Lathe tool sharpener question

[iclark]

I've been grinding my lathe tools free hand and I'm thinking about buying a Wolverine grinding jig.  Should I opt for the varigrind II or just the original varigrind jig.  Your thoughts or recommendations?  Other jig?  Also, what wheels do you recommend.  Right now I'm using a green wheel that is fairly friable for the finish grind.

I have the Varigrind and the Varigrind 2. I prefer the Varigrind. My BIL prefers the Vg2.

If you are having good success free hand sharpening, then there is no need to go Wolverine. If you have having issues, then the Wolverine could help.

The recommendation to find someone local (either here or through an AAW club) to try thirs is an excellent one.

Failing that, my recommendation is for the basic Wolverine setup (2 bases, flat rest, and long base stick) plus the Varigrind (get the right size for your gouges, there are 2 sizes). If you want an additional upgrade, add the Wolverine version of the RoboRest.

Doug Thompson's website has a pdf guide for setting up the Varigrind and how far out to extend the gouge.

You do NOT need or want the Wolverine skew accessory.

On the stone wheels, my only recommendation is to get metal spindle adaptors and throw away that worthless mess of plastic spacers that ship with the stone wheels.

My 2-speed 8" grinder is headed to my niece's shop south of Tampa. As long as I do not damage the wheels in transit, it should last them for years to come (until the babies get old enough to reclaim some shop time). I will get them a T-handle dressing tool rather than try to teach them how to use the Wolverine diamond-tip dressing tool. I like the diamond-tip tool and it workers well for me, but I do not trust some of my family to not adjust it properly and risk shattering the wheel.


I am upgrading to some 8" CBN wheels on a 1hp Rikon grinder from Woodturning Wonders. The metal stand under my 2-speed grinder is not made anymore and the equivalent is way too expensive for what it provides. I am making a fliptop stand for the new grinder with Wolverine guides and storage for the accessories. If budget permits, I will pick up a RoboRest in Raleigh this summer for one of my other 8" stone grinders. My local niece turns and her new beau wants to learn. So, we will see which of the sharpening systems eventually migrate to her shop when we get it set up. Unless she grabs my Sorby, it will have a Wolverine on it.

[Grey Mountain]

You do not need a slow-speed grinder, although many here will swear that you do. I've been using a high-speed grinder for over 35 years with no probolems. I have a two-speed, and never use the slow speed. ONEWAY recommends high-speed with their Wolverine jigs.
I have all the jigs, including shop-built clones, but free-hand most of the time.

GM, maker of peethticks.

[MichaelMouse]

You do  not need a slow-speed grinder, although many here will swear that you do.  I've been using a high-speed grinder for over 35 years with no probolems.  I have a two-speed, and never use the slow speed.  ONEWAY recommends high-speed with their Wolverine jigs.
I have all the jigs, including shop-built clones, but free-hand most of the time.

GM, maker of peethticks.

Advantage of a low rpm wheel is that mistakes or misalignments will be less costly in terms of steel removed in the same time period.  Freehanders who use their favored grind as a reference and remove only enough to freshen the edge are better with slow.  

I use what I like as a useful bevel on the various tools as a "template" to sit on the wheel while sharpening.  Recontouring will be slower, of course.  


Oneway sells an apparatus to remedy wheel imbalance, which, of course, will have a greater effect on larger and/or more rapidly rotating wheels.  Don't know any metallurgical information to support their contention that higher rpm is required.

[whatline]

I have both and find myself using the original more often the vg2

[WOODMAC]

Used belt sander originally - liked flat bevels. Tried grinding wheels but no matter how much I dressed them I had too much bounce to get a consistent edge. The CBN wheels made sharpening a breeze. Prefer VGI to overhyped  VGII.  CBN wheel plus VGI plus homemade set up jig to set up extension of wolverine V arm and length of tool out from VGI and you have near instant setup and minimal removal of tool steel.