Is There A Guideline Or Suggested Height For Locating A Grinder And Sharpening System

[Dom Garafalo]

After receiving my first lathe, a Jet 1221vs, with a crack in the casting, I think the replacement I received yesterday is fine. Now I'm going to start building a stand alone bench to locate both the lathe as well as the slow speed grinder and Wolverine sharpening system I also purchased.

I'm initially going to set the bench height at 30" which according to most guidelines and suggestions will put my bent elbows at the centerline of the spindle.

However, as previously pointed out by a experienced turner on this site, that bench height will probably be too low for the sharpening setup. My plan is to build a raised platform on the bench for locating the sharpening setup.

So I'm wondering whether there is a guideline or suggested height for locating the grinder and Wolverine sharpening setup?

Thank you

Dom

[Robert Henrickson]

However, as previously pointed out by a experienced turner on this site, that bench height will probably be too low for the sharpening setup. My plan is to build a raised platform on the bench for locating the sharpening setup.
So I'm wondering whether there is a guideline or suggested height for locating the grinder and Wolverine sharpening setup?

Perhaps so that the grinder shaft is around waist-high.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Do what feels comfortable for you! I have my grinder set up such that I do not have to bend over! I get tired enough standing at the lathe, besides, when the grinder is up high, you can view things so much easier!

Here is a very old thread but if you scroll down to post #11, you can see the stand I made for my grinder.

[Hayes Rutherford]

How about close your eyes, hold a tool like you are going to grind it, walk over to a wall or your grinder and while standing comfortably, open your eyes. This is where you want your grinder platform. Works for lathe height as well.

[Reed Gray]

I like my grinder platforms to be at about the same height as my lathe and tool rest. I don't use jigs, and the motions of free hand sharpening are identical to motions of turning.

robo hippy

[Kyle Iwamoto]

How about close your eyes, hold a tool like you are going to grind it, walk over to a wall or your grinder and while standing comfortably, open your eyes. This is where you want your grinder platform. Works for lathe height as well.

Walking with your eyes closed and holding a sharp tool? There sems to be some degree of danger there. I'd pass.

[Hayes Rutherford]

ok Kyle, take a dull tool.

[Thom Sturgill]

Don't know that this data point helps, but Doug Thompson has a whole bunch of grinders in a circle and he sits in the middle so he can go from one to the next. He is grinding large batches of tools not the one or two that we would normally sharpen at once. I have close duplicates of my favorite size/flute and tend to check/sharpen everything in the shop before starting a new project then switch tools rather than go back to the grinder mid-project. I have talked to others that use the dual ended one-way gouges the same way - sharpen both ends and switch ends for those final cuts.

As to the height - if you only ever sharpen one tool at a time it probably does not matter other than your ability to see what you are doing. If you tend to sharpen several at once, comfort might be a bigger issue. I bought one of the cast iron stands and it works well for me but I'm 5'8" - if I was a six-footer, I'm sure it would be too short.

I prefer a separate stand so that the startup vibration is not an issue and so that I can re-locate it as needed. I hang the varigrind and raptor gouges off of hooks attached to the platform.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

My grinder is setup on top of a rolling cabinet with drawers for chucks, jaws and all the stuff I want access to. It sits next to the headstock end of the lathe. When I set it up, I took pains to find the height that worked best for me and shimmed up the grinder platform with the Wolverine until it was comfortable before screwing the hole thing down for good. Out of curiosity I just went out and measured it - turns out the grinder shaft is at the same height as the lathe spindle.
Works for me.

[Dale Miner]

went out and measured it - turns out the grinder shaft is at the same height as the lathe spindle.
Works for me.

This sounds about right to me. When shapening, whether with a jig or freehand, a fluid motion is important to get a smooth grind. If one needs to stoop over it reduces the ability for smooth body movement and hampers the sharpening fluidity. By standing nearly erect, it allows for the use of the arms AND the ability to shift weight from one foot to another similar to the motion used when turning.