Do I need a new grinder or a new bowl gouge?
just bought an hurricane 1/2" bowl gouge from Amazon it had 4.5 stars. I also bought the wolverine one way sharpening system with the vari grind attachment. When trying to sharpen my bowl gouge on my 6" skil bench grinder with an 80 grit stone it immediately blued the gouge. I was very frustrated and I tried using water and motor oil to keep the gouge from blueing but neither worked. So then I said screw it I will grind the gouge at a 90 degree angle past the blue part and then re-grind the correct angle but when grinding it at even a 90 degree angle the gouge is smoking and just continues to blue. Therefore I cant just start over with it. The gouge was about $33 and I don't have a lot of money right now to be buying new gouges and grinders. The grinder I have is not a slow speed grinder. I was going to try a finer grit but I can not find grinder wheels in the stores near me. I use a craftsman 1" belt sander for my other turning tools as it has an adjustable platform. But I cant use the wolverine system with the belt sander
Thanks
Adam
Test the steel for hardness
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Adam Herd
I am beginning to wonder if the tool is not HSS then because it leave a horrible edge with knicks all along it. How ever it is fairly sharp but I have to sharpen it every 10 minutes or so because it won't hold an edge. I will post pictures when I get home.
Adam,
To see if the tool is hardened, whether HSS or carbon steel, try filing a groove in it near the working end with the corner of a file. If you can easily file a groove/scratch the tool is not hardened and can't really be used like a hardened tool. If it is not HSS, enough heat to turn it blue will remove the hardness. If not hardened properly in the first place, there's not much you can easily do except return it for a new one.
I have a box full of cheap tools I collect to give to beginners and other who need them. I tested a bunch of them one day and found several that were not hardened at all. A few others were hardened for an inch or so at the tip but not hardened the rest of the way. Proper hardening is one thing your run into with cheap tools.
When you can swing it, try buying a Thompson bowl gouge. These are top quality, extremely good steel, stay sharp for a long time unless you are cutting concrete. A 1/2" gouge will cost about $65.
Note that a finer grinding wheel might actually make the tool hotter than a coarse wheel. When possible, try a CBN wheel instead. A 1/2 speed grinder is desirable for another reason - it doesn't grind away steel as fast so it might be a little easier to sharpen with.
I don't see if you mentioned where you live. If you happen to live in East TN, come by and I can check your gouge, sharpen on a CBN wheel and test, and perhaps loan or give you a gouge that will get you going for now.
JKJ