. It's surprising how great the tools touch up, rather than having to go through the whole sharpening routine several times during a turning session. I don't think that my skew has seen a grinder yet--just the red and green.

Nancy (64 days)
 
Randy,

I have been thinking of a one inch belt sander for various uses for several months now.

What brand/model do you have and how do you like it? I have been considering the Viel.
 
My question is, who uses a belt sander or disc sander?

As it turns out, Robert Sorby (the company) does!

Our local woodturning club met for our monthly "training" meeting (as opposed to our monthly "demo" meeting) last night, at the Woodcraft store in greater Salt Lake City. Our special guest was Clive Brooks, the product manager for the Robert Sorby company. He went through a quick demo of their "specialty" turning tool lineup.

One of the products he mentioned (but wasn't able to pack in his luggage, I guess :eek:) was the ProEdge Sharpening System.

He didn't talk much about the system, except to say that it was a "junior" version of the one(s) they use in the factory. Apparently all of their tools are hand-sharpened using a belt system ... the only grinding wheels they have in the factory are used on the flutes of gouges in some manner.

So, you're in good company!
 
I noticed another reason that Clive probably didn't demo the system ... at the bottom of that page I linked to:

"Available only in Europe at the moment."

But it doesn't look like they're the only game in town, anyway. If nothing else, they've got Randy to compete against! :thumb:
 
Yes, I cheat with a belt sander as well. I know I should say how I wet grind or have the latest in jigs and fixtures but a simple turn around and touch up with the sander is so easy and quick and simple . I know my mentors would roll over in their handcarved wood coffins but geeze guys.... it is so easy..... :thumb:
 
Bob,

The sander is a Delta, the one that has the 8" disc sander on the side. I bought it at Lowe's on sale few years ago for $70.00. I think their about $100.00 now. I had to replace the bearings once, but they were cheap enough. I keep the disc sander set so I can touch up the hollowing tool bits and scrapers; I keep a 120 grit on it and the belt, although I haven't changed them in 2 years, they keep right on going.

Kerry,

I don't think Sorby has to worry about me, they don't even know I exist. :D Although the jig that I use for sharpening the gouges, is based very loosely on theirs, I have adapted it to use on the belt sander instead of a grinder. I think it's similar to the Tormek.

The thing that I like about using the belt sander and disc combination is you don't have to dress the wheel, and I dress enough grinding wheels during the day and when it comes time to replace the disc or belt, the price is really reasonable. Cause I'm THRIFTY, LOML calls it CHEAP. :rofl:
 
Thanks for the comments on the belt sander Randy. I looked at the Delta along with many others and am glad to hear the positive comments on yours. I will give it a further look in making my decision.
 
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