Woodturning: My Super Simple Method to Keep Your Lathe Tools Super Sharp

[@KimFowler29]

Best sharpening video on the Net! Great instructor! Thank you sir!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you very much and thanks for watching!

[@andycobb8987]

Terrific video. Just got my Rikon grinder, one way system and Wolverine jig set up, along with three brand new Thompson gouges. Was fearful of the sharpening process. This video breaks it down well enough that even a complete novice understands. Thanks so much!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Starting with a simple setup worked best for me. I do experiment now and then with a new grind on specific tools, but 90% of my sharpening is still done with my simple setup. Thanks for the kind comment, and thanks for watching!

[@davidmyers5553]

An extremely complete great video. Thanks for sharing. My sharpening system was ordered today and thought I would learn what I don't know. You filled in all the blanks!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks so much for the kind words. And, thanks for watching!

[@chasmikrut5809]

Scott, Great information. Thanks for sharing.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching

[@gerryclark4330]

Brilliant with the plywood angle gauge👍

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@cloggerdempsey]

Really enjoyed your video, and appreciate your idea of keeping things simple! With my hobbies, anything goes so long as I’m making something; I get involved in so many different types of projects requiring different skill sets , that when coming across a video like yours, it makes life so much easier!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching!

[@Fyer]

Great video. You took it nice and slow and I appreciate that. Thank you.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching!

[@kenvasko2285]

First time viewer. Great job, I'll be back

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I hope you found my sharpening system useful. Thanks for watching!

[@TimothyBowles-tq5ve]

Best sharpening video I have seen yet thank you for sharing

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you very much. I definitely appreciate the feedback, and thanks for watching!

[@davidfulcher5098]

Wow - this should be required instructional video for all newbie wood turners. My wife and I learned a lot! CBN wheel on right is 180 grit, what do you have on the left? Thanks again for being so helpful

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi and thanks for the kind comment. Left side cbn is 600. My thought process is I want to remove as little steel as possible since I'm just touching up my bowl gouge. Since I use the bowl gouge more than any other tool, the 600 grit goes on that side. If I used my spindle gouges the most, I'd have the wheels reversed. Ideally I'd have 600 on both and a separate grinder for profiling and shaping, but I definitely don't have the room for that. Thanks for watching!

[@mariatags]

Thank you! I am a newbie and have been having one hell of a time trying to sharpen my tools.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're very welcome. It took me a while to simplify my sharpening setup and I'm more than happy to share what works for me. As you develop your turning skills you may want to modify the sharpening setup to best suit your needs

[@theusconstitution1776]

Overall, it’s a good video. I just don’t do the 15° top grind on my scrapers. I only do the 55° bottom grind and that leaves me the beautiful bird all the way across the top that I cut with. I may have to try your method and see how it works. Thank you for the time you put in this video. Lots of good information.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks. The video is focused more towards a simple setup and starting point. Individual preferences will always vary. If you like your 55 degree scrapers and want to maintain the same angle with a negative rake, try 15 top and 40 main. The negative rake just makes the tool a bit more forgiving. If you try it let me know. I'd be very interested in how it worked (or didn't work) for you. Thanks for watching!

[@alainnoel2198]

Thank you for sharing your method. I have been turning for four years and sharpening remains the hardest operation in my shop.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the info useful. There are as many sharpening routines as there are Woodturners. I just like to keep things as simple as possible. Thanks for watching!

[@nathangould2283]

Thankyou so very much for showing use your lathe tools I realy didn't have any idear how to start them I realy learn a lot from this show.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@davebrown4005]

Thank you! This is an informative video well done

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@daveNJ87325]

Hi Scott, Lewis Elliott here. Great sharpening video. What are the distance settings for your wolverine arm, from the front of the base to the front edge of back wall of the pocket for both your spindle gouge setting and your bowl gouge setting? Please let me know. Thanks

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hey Lewis, I know we discussed this already but I'm answering it here in case someone else has the same question. You would need to have your grinder set to the same height above the clamp and the front edge of the clamp would need to be the same distance from the center of the spindle on the grinder. If they were not exactly the same, the distance you asked about wouldn't be helpful. Since we all set up our grinders a bit different, the best way to match an existing angle is to put the tool in the Vari Grind Jig, Use a known measurement for the amount of tool that protrudes out from the jig, and then slide the bar in or out until you get the bevel of the gouge sitting as flat as possible on the grinding wheel

