Messages

Thanks, Jeff.  Your longtime experience is valued.

Ken

Herman,

A good starting point for a jack plane blade (for "fore plane" rough work) would be a radius of eight inches.  my source, Chris Schwarz' Handplane Essentials, recommends something between six and ten inches.  Chris uses eight.

As to radii for jointer and smoothing planes with very slight camber, you will need to consult the forum physicist.  My last millennium math is rusty. We would need to deduce the radius from a cord of a couple thousandths in a two inch width for the smoother and around six to eight thousandths is a width of 2 3/8" or 2 5/8" (for a number 8 plane).

Ken

Stan,

Welcome to the forum.

Not only can the Tormek DBS-22 sharpen bits for both wood and metal, it has the versatility to custom grind them for specific applications.  The jig has several settings for clearances and point angle.  This is probably overkill for most of us, but for anyone sharpening bits for different alloys, the versatility would be welcome.

As an old telephone installer, I used to sharpen my "bell hanger" bits (long bits with a hole in them for pulling wire) to a point angle of about 90 degrees instead of the customary 118 degrees.  This allowed the bits to cut very quickly through framing lumber.  i used a hand file for this back then.  Now it can be done better and more efficiently with the Tormek.

I really like the DBS-22.  Keep in mind that it does require a bit of a learning curve.  It's time well spent.

Ken

Peter,

Welcome to the forum.

Display your black honing wheel proudly.  It gives your Tormek and you the look of experience. 

A related question for Jeff Farris:  In your years demonstrating the Tormek on the road, did you ever wear out a honing wheel?

Peter, keep posting.  That's how we all keep learning.  Be sure to read Rob's recent posts (in woodturning) on the BMG.  He is an excellent example of an experienced person continuing to grow.

Ken

Ken

Well done, Rob. 

With your well thought through, efficient sharpening setup, you will be more apt to sharpen more often.  What might have seemed "almost ready for sharpening" in your turning tools may never be seen again.  The newfound keenness in your edges is sure to support you in turning to the next level.

I believe you have found the sweet spot in the Tormek.  You have found an intelligent related alternative method for heavy shaping.  You have allowed the Tormek to do what it does best.  You have focused on what you need to achieve and you have achieved it.

I look forward to reading your future turning/sharpening posts.

Ken

Mike,

A belated welcome to the forum.  You ask a very good question.

I have used the longer projection/ lean on the edges method of sharpening my plane blades with adequate success.  In addition to the jack plane, I also add a little camber to the jointer and less to the smoother.

While the exact shape of the camber is not important, especially for the jack, it seems untormeklike to "eyeball" it.  There is room for a jig here. This is especially true for those who do sharpening as a business.

In the almost four years I have been a part of this forum, I have seem several notable developments for the Tormek.  The new (now standard) EZYlock stainless steel shaft is a notable improvement.  The new drill bit jig is amazing.  We have our choice of three different grinding wheels now.  The new water trough is an improvement.

We even have our choice of jigs for small knives.  The newest entry is from Tormek.  The other entries have been conceived and built by members of this forum.

Since you only camber the blade of your jack plane, making a jig for it should not be difficult.  There is no need to accommodate different blade widths or different arcs.  All that would be required is a simple platform to hold the blade securely that also pivoted.  It could be a simple affair made of wood.

I could see this jig being similar in development to the small blade jig.  Multiple developers in the forum and also by the engineers in Sweden.  I would expect the factory made version to be adjustable, both for blade width and degree of camber. For the home made versions, I would expect some of them would also be adjustable.  Some might be for a single blade width and perhaps adjustable for radius.

Let's see what develops!

Ken

Rob,

While my grandchildren were at a gymnastics class this morning, I enjoyed a book I have had for several years.  The book, The Lathe Book, by Ernie Conover (revised edition) has a good section on sharpening skew chisels.  I have known Ernie for twenty years.  He is an excellent teacher, turner, and woodworker.  He and his father designed and manufactured the Conover lathe.  (That's a lathe!!!!)

