Which Bench Grinder?

[Bill Lyman]

I am trying to upgrade my plane and chisel sharpening from the scary sharp system which takes hours to return to the base bevel of plane blades even with a 250 stone. Do you recomend a dry grinder or something like the Tormek. If a dry grinder which one. They all seem to suffer negative ratings on Amazon. 
Thank you in advance. 
Bill

[Bill Holt]

IMHO a grinder is not the answer to sharpening irons and chisels.  I bought the Tormek system and liked it for a while, but realized I spent too much time repeating the "perfect" setting.  Now I use diamond plates and finish with Arkansas stone.  The real answer, I believe, is practice.

Good Luck.

[MichaelMouse]

IMHO a grinder is not the answer to sharpening irons and chisels.  I bought the Tormek system and liked it for a while, but realized I spent too much time repeating the "perfect" setting.  Now I use diamond plates and finish with Arkansas stone.  The real answer, I believe, is practice.

I'm agreeing.  Though, if you are somehow abusing chisels/plane irons so badly that they require more than a quick tune, I'd use a belt sander.


I do have a LV honing guide, however.  My concession to gadget mania.

[Timberwolf]

I am trying to upgrade my plane and chisel sharpening from the scary sharp system which takes hours to return to the base bevel of plane blades even with a 250 stone. Do you recomend a dry grinder or something like the Tormek. If a dry grinder which one. They all seem to suffer negative ratings on Amazon. 
Thank you in advance. 
Bill

.........................
Bill, I have several types of grinders including Tormek, Veritas MKII, CBN, belt grinders and most recently a Worksharp...I think the Worksharp is the most bang for the buck....and that is especially true when you equip it with diamond laps, which you can buy for about ten bucks in grits sizes ranging from 180 to ~3k...and from 3K you can go to high micron diamond paste on the glass platen that comes with the machine.It's fast and it's precise..You can't get much "flatter" than that...Just my opinion.

Amazon has the six inch Steel/diamond lap plates...when they wear out, you can glue some leather on them and make a good power strop or another sanding disc.

[Derek Cohen]

I am trying to upgrade my plane and chisel sharpening from the scary sharp system which takes hours to return to the base bevel of plane blades even with a 250 stone. Do you recomend a dry grinder or something like the Tormek. If a dry grinder which one. They all seem to suffer negative ratings on Amazon. 
Thank you in advance. 
Bill

Bill, my article will answer your question: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTec...SetUp.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bill Lyman]

Derek: 
Thank you. 
it is precisely your article which has driven me to initiate this thread. I follow your logic, and have no problem establishing micro bevels with waterstones. It is the base angle that takes too long to re-establish on water stones.  Particularly in the case the larger plane blades. 
The Carba Tec grinder seems to be available from only one source which appears to emphasize the Tormek over its own product. Also I have found no reviews for the Carba Tec machine, other than yours. 
There would be shipping costs and I would have to add a 220v circuit to my panel, which if I could justify the machine, is doable. 

But, I posted this thread for others' experience in honing the base bevel. 


Bill

[msweig]

I grind (same technique as Joel at TFWW with the crowned wheel) and then freehand sharpen on stones. If you go with this technique I highly recommend the 6" over the 8" wheel. Your grinding technique need to be really good with an 8" wheel (mine isn't).

[Bill Lyman]

I grind (same technique as Joel at TFWW with the crowned wheel) and then freehand sharpen on stones. If you go with this technique I highly recommend the 6" over the 8" wheel. Your grinding technique need to be really good with an 8" wheel (mine isn't).

Great article, but note that he is using a Baldor grinder, which is 133 lbs and starts at $1,109. 
Bill

[msweig]

You can do that technique with a cheaper grinder, particularly if you use a 6" wheel. I did it with an 8" before upgrading to a baldor.

[Bill Lyman]

You can do that technique with a cheaper grinder, particularly if you use a 6" wheel. I did it with an 8" before upgrading to a baldor.

According to Joel's Tools for Working Wood, Baldor has discontinued 6" grinders.
Bill