[@kylewo0]

Thank you for the timely response, I decided to make a new reply to not bother the op above. So many thoughts.. I am looking for one more wheel, I have by accident a 1” and it is 180grit. You say you have a 180 to reshape..I am using a 180 to touch up. To really reshape on it seems like it takes to long. Should I get a 1.5 80 grit for my second? Can you spare some advice.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

My CBN wheels are 180 & 600. My thought process on the 600 is that I want to take off as little steel as possible while sharpening. It will make the tools last longer. The 600 is on the side I sharpen my bowl gouge which is the gouge I use most often. I don't reprofile my tools very often, but when I have to, the 180 seems to work well enough. But I do know what you mean about it not being as fast as I'd like. My ideal setup would be two grinders. One for reshaping and the other for sharpening. The sharpening grinder would have two 600s. The reshaping grinder would have a 120 cbn and a coarse aluminum oxide wheel. I think that would cover just about anything I could think of that I'd ever need a grinder for. Unfortunately I just don't have the room. My 600/180 single grinder setup seems like the perfect compromise for me. I guess the best answer for your question would be to tailor your setup to compliment your work flow. If you reshape often you might want to look at something a bit more coarse than the 180. If you don't, perhaps the 180 is good enough. Just remember, the more coarse the wheel, the more steel it will chew off your tool. Your tools won't last as long. Also, a more polished edge from a finer grit wheel will be sharper and will stay sharp longer. You need to find the right balance for your work flow. My opinion on the width is a simpler answer. I definitely like the wider wheels better!

[@biffbuffington4348]

Thanks for the video Scott. At the 26:49 mark you said that you used the same angle, distance, set up on your One Way jig for "all your spindle gouges". Is this because you use all the gouges in a similar manner, so having the same grind makes for consistent results and would the same use of all settings work with bowl gouge grind settings? As a new turner, seeing so many variations on bowl gouge tips (bevels, wing sweep, etc.) makes me wonder if using a single type would help or hurt my learning curve.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Great question. Let's start with this. I'm sorry if I'm addressing things you already know. Bowl gouges and spindle gouges are completely different tools for completely different purposes. Spindle gouges are designed to cut through mostly side grain. Because a bowl blank is usually mounted cross grain, the bowl gouge is designed to cut through the alternating end grain/ side grain of a bowl blank. If you look at them head on you'll see that the bowl gouge has a much deeper flute. All my spindle gouges (except one) are ground the same way. This helps build muscle memory so the tool cuts as it's expected to. The specific angle isn't critical as long as it's in a generally acceptable range. The idea is, that regardless of the size of spindle gouge, with a consistent grind angle, the tool performs as expected. The same applies to bowl gouges. Bowl gouges need a steeper (larger degree) grind than spindle gouges to hollow out the inside of a bowl. all my bowl gouges I use daily have the same grind angle.There are many schools of thought about which grind angle is best. The best one, however, is the one you're most comfortable with. I'd suggest picking one and getting comfortable with it before switching to something else. The key is muscle memory. A different angle will require a slightly different stance, hold, and movement to work as efficiently as possible. That's why it's important that all the spindle gouges are ground like every other spindle gouge, and all the bowl gouges are ground like every other bowl gouge. As a matter of fact, all my scrapers are also all ground the same with a top bevel of 15 degrees and a main bevel of 55 degrees. The profile may change, but the bevel angles are identical so they all cut the same and require the same presentation to the wood. Knowing how each tool will perform makes me efficient, effective, and safe. For me, it's important to keep the grind angles as consistent as possible for each type of tool. With all that said, I do have a 'detail gouge' which is a spindle gouge ground by hand to a very shallow angle. It's only used for reaching into tight corners. It would be a bit unsafe to use that tool as a regular spindle gouge as it's not ground for that purpose. So for me, it's ok to grind my tools to any angle I need, but the vast majority are consistently ground to repeatable known angles so the tools will perform as I expect them to. I hope I answered your question in the short story I just wrote 😂. If you're having trouble deciding on which bowl gouge grind to use, just remember, when used properly, they all work well for those using them.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I did do a two part series on bowl turning basics. Perhaps watching those two videos could answer some of your questions about grind angles.

