Looking for a blade sharpening wheel

[David Freed]

I have a Makita 9820-2 electric sharpener. I bought it about 16 years ago along with my first planer, used it a few times, and even though it does a very good job, I put it on the shelf because it sharpens about as fast as grass grows. The problem is it has a 1000 grit stone, which does a great job honing, but takes forever to get nicks out. Now that I am getting quite a few machines with blades that need to be sharpened regularly, I need to start doing it in house again, but if I have to pay someone to spend all day sharpening blades, that is defeating the purpose. Does anyone know where to get a "rough" grit stone that will sharpen quickly and fit this sharpener? If not, can anyone recommend another sharpener that can sharpen blades quickly? I looked at the Delta 23-710, but it has a 1000 grit stone also, and I can't find a rough grit stone for it either.

[Eddie Darby]

If you look at the platter-sandpaper sharpeners, you will find the adjust ability that you are looking for.

Lee Valley have their version, and there's the more refined, but also more $$$$ Lap-Sharp.

[David Freed]

Thanks for the suggestion. Both of those sharpeners are for hand tools and won't work for me, but I might be able to stick the replaceable sanding disks to the wheel on my sharpener. I am going to the shop and do some measuring and checking. Update to follow.

[michael osadchuk]

I have the same Makita horizontal wet grinding wheel from the early 90s......a couple of years later, I went to the Makita Cdn. headquarters west of Toronto and bought the 60grit stone that Makita makes for this sharpener; the product number is 794041-3 (barcode on the box I still have is 088381103091; I paid $50 Cdn. at the time; the metal bottom of the wheel states "King stone" and "Anjo,Aichi, Japan"; it's a good, durable, verastile stone; I use it both on the machine and as stationary stone, for shaping and with "big steel" such as axes, etc.
......
Makita also made a 6000grit stone for this machine: #794040-5; I can't recall exactly what I paid for it but I think it was a few dollars more than the 1000grit stone that comes with the machine....

..... I encourage you to go directly to Makita's own national headquarters; first in the U.S., then Canada to locate what you need; get their customer service people to track down what you want; I'd be surprised if there isn't some stock sitting in some Makita warehouse somewhere

good luck

michael

[David Freed]

After looking it over, I think that the sanding disks would work on this sharpener

Michael,

Thanks for your input also. Years ago I had tried to find a rough stone for it and couldn't. Recently, I had searched in countless stores on the internet without being able to locate one. I just assumed that if nobody offered it, then they don't make it. I knew they made the 6000 grit stone, although I can't imagine why.
I went to the Makita website and they do make the 60 grit stone, but I will have to go to a Makita dealer to see if it is possible to order one.

I am still seriously considering the sandpaper route as an option though because 60 grit to 1000 is a big jump. I am not wanting to shave with these blades, just get out the nicks and get them reasonably sharp.

[michael osadchuk]

Originally Posted by David Freed

After looking it over, I think that the sanding disks would work on this sharpener

Michael,

Thanks for your input also. Years ago I had tried to find a rough stone for it and couldn't. Recently, I had searched in countless stores on the internet without being able to locate one. I just assumed that if nobody offered it, then they don't make it. I knew they made the 6000 grit stone, although I can't imagine why.
I went to the Makita website and they do make the 60 grit stone, but I will have to go to a Makita dealer to see if it is possible to order one.

I am still seriously considering the sandpaper route as an option though because 60 grit to 1000 is a big jump. I am not wanting to shave with these blades, just get out the nicks and get them reasonably sharp.

David,
If you are considering making a lower grit sandpaper topped platen to help with sharpening jointer and planer knives on the Makita, remember to make the height of the sandpaper topped platen the same as the 1000 waterstone. Otherwise the knives won't register or meet the sharpening media at exactly same angle (between the sandpaper topped platen and the waterstone wheel).

With resharpening planer and jointer knives I don't recall using the 60 grit stone (no nicks or reshaping was required) but certainly have used the 6000 stone in addition to the 1000 stone. I don't know for a fact that also "finish" honing on the 6000grit stone makes a difference for planer and jointer knives, but my understanding is for chisels to sharpen to 6000 and for plane blades to go to 8000 (and more) so I assume the finer grit is a benefit.

I mainly use stationary waterstones and only drag out the Makita when sharpening planer and jointer knives or doing a major reshaping of chisel and plane blades. The stationary waterstones are just quicker to set up.

good luck

michael