safety question about sharpening technique

[Jim Underwood]

When sharpening a spindle roughing gouge, is it acceptable practice to rest the butt of the tool in the v-pocket of the wolverine jig, and rest the bevel on the wheel for grinding - or will that tend to wedge the tool between the pocket and stone? This question assumes about a 45° angle for the bevel.

I figure it's ok, but I have just enough doubt about that to ask.

The other option is just to use the platform, but it doesn't give results as smooth since it relies on my fat fumble fingers to hold it steady.

[Dale Miner]

I always lay my roughing gouge, spindle gouges, scrapers, conventional grind bowl gouges, and skews on the rest. Not so much due to a worry about the gouges wedging in, but hate to readjust the arm with the pocket when time comes to do fingernail bowl gouges.

I have heard of people using the arm with the pocket per you inquiry, and have heard of the arm slipping outward, allowing the gouge to drop and 'come off the bevel' causing a catch or dig in of the wheel.

I don't think there is a danger of dig in at 45 degrees unless the arm slips outward while grinding. If you do use the pocket arm for this purpose, make sure the arm is clamped tightly. A bevel angle more blunt than 45 has a higher risk of a dig in than one that is more acute. I would definately not try to use the arm for sharpening the conventional grind bowl gouge that I use for the bottom of bowls, as it is sharpend at about a 70 (or 20) degree angle, and with that blunt of a grind, feel that it would surely wedge and cause a dig in of the wheel. I would have to check the angle, but I think my roughing gouge is slightly more blunt than 45 degrees, and if so, would not consider using the pocket arm for sharpening.

Safety first,
Dale M

[Gordon Seto]

+1 on what Dale said.
Have "seen" it twice at Woodcraft open turn night- a loud bang, big chunks of the wheel missing. It happened so fast, not even the guy knew what happened. Jamming the blunt angle tool at the pocket of the sliding arm was our conclusion.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jim - I had the same concern and wanted to use the arm when I first got my Wolverine system. Just setting up the correct length and angle got me worried and I never did try it. So, for me, I just use the platform and have gotten fairly good at keeping the same bevel.

[Don Geiger]

I have been teaching the sharpening of woodturning tools for many years and have several inventions in that area.

Please do not risk having a major accident by placing the handle of a roughing gouge into the V-notch to sharpen it. I believe in not doing this so strongly that the horizontal arm on my sharpening syste is intentionally short ( only 16") to prevent people from using it this way.

You and others might get away with it some of the time, but when an accident occurs, you'll wish you'd never done it that way.

Instead: Sharpen the spindle roughing gouge on the platform tool rest.


Don Geiger

[Lance kanaby]

Did anyone ever hear of a light touch when sharpening on a grinding wheel? I don't mean to be sarcastic here, but common sense does come into play here. I know that we all seem to learn from our mistakes and that includes me too as this happen to me also when I first started turning. I then sought instruction from several old time woodturners. It's amazing how much you can learn from those who came before you. An expression I was taught was to "kiss the bevel to the wheel, we are sharpening here, not grinding." I use an 8" slow speed grinder with 80 and 120 grit wheels. When sharpening I only need two passes on the 120 wheel and you can shave hair with it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have seen this happen twice at two different Woodcraft demo's. Both times it wasn't the tool it was that after the demonstrators set the bevel neither one tightened the arm down. I was as guilty as the next guy in that no one caught it. It made a loud thump and took a chuck out of the stone. I have never had a problem using the wolverine jig with a SRG. A lite touch is called for. Although over the past year or so I have started trying to learn and do a lot more freehand sharpening using the platform. Still if I needed to I wouldn't be afraid sharpen a SRG using the arm.

[Rob Cunningham]

Jim, as long as the cutting edge of the gouge is ABOVE the center line of the grinding wheel and your setup is locked down tight, you will be fine. As the tool becomes more horizontal, the risk of it binding between the v block and the wheel becomes greater. As others have said, you only need a light touch, don't force the tool into the wheel.
A safety note: never stand directly in front of a grinding wheel when starting the grinder or when sharpening a tool. An exploding grinding wheel can do a lot of damage to anything in it's path.
Always use common sense and if it doesn't feel safe to you, don't do it.