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Sanding disks on the lathe

Gizmo3k

Graduate Member
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Sep 8, 2014
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Location
Armadale, West Lothian
First Name
Alan
Hi,

I have been reading some of the older Tips and Jigs posts, and have a few questions about using the lathe as a disk sander, specifically for sharpening chisels.

I fancy setting something up like these ones:

http://www.penturners.co.uk/your-tips-jigs/1379-sharpening-chisels-sinch.html
http://www.penturners.co.uk/your-tips-jigs/1386-grumps-patent-sharpning-jig-reproduction.html (excuse the patent stealing Grump :thumbs:)

I do have a couple of queries though. What sort of grit sandpaper would you use for sharpening chisels on one of these? Also, if I am looking at it correctly, the chisel will be pointing upwards on the jig, with the sandpaper traveling downwards. Are there risks of tearing the sandpaper off if you are slightly heavy-handed? Would sharpening work if the paper was travelling away from the chisel (ie sharpening on the 'wrong' side of centre)?

Thanks

Alan
 

Grump

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Brian
You caught me at the right time, I was using this when I stopped for a break.
The disk has 400grit alluminium oxide on it, yes the way it's shown is the way it is used with the disc spinning toward the tip.
This is the same scratch that was on in the other thread so it lasts forever, you would have to be very heavy handed to rip it or snag it.

P1090188.jpg

If I want to scary sharp I then use 1000 to 1200 grit depending on what I am honing, I have grindstones belt sander pro edge and diamond flats but still use this jig as preference.
Its not in the way like some of the others and so easily fitted and removed instead of getting the grinder from under the bench and looking for a vacant plug socket.
I tend to hone by hand mostly then have a sharpening session periodically to get them all in shape.

P1090189.jpg

Ran in and got my camera while the glue dries to shoot a couple of quick snaps init?

Before.


P1090183.JPG

After.

P1090186.JPG
 

Gizmo3k

Graduate Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Posts
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Location
Armadale, West Lothian
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Alan
Shiny! Thanks for that, think I have some construction to do. at the moment I am using a cheap grinder which seems to be leaving a fair hollow in my chisels (6" wheel), plus I think I will need to swap out the wheels soon anyway. This looks like a good solution.
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
Certainly cleans up the tip as well as putting a good sharp edge on the tool Brian, and cheap as chips .. :thumbs:
 

Gizmo3k

Graduate Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Posts
616
Location
Armadale, West Lothian
First Name
Alan
Oh, one more question - will 400 grit aluminium oxide be sufficient for squaring pen blanks too? Using a barrel trimmer at the moment, but only have a shaft for 7mm kits so far - it should be easy enough to set up another jig to use this if it will do the job!

Alan
 

Grump

Grand Master
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Stevenage
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Brian
Sorry for late reply, I thought someone else might have jumped in by now.

I wouldn't use aluminium oxide on wood at all.
Backplates are so cheap and useful that I would, and have made more than one of these discs.
Putting various grades of different types of scratch on them or you could velcro and tear off.
These things can hang on the wall with a hole in the middle or lay flat and stack em up in a drawer.

There are no hard and fast rules although some will argue that point, it's what works for you.
I would, if a novice, experiment myself and get the feel of what I am doing.

Start with some 80 grit and work my way through the grits with different materials until you understand what you want or need to do a specific job.
I am sure if you looked around you could get samples of sand / glass paper through silicon carbide to diamond there is a vast assortment at all prices.

Yes they all do the same job of abrasion but they also react differently with a variety of media.
learn how one will tear more than another and wear quicker but may not clog like another.
Discover wet or lubricated sanding and feel how the paste you work up abrades against itself.

Enuff of teaching granny to suck init? Bloody boring ol fart ain't I ?
Back to your question if I haven't already answered it.

will 400 grit aluminium oxide be sufficient for squaring pen blanks too?

Yes but as already said, I would not use it on a wood blank, I would on metal and some plastics.
You must have noticed your barrel trimmer does a better job on hard woods than it does on soft woods.
There is nothing stopping you from trying an offcut first as a sample to see what it does before attacking the workpiece.
Same as you would test patch paint init?

Enjoy making and using your jigs.
Terry has made a brilliant jig for squaring blanks in that section simple foolproof and reliable.
That's what I would recommend with changeable abrasion media.
Any deeper than a few mm I would either part off or bandsaw before mounting jig.
 

Gizmo3k

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Any deeper than a few mm I would either part off or bandsaw before mounting jig.

Someday a bandsaw will be on the shopping list. At the moment, I have just obtained an old Wickes 16" scroll saw, will need to see if it is capable of these types of cut, but I may look at some of the bench top bandsaws soon. I don't really have space for a full size one at the moment.
 

Grump

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I had a benchtop bandsaw which served me admirably (a little Perform one).
I wish I hadn't got rid of it when I got a bigger one it was so versatile for the smaller stuff.
A must have item in my book.
 

Penpal

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Breaking my silence on using abrasives on this side of the lathe those grits play merry hell with the lathe bed out that far over it, a simple electric motor separate from the lathe very easy to make and use IMHO. Anyway wish you well.

Kind regards Peter.
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,504
Location
Stevenage
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Brian
Breaking my silence on using abrasives on this side of the lathe those grits play merry hell with the lathe bed out that far over it, a simple electric motor separate from the lathe very easy to make and use IMHO. Anyway wish you well.

Kind regards Peter.

I have to think I probably wouldn't want to do it a Rolls Royce lathe such as your new one, mine is the arkansas chuggabug so I ain't so worried.

wacky-races-characters.gif
 
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