[@brandon211999]

Hello thanks for the video been struggling to keep my chisels sharp, I was also wondering if you recommend getting an extended tool rest, and if so where I could find one?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi and thanks for watching. Since this was a sharpening video, I'm not sure if you're asking about the 'tool rest' on the lathe or the 'platform' on the grinder. I'll just answer both. I have several sizes of tool rests for my lathe and a couple of curved ones for bowls. Different sizes and shapes definitely do come in handy. Robust Lathes makes tool rests for most lathes. But you should be able to find tool rests just about anywhere that sells Lathes and lathe accessories. Just make sure the post diameter will fit your banjo. The platforms I use on my grinder are definitely larger than the standard platforms that came with the grinder. The extra real estate makes it easier to get a consistent bevel. With that said, although the platforms are larger than the ones that came with the grinder, they are standard size for sharpening lathe tools. I guess it's a sweet spot. Anything much larger would just get in the way.

[@Tim.Traveler]

Best video on the subject! What grit are you using on each wheel?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you very much! The wheel on the Wolverine side is 180. The wheel on the 40/40 platform side is 600. Coarse wheel for shaping and profiling. 600 grit sharpens my bowl gouge which is my most used tool. Only want to take off enough steel to get the edge back. Hopefully it will make the tool last longer. If I had the room I'd have 600 wheels on both sides and I'd add a second grinder just for shaping/profiling. But for a one grinder setup, the 180 and 600 combo serves me well. Thanks for watching!

[@Tim.Traveler]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop thanks, I was thinking of doing 180 and 350 CBN from WoodTurners Wonders. Maybe rethink and do 600?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

@@Tim.Traveler I started with 180 and 350. But I was chatting with Ken from Woodturners Wonders at a symposium and he convinced me to try the 600. Now, my 350 sits in a box on a shelf. Obviously I can't decide for you and you'll be very happy either way. But I'd suggest that you chat with Ken or any of the other people at WW and ask them for the pros and cons of either setup. Happy turning!

[@Tim.Traveler]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop thank you!

[@petejones1957]

Hi Scott, thanks for a super informative video, One of, if not my favourite tools for spindle work, and also for tenons and recesses, is an angled oval skew, I invariably sharpen that on a flat oil stone, which seems to work ok? would I be better using the grinding wheel, and if so, should I only use it "one way up" to utilise the burr? One thing for sure, none of my tools seem to cut as well as the one sI see on videos ( they're all good HSS Sheffield made tools) I'v just ordered a new bench grinder, as the one I have has a white wheel, but fixed 90 degree rests, so it's all done freehand. Thanks again, hopefully using your advice, and the new grinder I might use less sandpaper!! Best regards...Pete

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Pete. There is no definitive "right" way to sharpen. We all have to do what works best with our individual style. I know plenty of turners who freehand sharpen all their tools. Derek Weidman is one that comes to mind and Derek does things on a lathe that has to be seen to be believed. With that said, my sharpening method works for me and its relatively simple. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching! My opinion on your skew question is, if you're sharpening it as a scraper it wont cut as well when using it as a skew. The opposite is also true. When you sharpen a scraper a burr of metal forms on the up side of the tool . If you turn it over the burr is now on the bottom. you can force the tool to scrape wood with the burr facing down but it will be very inefficient and will leave a less then desirable cut surface. Some turners have two matching skews with one side marked so they wind up with a right facing and a left facing scraper. I just resharpen if I need the burr on the other side. As mentioned above, there is no issue with sharpening freehand as long as you're getting the edge you want. I use the platform for speed and consistency. Getting that bevel angle the same every time also makes the tool very predictable for me. If your grinder wheel is too coarse and its creating a large burr that "gets in the way" when using the tool as a skew, try stropping. Stropping the skew will remove the burr altogether and if done properly will leave you with a razor sharp tool. If your tools don't seem that they are as sharp as they could be, my guess is the culprit is the freehand sharpening. It's a difficult skill to master and any error could give you a less than sharp edge. I hope this helped somewhat. Best of luck with the new grinder, happy turning, and thanks again for watching!

[@petejones1957]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop Thanks very much for that Scott, all good advice, Even though I've had the lathe for a long time, I've never had a grinder until recently, and had to use a flat oil stone, which for gouges, as you san imagine, is not easy! As I think I said, my current grinder only has a 90 degree rest, so looking forward to the new (Record Power) one. I think maybe, watching many videos of skilled people turning often, green wood where great ribons come off the bowls doesn't match the results I get always turning seasoned wood on a very small lathe. Oh well, new shed in the summer, so perhaps a new lathe to go in it! Thanks again Scott. Best wishes...Pete.

