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This being my first evening on the site, I've been surfing about looking at what's hot, and what's not.  The issue of gathering filings from the wheel water received some press.

I recently started collecting a number of the Aussie-developed Magswitch tools.  If you are not familiar with the product line, they are what the name suggests, a on-again/off-again magnet activated by rotary switch.  I have it in mind to see how one of these would benefit the craft in our work.

Take a look and see what you think @ http://www.magswitch.com.au/.  The products are for sale on both Ebay and Amazon.

Regards, Joe

I am a periodic woodcarver that has gotten along with a piece of cardboard and white rouge for sharpening small chisels.  Today I purchased a pre-owned Tormek Supergrind in so-so condition.  The unit appears basically intact.  It needs a good cleaning, but aside from that, I think it was a good buy at $200.

My question has to do with the honing wheel:  the previous owner presented me with a 85% used tube of honing compound.  Looking at the wheel itself, I see where it ended up, and where it stayed.  The honing wheel looks to be severely clogged. I cannot believe that it hones well at all, but, being a new to all this, maybe one is supposed to build up a moderate amount of scum, like seasoning a new cast iron frying pan.  I think not.

On a buffing wheel, one periodically takes a sharp instrument and eases into the cotton rag material to shave off the ragged and clogged fiber.  One then comes back and recharges the buffing wheel with new compound on fresh fiber.  Should I take and use a chisel and turn the edge down to the point I see surface, then come back with more compound?  The surface looks a little like my grandmother's makeup on a bad day.