Academy Notes and Tips - Clean Cuts

Academy Notes and Tips

SEPT/OCT 2003
Volume 46/Issue 5

IN THIS ISSUE
Project Articles
• Queen Anne Living Room Tables
• Covered Wagon Toy Box
• Tilting Shelf Sewing Thread Holder

DEPARTMENTS
• Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners

Academy Notes
Clean Cuts - Pt. 2 - Lathe Tool Sharpening

Service Pointers
MARK V Miter Gauge

Safety Tips
Safety First!

What's New
42" Filter Hood for DC3300

EDUCATION
• Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH

ONLINE CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online Replacement Parts Catalog

MARK V INFORMATION
• Find A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request MARK V Information Package

LINKS
• Links Worth Visiting
• Free Woodworking Tips

FEEDBACK
Contacting Shopsmith

From the Shopsmith Woodworking Academy
Clean Cuts -- Part 2--Lathe Tool Sharpening
Printer friendly PDF copy of article

The Shopsmith Grinding Wheel Guard: A second method for machine sharpening is to use a rotating Grinding Wheel on the MARK V (See Fig. 7). It's important to note that using such a device will grind the chisel's edge to a concave shape, making the edge extremely sharp...but thinning it out and therefore, limiting its durability. If you want to produce a FLAT bevel using a Grinding Wheel, you'll have to do your sharpening against the side of a Wheel that's been made specifically for cutting steel against its side.

Fig. 7

WARNING: Shopsmith Wheels are NOT made for side grinding! NEVER use a wheel that's made for grinding only on its circumference to grind a flat bevel on its side, as the wheel could crack or be weakened by undercutting. Either way, once the wheel's out of balance, vibration can build enough to literally explode the wheel right off its arbor!

There are a couple of ways to avoid this concave grinding...without using the side of the Wheel: 1): Make several light passes at progressively steeper angles, equalizing the amount of metal removed from the heel, middle and tip of the bevel. - and - 2): Instead of holding the Chisel's bevel perpendicular to the Wheel's direction of rotation, move the Tool Rest close to the Wheel and hold it on the Rest so its bevel is in line with the Wheel. This should deliver a good, flat bevel, assuming the Wheel's surface is flat.

The Shopsmith Strip Sander Chisel Sharpening Attachment: The third and final method of machine sharpening is provided by this ingenious device, which replaces the Worktable on your Shopsmith Strip Sander (See Fig. 8). Its adjustable trunion allows a full range of bevel angle settings for every imaginable type of Chisel.

Fig. 8

Just position the butt end of your Chisel's handle into the special cup-shaped holder, adjust it for the proper length and sharpen. Start with a 150-grit Belt and work your way, step-by-step all the way up to a 600-grit Belt to produce a super-sharp “honed” edge.

Practice Grinding Safety. Safety when grinding tools of any type is a simple matter of plain old common sense. Use eye and face protection, of course for maximum comfort and to give yourself a feeling of security. Cover the Way Tubes on your MARK V with a board or piece of aluminum sheeting to protect them from grit as you grind. NEVER use rags or other flammable materials for this job as they might catch fire!

Once you've learned to sharpen your Lathe Chisels properly, you'll gain new knowledge and respect for them - and all your turning projects will be more professional-looking and more fun to turn, as well!

Coming up in the November/December issue -- PART THREE - All About Router Bits