Tips On Sharpening My New Gouges!
 

I have been turning my first few plugs but I am having a problem.....I am not too good at sharpening my gouges yet and I was wondering if you guys can give me some tips on how you sharpen your gouges? Right now I guess they just are not properly sharpened and they seem to be "tearing" the wood and I have to do way more sanding than I really should. I do have my speed up pretty high so I am pretty sure it is the edge on the gouges. Thanks in advance for any help.:thanks:

sharpening stone works for me. got one right next to the lathe to keep my straight edges sharp. A belt sander works good also. A sharp chisel will cut down on the blade chatter = less sanding.

I use a slow speed sharpener ( Delta) Then touch up with wet sharpener. I hold gouge at an angle and roll it back and forth. If you use a belt sander just be careful to not let chisel heat up.

You talking about a grinding wheel and a wetstone??

will work if it is slow speed. like 200 RPM

Geeez...I don't think my Dads wheel is a variable speed or not....I will check. Thanks Newell Guy.:btu:

I use me belt sander.... yes I am a hack :rocketem:

inexspensive tools ,,,beltsander 5 seconds.:happy:

i use a wet stone ,I soack it for 20 min then lap My tool:D
the stone is 1200 grit a
then I use a 6000 grit wet stone to put a quick polish on it.
when Im reshaping I use a water fed unit.

I use the tools straight off the grinder most times, on my skew chisel I hit it on the whetstone to knock the burr off. I can almost turn a plug that doesn't need sanding, but I sand them so the paint has something to grab. It's about how you turn, do you shear the wood off or scrape it off??? Scaping will dull a tool faster. It's hard to describe how to shear cut, but you touch the bevel of the tool on the stock first then you swing it in till the edge starts cutting. With a skew you actually hold the tool on the tool rest on the narrow edge, not on the flat.


I wish I had a low speed grinder beacuse the 3600 RPM one takes the temper outof the tool.

Are you quenching the tool in water while you are sharpening it? You should be. The tool (Even if it's cheaper tool steel) should not even begin to temper untill it reaches a couple hundered degrees.
Have you tried a different wheel? It sounds like you are using a fine, strong wheel...great for touch ups, but if you need to take off a lot of material a wheel like that will just burn the steel.
Make sure you dress the wheel too, some wheels get loaded up.


BF
I know that they make sharpening stones with the profile of the gouge in the stone, but they are awfully pricey.
You can do it by hand....but it takes practice and patience to get it just right. I am still hit or miss with it so don't feel bad.

If I could do that I'd never leave the house. :laughs:

Have no lapping compound....:angel:

i said unit:p