Sharpen all new tools! Just do it!
Everyone I have talked to and everything I have read indicate that you must sharpen all new tools. New tools from the store are not sharp enough. Let me repeat... they are not sharp enough! You need to take the time to put a good, new edge on your new tool. This will allow you to enjoy your new lathe tool the way it was meant to be.
I started with pen turning. Further, I felt that a new lathe tool comes sharp enough to cut your wood without problem and would last for several wood turnings before needing to be sharpened. After all, a new table saw blade cuts cleanly and lasts for a long time before needing to be sharpened. Why not a lathe tool?
Well, I found that I was getting a lot of lathe tool marks on my turnings that were hard to get out during the finishing step. Plus, there was chip outs that happened unexpectedly. After taking the bowl turning class where we turned green wood, I found that I had to sharpen the gouge 4-5 times during the 2 hours of turning. Every time the fingernail gouge had a new edge put on it, it was like slicing through butter. I got fine shavings and a very smooth surface without catching or chipping out. And you could tell right away when the tool became too dull to continue.
When you sharpen your new tool for the first time, I recommend that you attempt to match the bevel set by the manufacturer. You should try to match the bevel angle at the center edge of the tool. Then, you keep that same bevel for the sides. Unfortunately, I found that Sorby had a different edge on the sides of my fingernail bowl gouge. So it took me a while to get it evenly the same on all sides. By using the manufacturer's bevel, you will always have a good reference point. You can also use the reference bevel angles recommended by the experts like found in the book "Learn to Turn" by Barry Gross. These are also good starting points.
As you gain experience with using and sharpening your lathe tool, you can change the angle of tool's grind to suit your style. However, I strongly advise against letting others reshape your tool before you are comfortable using it the way it came from the manufacturer. Instead, it is better to have them show how they sharpen their own tools so you can see their sharpening technique. Having others set the grind on your new tool at an angle different than the manufacturer and change it several times does not help you learn consistency in your turning style. The manufacturer's grind is designed to be useful in most turning situations and serves as a good point for starting out.
Tip 1 - Purchase a small gauge (about$10) with different angles set in it. This is a very worthwhile tool to know the bevel angle set at the manufacturer.
Tip 2- Watch the 10 minute sharpening video by Mike Mahoney on YouTube. His video is very clear about what is required to put a new edge on several different types of lathe tools.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment