Stupid Question (Maybe)

[JoeS]

I just recently bought a Tormek machine for my turning tools and never realized how bad a job I was doing until I went to sharpen them on the Tormek machine.  My skew chisels were at about 55 degrees.

This brings me to what might be a dumb question but I nevertheless need to ask.  On the multi jig's closed seat there's markings for the angle (10,20,30,etc...)    There seems to be both short and long lines on the jig which you use to set the desired angle.  Well, do the short lines correspond to the angle or do you use the long lines?  eg. is the short line 20 degrees, and the next long line 25 degrees or is the long line 20 degrees and the next short line 25 degrees?


I've also found out that you can put the tool in the jig backwards which makes things interesting because as a novice you don't notice until you've done some damage.

Thanks,
Joe

[Jeff Farris]

The long lines are ten degree divisions and the short lines are five degree divisions.

Look at the picture on the front of the closed seat.  If your skew is mounted like the drawing on the front, you're good to go.

If you're reshaping a skew that is way out of wack, do your work in the vertical mount, with the wheel turning into the edge.  It will cut much faster that way.

[JoeS]

Thanks for the info Jeff - I really enjoy using my skew chisels so I started with a HSS skew horizontally and I found that it would take me a month and a day so I started on a carbon steel skew.  It went a little faster, but I saw in the book that you would use the grinder vertically for reshaping and the carbon steel tools went much faster.  I only have to find the correct angle that I'm confortable with.  I ground one at 30 degrees and another at 25 degrees and yet another at 20 degrees.  I'm liking the 25 degree angle as it gives you more clearance at the toe so you don't dig in.

I then went and "repaired" my gouges.  Now that they're all actually usable and sharp I'm going to go back to the HSS skew.  I do find though that the skew chisels are cutting quite nicely

I do however have to order the diamond truing tool from you because the wheel needs it a little bit due to the gouge work I was doing.  Although I was careful to use the entire wheel when sharpening the gouges, it seems that you just can't help it when re-shaping the gouges.

I find using the gouge jig easier than the multi-jig.  They make it so its almost impossible to screw it up.

Thanks....

[Jeff Farris]

.....  I'm liking the 25 degree angle as it gives you more clearance at the toe so you don't dig in.

Try a radius grind.  Even more toe clearance.