Tool Sharpening

[psjbob]

Hi this is my first post. This site has been very helpful.
I am a new wood turner. All I read in mags and web articles make sharpening lathe tool very expensive or hard to do. I have had good results from a stationary beltsander and buffing wheel to hone with, sharp enough to shave hair off my arm. Is that sharp enough? The new Fine Woodworking mag on turning has a couple of jigs. I tried using one. They are easy to make and seem to work. i could not believe the change from the way the tools were from the factory grind, the cut much cleaner and easier. Again I am new and just learning but sharpening seemed easer and cheaper than I thought.
How about some post with your sharpening tricks.

[dabeeler]

I use a Wolverine Jig on my gouges with a 6" ginder. Also, have the skew attachment but I find it easier to free hand the skew. I use a scraper burnisher to put a better burr on my scrapers after they have come off the grinder. This makes a difference in how the scraper cuts.

[bigstick509]

[DonHo]

I think a lot of the profesional turners sharpen by hand without jigs so your being able to do so is not a big suprise. I just know that for me sharpening did not come naturally and I get a much more consistent angle and sharper tools that produce a better cut using a jig. I use the wolverine system but there are lots systems that seem to work. The improtant thing is to have a consistent profile and a very sharp edge, how you get it is of much less importance.
DonHo

[guycox]

I think a lot of the profesional turners sharpen by hand without jigs so your being able to do so is not a big suprise. I just know that for me sharpening did not come naturally and I get a much more consistent angle and sharper tools that produce a better cut using a jig. I use the wolverine system but there are lots systems that seem to work. The improtant thing is to have a consistent profile and a very sharp edge, how you get it is of much less importance.
DonHo

I tooks a two day class from Lyle Jamieson. We spent 30 minutes or so learning how to set up the Wolverine style jig to grind an Side Grind/Irish/Ellsworth bowl gouge. Lyle has 6 identical bowl gouges and grinds them all at the same time so that he only has to set up the jig once and all the gouges stay exactly the same. - Nice if you can tie up $600 in bowl gouges..

David Ellsworth uses his jig.

The geometry of this particular gouge is just too complex to grind consistently by hand.

I'm able to put a good edge on a bedan, parting tools and scrapers wthout using a jig everything else goes on the wolverine (one side for the scrapers and the other side for the gouges and the skew. I remark the settins on the vbar about every second time the wheel is dressed.