Need help with Wet Grinder

[Ron Daves]

Attachment 318877I bought a Stanley #62 plane to use for thinning guitar and Uke lumber to specs ( 4 mm, more or less). The blade was nice and sharp and worked well until it became dull.
I decided to sharpen the blade. I’m traveling in an RV and don't have a grinder. I tried using sandpaper and stones and it turned out to be too difficult, plus it took the hollow grind away. So I purchased a special slow speed, water cooled sharpening grinder. I’ve done everything the manual says to do but I’m ending up with a skewed blade. The grinder is a Grizzly model T100097. It came with a universal grinding jig. I set the blade in the jig so it was at a 90-degree angle to the fixture. I mounted the 2” blade in the fixture, squared it up, set the grinding angle to 25-degrees and proceeded to grind. I’m getting a skewed grind and can’t figure it out. I think everything is square in the setup, so perhaps I need to use a specific procedure for grinding, e.g. start only from one side of the blade, sweep it across and repeat. I dunno. Need input.

[william watts]

I was just clicking around SMC and saw your post this may be my 1st visit to the instrument form. Know nothing about musical instruments, but I use a Tormek grinder and your Grizz works on the same principle. I have found that if the clamp screws that hold the blade in position are applying unequal pressure the grind will skew, more downward force is applied to one side of the blade than the other. tighten the screws lightly, but equally, it does not take much to hold it place. You can also mark a line on the blade with a felt tip using a small square and then apply finger pressure during the grind to keep it square.

[george wilson]

Just learn how to grind freehand. Use a square to check your tool's squareness.

[Ron Daves]

Just learn how to grind freehand. Use a square to check your tool's squareness.

Good input. I've done freehand grinding with success on an old hand operated grinder about 25-years ago. I'll give it a try with this grinder.

[Ron Daves]

George: I tried free-hand grinding on my wet grinder and I got fair results. The grinding marks on the hollow grind are not as perfect as they would be with a properly aligned guide, maybe that will come with practice. There's a "sound" that is made when you are "on the mark". Sometimes I have it, sometimes I don't. Hopefully, I'll get it before I grind this blade down to nothing.

[george wilson]

Keep practicing. That's how I got there.

[Ron Daves]

Keep practicing. That's how I got there.

George: Just a little info on my planes: I have a Stanley Bailey #4 1/2, a Stanley #62 (bevel up) and a Veritas block plane. I've sharpened and stropped the #62 by hand and this blade passes the paper test, although I haven't used it on any lumber, yet. I'm a little curious as to whether or not to refine this edge further with my Japanese Water Stones or is this no longer necessary? I read up on Plane Blade Geometry on the Lee Valley Tools and Veritas Tools website. Here they explain the subject bevels. Brian Burns also describes these plane blade treatments. Other contributors aren't in favor. Do you use a micro bevel or a back bevel on your plane irons? Thank you for your help on this.

[george wilson]

I do not see how a plane iron just fresh from the grinder wheel can be sharp enough for use. If the blade has a tiny wire edge,it will cut paper,but that is a false sharpness. You see that on TV,where the demonstrator will draw an axe through a carbide blade sharpening device,and cut paper with it. But,it's that little wire edge that is doing the cutting.

my recommendation is to hone the blade after grinding. I use a micro bevel on my planes.

[Ron Daves]

I've taken all the input I've received over the years, tried it all, and discarded what didn't work.
I ended up teaching myself to hand sharpen my Stanley #62, bevel up, A2 hardness blade to a nice 25-degree angle. The blade is about 1/4' shorter than when I got it, but I finally got an edge without a skew. Then I hand sharpened the blade on an 800, then 1200, then 2000 stone and stropped it on the grinder leather wheel. It passed the paper test, only this time with a really sharp edge, not a wire edge like before.

Anyway, I was ready to be disappointed when I mounted the blade. I fiddled around a bit, got everything set up and started planing. It was wonderful! I'm going to be really interested the next time I need to plane a piece of Uke lumber down. Right now, everything on my current project is planed to thickness, so I won't need my plane for awhile, but it is ready! Thank You, Thank You!