[@kc2972]

When setting your angles i would like to see where the included angle starts from and ends...if you are setting to 55 degrees which is the 55 and which is the 35 angle...also how far from wheel is the wolverine extension set back when using the vari grind jig...that distance should determine the grind angle...otherwise i thoroughly enjoyed your video.. cleaning your cbn wheels with lacquor thinner is something i just learned and was thinking about ..they are too expensive to ruin...bevel washers on the wheel are invaluable...if you don't use them you will totally be discusted with your wheels wondering why they are so good...thanks...

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi. I'm not sure what you're asking. Generally speaking, the angle is measured comparing the top surface of the tool and the bevel you're grinding. For a negative rake scraper, the angle is a combination of two angles. In my case, 55 and 15 degrees which results in a 70 degree included angle. In the case of my skews, the platform is set for approximately 15 degrees. Since that angle is ground on both sides of the tool, the resulting angle is approximately 30. Setting the angle is just an approximation since the grinder platform is flat and the grinder wheel is round. The exact distance the pocket for the Vari Grind jig is set back from the wheel will definitely change the grind angle. So will the position of the arm/leg of the jig itself. In addition, so will the height of the grinder above the bar itself. The best way to insure your grinding at the angle you're looking for is to use a gauge or just simply draw the angle on a piece of paper and compare to the tool itself and make adjustments as needed. Once you have it dialed in, just mark the bar so you can duplicate the settings when you need to resharpen. Bowl and spindle gouges both have a wide range of acceptable grind angles. It's up to you to decide what angle works best for you. My spindle gouges are all ground to the same angle with the exception of my detail gouge. Having all the spindle gouges ground the same helps me know and expect how the tool will cut regardless of the size of the gouge. My detail gouge is ground by hand to a fairly acute angle. It's not a great angle for general use but it's great at getting into tight places. I hope this helped

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I forgot to address the washers. I got them from Woodturners Wonders. I believe there is a link in the video description. If not, just web search for Woodturners Wonders and check out their grinder accessories. I believe there is a video explaining why those washers will help balance the cbn wheels on the arbor.

[@leemiddleton8318]

It would be nice if you provided links to the products you're using, like the self-centering washers.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

It's impossible to anticipate what specific things people would like links for. And I can't just link everything in the video, it would take all day. Best thing is to just ask, which you did. So here's a link to those washers for you woodturnerswonders.com/products/self-aligning-spherical-washer-3-piece-set Enjoy, and thanks for watching!

[@chris_thornborrow]

Great video. Do you have any advice on sharpening using sandpaper vs cbn wheel?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I used to sharpen my plane irons with sandpaper on float glass before I graduated to diamond stones. But that was a long time ago when I made things from boards and before I started woodturning. With the skew being a possible exception, I think sharpening woodturning tools with sandpaper would be extremely difficult at best and would be very time inefficient. You definitely don't need cbn wheels. They're great but people had been using stone grinder wheels for years before there was cbn. Instead of cbn, check into aluminum oxide stone wheels for your grinder. The process will be nearly the same

[@brianroyle2533]

Hi scott would a digital table saw angle gauge work on your wheels they are cheap and just write angles required on each tool ??

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm not sure. It definitely would give an accurate angle of the platform relative to level. But the angle relative to the curved wheel is quite a bit different

[@Rebel9668]

I have a brand new DeWalt 8" standard grinder, but I can easily lower the speed on it by simply plugging it into a variac (a variable voltage transformer) by lowering the voltage it will lower the motor's speed and since the variac can be adjusted from 0 to 130v I can adjust it to whatever speed is best. It beats going out and buying another whole new grinder. I can use an rpm app on my phone to know what speed the grinder is turning.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

That a great idea. I'm fairly certain my low speed grinder runs at 1700 ish rpm.

[@Rebel9668]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop Variacs are less than $100 on amazon, but I already own one I picked up several years ago to use in radio restorations, using it to bring the voltages up slowly so I could see whether they'd have any shorts in them before they'd be able to destroy old tubes or old transformers that were sometimes difficult to find and/or replace.

[@keith726able]

What rpm app do you have on your phone?

[@FranklinSfeather]

Hi Scott, which grit are the CBN wheels you use?

