Making a lapping plate for water stones?

[Neil Bosdet]

I have a cast iron extension wing from my General saw that is sitting in my shop unused due to my sliding table being attached to the saw. Can I make this into a lapping plate? It seems like a good idea to me but maybe I'm not considering something? If it is, how would you go about cutting grooves into it to catch the slurry from lapping stones?

[Steve Beadle]

If it was me, Neil, I'd simply affix some sandpaper to the flat wing with spray adhesive and then lap my waterstones when they are dry. Just use a shop vac to clean off the grit frequently, and maybe a stiff brush.

If you want to lap a wet waterstone, maybe you've got a large enough diamond stone to do the job? Or use wet-or-dry silicon carbide paper instead of the dry sandpaper. Use a little water to moisten the wet-or-dry and it should stick to the flat surface okay.

[Jim Becker]

Gee...as long as it's flat, it sounds like a wonderful idea to put that wing to use, rather than having it just gather dust and take up valuable space without adding value to your shop. Go for it!

[Dennis Collins]

Without have a waterstone flattening device (whatever that might be), how do you recommend I flatten my one and only 1000/6000 grit water stone.

Dennis

[Dennis Collins]

Without a waterstone flattening devise (what ever that is), how would you flatten my one and only 1000/6000 girt waterstone?

[Brent Smith]

Uhmm, Jim, in case you didn't know...........You've got a beaver growing out of your head.

Brent

[Cecil Arnold]

Brent, I thought Pac-Man was eating his head.

[Les Spencer]

Without have a waterstone flattening device (whatever that might be), how do you recommend I flatten my one and only 1000/6000 grit water stone.

Dennis

See Steve's reply above. Use a piece of plate glass with wet/dry sand paper and water. Make pencil lines along the length of the stone and lap until the lines have been removed. I use 180 grit.

[Dan Racette]

You can get a flat 9 x 12 granite surface plate grade B from places like enco for about $16. That's what I use with PSA sandpaper.

Rob Cosman's video that cover's sharpening, he uses an additional 1000 grit stone as his flattener. Expensive option.

I have two grade b surface plates and I use Klingspor PSA. I usually flatten my backs on one, and have a larger sheet stuck on the other just by water adhesion from the surface tension. I rub the stones on that one, very often if going through the back flattening, or less often if just tuning an edge.

[Dan Racette]

Saw your post about your trip to Russia (hence the hat). I am looking forward to your "russian dance" video to be on your site!!!

[Peter Mc Mahon]

I do it the Rob Cosman way. I have 2 1000 grit stones. I use both of them before flattening and this way they both need to be flattened. As long as I stop when they are flat there is no more wear than using a dedicated flattening station [ naturally you need to stop when it is flat to avoid excess wear using a flattening station as well ] This is actually the cheaper way to go in the long run because I have 2 stones at todays price and I have 2 stones to wear before needing to flatten them, and I flatten both of them in the same amount of time as 1 stone.

[Michael Perata]

I keep the http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=3677 in the same tub of water as the stones and run the stone over it every 20-30 strokes. Works very nicely and is easy to store with the stones.

[Michael Gabbay]

I just got the Norton flattening stone from Joel at Tools for Working Wood. It is $24. I like it alot. It flattens in half the time as sand paper on glass or drywall screens.

Mike

[Steve Beadle]

Uhmm, Jim, in case you didn't know...........You've got a beaver growing out of your head.

Brent

Beaver? I thought that was a Chia plant!