Tom.1946
Graduate Member
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Finished today
- Thread starter Tom.1946
- Start date
Gadget-UK
Graduate Member
Well done Tom.
They look great
They look great
Tom.1946
Graduate Member
Thank you, first attempt quite pleased with the results....Well done Tom.
They look great
Tom.1946
Graduate Member
Well I thought they where good, but Gadget brought me back down to earth. As he noticed small chatter marks on one. So will have to keep calm and go slowly, what speed would you recommend? Also don't have the luxury of a way of sharpening my chisels. So if I am using them during the week I might think they're sharp but maybe not sharp enough, and still trying to learn but maybe not always getting right........Very nice job mate, well done!
So just have to persevere with it at present......
Gadget-UK
Graduate Member
It’s all learning Tom, you have done really well (as I have already told you) and believe me we ALL make errors along the way.
Hallelujahal
Graduate Member
Yes Tom you’ve hit the nail on the head when you speak about sharp tools. I’m afraid there’s no getting around the fact that a sharpened tool will give a much better cut…saves on an awful lot of sandpapering as well!
I eventually bit the bullet and bought the Robert Sorby Pro Edge system. It has made a hell of a difference
I eventually bit the bullet and bought the Robert Sorby Pro Edge system. It has made a hell of a difference
Hi Tom
I think they look pretty good.
In terms of speed I recommend going as fast as feels comfortable BUT with sharp tools and, as others have said, having sharp tools is so important, I am afraid there is no getting around it. I would go so far as to say if I didn't have a way to sharpen my tools then I would stop turning until I did.
You mention you are struggling to keep your tools sharp during the week so I am assuming you're using sharpening facilities somewhere on the weekend? If that's the case then you can still "keep an edge" quite easily without expensive equipment, especially on skews. You can do it on your fluted gouges too but that takes a bit more practice.
You can use sandpaper on a flat bed but I use a small double sided 300/600 grit 3 inch credit card size diamond sharpening stone. For my skew I put the card flat on the bench and use a little oil to help. Just run both edges of the skew back and forth on the 300 side of the card a few times. Then flip the card over to the 600 and repeat. It's quite easy once you've done it a few times. Use the sharpie trick to work out if you're hitting the edge at the correct angle to avoid rounding-over. You can then strop on some leather or a bit of hardwood to lose any small burrs you might feel.
For fluted gouges I hold the tool handle under my non-dominant arm against my body and then, with the card in my dominant hand, rub it over the edge, slightly rotating the tool as I do so to follow the curve. Again use some leather or dowel to strop inside the flute as burrs are not your friend in this scenario. It's easier than it sounds and if you're sharpening your tools every week, and turning nothing bigger than pen blanks, this will more than suffice.
I own a Sorby pro-edge (I am limited for space) but I use this approach all the time (every day) and only go to the Sorby every week or ten days to get the edge back in shape.
Cheers
Ash
Here is what I am taking about. I can't vouch for this as mine was a bit more expensive from Axminster, but its a cheap option and will probably do the trick.
I think they look pretty good.
In terms of speed I recommend going as fast as feels comfortable BUT with sharp tools and, as others have said, having sharp tools is so important, I am afraid there is no getting around it. I would go so far as to say if I didn't have a way to sharpen my tools then I would stop turning until I did.
You mention you are struggling to keep your tools sharp during the week so I am assuming you're using sharpening facilities somewhere on the weekend? If that's the case then you can still "keep an edge" quite easily without expensive equipment, especially on skews. You can do it on your fluted gouges too but that takes a bit more practice.
You can use sandpaper on a flat bed but I use a small double sided 300/600 grit 3 inch credit card size diamond sharpening stone. For my skew I put the card flat on the bench and use a little oil to help. Just run both edges of the skew back and forth on the 300 side of the card a few times. Then flip the card over to the 600 and repeat. It's quite easy once you've done it a few times. Use the sharpie trick to work out if you're hitting the edge at the correct angle to avoid rounding-over. You can then strop on some leather or a bit of hardwood to lose any small burrs you might feel.
For fluted gouges I hold the tool handle under my non-dominant arm against my body and then, with the card in my dominant hand, rub it over the edge, slightly rotating the tool as I do so to follow the curve. Again use some leather or dowel to strop inside the flute as burrs are not your friend in this scenario. It's easier than it sounds and if you're sharpening your tools every week, and turning nothing bigger than pen blanks, this will more than suffice.
I own a Sorby pro-edge (I am limited for space) but I use this approach all the time (every day) and only go to the Sorby every week or ten days to get the edge back in shape.
Cheers
Ash
Here is what I am taking about. I can't vouch for this as mine was a bit more expensive from Axminster, but its a cheap option and will probably do the trick.
howsitwork?
Graduate Member
Ash
I seriously recommend buying the TREND diamond lapping fluid for diamond hones. Works much better than oil and far less messy ! Well fairly less messy to be more accurate.
Arc eurotools of Leicester do some nice stones set on solid aluminium plates at a very good price too
howsitwork?
Graduate Member
Tom
they look good and the person who never has room for improvement needs to find a new hobby.
they look good and the person who never has room for improvement needs to find a new hobby.
Thanks Ian.
I’ve never tried the trend compound but I do own the metal plates you mention, along with quite a few other stones/plates.
To be honest I rarely use oil, but I tend to just dip the end of the tool into the tray of water that I use for sanding blanks. Whatever is nearest at the time, as long as it’s wet. I just didn’t want to say that out loud on here
And the reason for the credit card sized stone is because you can hold the it up to the tool and work the edge, unlike with a standard size plate or stone where you work the tool over the stone.
I have to admit that I find it really hard to sharpen a spindle or roughing gouge on a flat stone set on top of the bench. It’s in my “too hard to do” bucket.
Cheers
Ash
Very nice job Tom. Well done.