The book should be available at a much mower price than the Ashley Iles book.

Ken

ps I would not be surprised to see the Ashley Iles book reprinted by Lost Art Press sometime in the future.

Here in the hinterlands we have something called "interlibrary loan".  A request is placed at the local library, and distributed to many libraries.  I have found some very unusual books that way.

Ken

Rob,

The Ashley Iles story sounds like the one about the Canadian civil servant (Leonard Lee) or the buyer for Garrett Wade (Thomas Lie-Nielsen).

There is an article in Fine Woodworking where the author recommends dressing a crown on the grinding wheel.  The crown lessens the area rubbing against the tool.  That helps keep the steel cooler.  The idea goes through Joel Moskowitz who supposedly learned it from one of Ashley Iles' sons.

Your wheels seem well chosen.  I would still recommend the Norton 3X 46 grit.  The friable 80 grit is a nice wheel, for those who are not fortunate enough to have a Tormek.  I haven't used me 80 since buying my first Tormek.

Apparently the Ashley Iles book is out of print, at least on this side of the pond.  You might have better luck finding it "over there".

Good grinding, and keep us posted.

Ken

[Make sure you wear good eye protection!!!!]

Rob,

I mounted my dry grinder on a board (3/4 standard plywood).  It now lives on a heavy duty metal shelf.  It is easy to pull it out and set it on a bench.  It is just as easy to return it to the shelf.  It's quite practical.

Make sure you wear good eye protection!!!! 

I'll put the wheel dressing in the Ashley Iles post in Hand Tool Woodworking.

The grit size should be included in the long alphanumeric description on the side of your wheels.

Good luck with your venture in Dry Land.

Ken

Rob,

I was reading Christopher Schwarz's Handplane Essentials.  Page 110 is an article called "Blesses are the Grinders".  The article discusses sharpening the blades of Record plough planes.  Chris refers to one of his favorite books on toolmaking, Memories of a Sheffield Tool Maker, by Ashley Iles.

Knowing you are from that area, I thought the book might interest you.

Ken

Rob, as promised, I tried grinding on a metal lathe bit with my belt grinder and the dry grinder with the Norton 3X 46 grit stone.  i'm not exactly what alloy the lathe bit is, but it's a fairly certain bet than it's at least M2 high speed steel.

The belt grinder did OK.  Normally for a project like this I would have used a fresh belt.  The belt was slightly worn.  i am convinced it would do a satisfactory job.

The Norton 46 grit stone did very well.  I used only moderate pressure.  I think you will like it.  As I stated earlier, my dry grinder is a 40 year old six inch Sears Craftsman.  it's probably very much like your Record.

I wonder if using the dry grinder with the 46 grit stone would speed up sharpening planer blades.  presumably one would need to remove nicks.  If the nicks were removed with the blade held at a right angle and some of the approximate bevel restored with the dry grinder, the operation could be completed on the Tormek. The dry grinder would have already done much of the "heavy lifting".

Ken

For you history buffs, in the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes episode, "A Scandal in Bohemia", there is a scene with a traveling knife sharpener using a hand cranked wet grinder reminiscent of those which came before the Tormek.  Fascinating!

Ken

Mike,

I find it helps to use a longer blade projection from the SE-76.  This allows you to flex the blade more easily to add more camber, as you would for a jack of fore plane (to do the initial rougher planing).

Ken

Rob, You have a labor of love ahead of you.  I had the same pleasure restoring my grandfather's 1891 Stanley jack plane.

You might enjoy this book:

http://conoverworkshops.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CWOS&Product_Code=4345&Category_Code=HS8

I have taken many classes with Ernie Conover over the years.  You may remember the Conover lathes.  Ernie and his father designed and built them.  He is also a fine teacher and a no slouch woodworker.

Best of luck with your restoration.  Keep us posted, and let us know what you think of the Norton 46 grit wheel.

Ken