[@russellseaton2014]

The wheel on the right is 180 grit.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

The wheel on the wolverine side is 180. The wheel on the platform set for the 40/40 is 600. The thought is the 180 can be used to regrind or reshape a bevel angle or profile. Since I use the 40/40 bowl gouge more than anything else, I can touch it up on the 600 and get a nice edge while removing as little steel as possible. Ideally they would both be 600 and I'd have a second grinder with coarse wheel(s) but I just don't have the room

[@kylewo0]

Does the size matter. Is there a reason you went with 1.5” wheel va 1” wheel?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Diameter size would matter more than width. To be honest, to get the bevel angle as accurate as possible you wouldn't use a grinder at all. A sharpening belt would give you a straight edge on your bevel instead of a hollow ground one from a grinder wheel. But you specifically asked about the width. I don't think the width will really matter at all. The wider width will give you a larger area to sharpen on so that may make it easier, or less likely to slip and fall of the edge. I bought the wheels I did to have the curved edge for sharpening my hollowing tool cutters. In hind sight, I think I should have bought one rounded and the other square since the wide square wheels I was looking at had grit on the side which would have been very convenient for shaping some specialty tools.

[@joemiller9632]

Good info thanks for sharing

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're very welcome and thanks for watching

[@LakeErieWoodturner]

Another Great video. Thanks!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're very welcome and thanks for watching!!

[@marksholin4835]

What grit are your wheels?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Wheel on the right with the Wolverine mount is 180. The wheel on the left with the 40 degree platform is 600. The reason for the 600 is that's where I sharpen my bowl gouge which is my most used tool. I want to take off as little steel as possible when sharpening to make the tool last longer. The 180 let's me quickly re profile things when needed.

[@josesarmiento6194]

Me funcionó!!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching!

[@Techumsa]

Niece, remember I before E except after C, just saying. 😀👍

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Not sure what that means, but thanks for watching!

[@Rebel9668]

But, would your turned coconut be able to be carried by two African swallows on a line? My problem is that a friend used my hammer and didn't put it back where it was the night before at about 8 o'clock.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hahaha, you read the description! No one reads the descriptions. I sometimes write some nonsensical story in the comments for some of my videos 🤣

[@Rebel9668]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop 😂😂

[@JoshLeichtung]

I used to be 37. Now my son is 37. ;-}

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You read the description!! I didn't think anyone ever read that. Thanks for watching (and reading 😁)

[@grahammeddings8357]

Stop messing about, waffle for 10 minuets and then action. Tormek 4 no comparison.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the video. The video was originally done for my local woodturning club and aimed at people who were new to turning and were looking for a simple sharpening setup. It's awesome that you have a Tormek 4 and I hope it serves you well. For people new to turning, and a lot of other experienced turners for that matter, it's unreasonable to expect any of them to spend $500+ on a grinder. My Rikon grinder, two cbn wheels, and wolverine setup cost less than a Tormek 4 with no accessories. There's always more than one correct way to do anything. I'm very happy that you have found a way that works for you. My setup has been serving me well for many years.

[@davemunday9498]

Scott - positive feedback idea. Are you aware of, or has anybody counted how many times you say the words "Right?" and "okay?" This video is truly great content, but that language habit kinda wears on the listener. Have your friends and family charge you a dollar every time they catch you, and it'll disappear in a single week.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

It's sort of funny. I don't even notice it. I guess it's just so ingrained in my head. Definitely something to work on. I was never a great public speaker 😂. Perhaps I'd do better if I had a script and a teleprompter.

[@jungltr363]

U talk too much rubbish

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm not a professional speaker. I'm just a woodturner trying to share some information that works for me, hoping that it will help others. Sorry the video didn't work out for you.

[@joeg4049]

@jungltr how about you do a video and then we will judge you. This is one of the most informative sharpening videos I found.

[@jungltr363]

@@joeg4049 u r not qualified to judge me.. So sit down

[@keith726able]

Wow, such arrogance. Over a sharpening video!

[@joecastillo9255]

Do you realize that every other word from you is "OK" as to reinforce your statement. Its bothersome. Cheers

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

The video is what it is. Yes, I do say "ok" a lot. I also think I give some fairly useful information on how I sharpen my lathe tools. I'm sorry the video triggered you to focus on the negative. I'm not a professional speaker. I'm just some regular guy trying to help out people. I'm sorry the video wasn't what you were looking for. Happy Holiday's