Sharpening wood turning tools on a budgie?

As always on abrasives, go for the best. The extra life far outweighs the cost.

I get mine (Norton cheapies) from Screwfix or the good ones in the Hermes blue zirconia from CSM Just Abrasives as they do 60 and 120 grit too. They also use a plastic backing rather than aluminium, which is less trouble for catching edges and is also lighter, which is nice on my 9" grinder-gyroscope.

(Get a paper catalogue, their web site is execrable)

Two standard sizes: some of the 4" use the little ones but everything else 4 1/2" and 5" is the M14 standard thread. There are also a couple of different side-handle threads, if you're using a stand or an Arbortech guard.

On the dust hazard thread, spalted timber is one of the serious few dust hazards you should worry about. European timber is generally quite safe (apart from the simple dust hazard) and it's the tropicals that have the irritation risk. This is serious, but usually highlighted by reputable sellers of exotic turning blanks. Some people do report problems with European species though, cedars are one of them. The biggest European risk is from embedded moulds rather than the timber itself.

Although the notion of actual "cancer" from these dusts is still controversial, the hazard isn't. If you're sanding, wear a mask.

Axminster had their yellow Perform on clearance recently. Street list is about 30 for that or the Nu-Tool. The Clarke machine you list is near enough the same. Sealey will do a very similar machine for 120!

If you're trying to keep the cost down, then use the angle grinder with a 120 grit flap and go easy on it. It's HSS, the risk of burning it is low.

Scary Sharp won't do HSS in finite time.

Reply to
Andy Dingley
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I use a Tormek and it works very well for me both for turning tools and conventional chisels.

I can achieve better results than with grinding. I've also experimented with scary sharp, but it's too slow to be of use from my perspective.

Reply to
Andy Hall

Some can be - generally the hardwoods and hardwood dust.

Yew is notable for toxicity for example and some of the exotics.

Others can create allergic reactions with some people, so if you are going to go into turning with different wood types, it would be worth checking before buying the materials.

Reply to
Andy Hall

Reply to
T i m

We have a Screwfix reasonably close so I might check them out.

Ok .. thanks ..

LOL

.. ".. To those who know their Flap Discs .. " ;-)

Good to be able to help Andy.

Ok, grinders were about 15 quid in Homebase and Wickes I noted today. ..

Thanks ..

Ok ..

Makes sense .. or do it outside ..

Well, whilst in Wickes looking for some basic masonry drills guess what I spotted, the same wet / dry grinder for 23 quid (there I have one in the car boot as we speak). ;-)

I'd like to get some of the flap wheels as well, always nice to see / try different stuff ..

Oh 'that' finite!

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

I must admit, I really wouldn't have suspected ordinary 'tree wood' would be potentially dangerous like that (outside the dust thing or being hit by a tree that is).

Is nothing safe any more ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Some are clearly based on amount of exposure. Probably in "olden days" lifetime craftsmen had a relatively short lifetime anyway.

Now we have longer lifetimes and potential exposures to toxins.

Reply to
Andy Hall

yes, I just try to be aware of the options.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

I use my Tormek for most edge tools but use a regular 8 inch grinder for the turning tools - I'll try the Tormek if I ever find time to do any more turning.

Dave

Reply to
NoSpam

I've never found any use for wood working tools that were not very, very sharp. I suspect that a burr would reduce the rate of cut, which some people might find made them easier to use.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
nightjar

I was thinking that .. so working as a 'bodger' in the woods meant you didn't have to wear a mask (had they considered such things) but you would probably die of pneumonia instead!

You win some you loose some ... ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

No, just woodturning scrapers. Chisels and gouges should be sharp, but with a more obtuse angle than bench tools (for strength).

For putting the burr onto scrapers, then the best gadget is this:

It really does work beautifully.

If you've metalworking kit, some carbide rod scrap and a grinder, then you can make your own.

PS - Silver solder the carbide into a holder stick (or a big pn vice) _before_ you try holding it on the grinder!

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Bodgers didn't do turning though, they used reciprocating pole lathes. The implications of this are that you work cleft green timber and you work it with shear tools, not scrapers. Both of these encourage lareg shavings, not fine dust.

Compared to the turners of the day (working imported exotics, bone and ivory) they were very healthy. The bigger hazard for turners wasn't wood dust, it was anthrax (a bagpipe maker was infected just a year back).

Reply to
Andy Dingley

More 'turning' that spokeshaving though eh (but I get your drift) ;-)

Ah, but yeah, but, so the guy creating a large bowl on an electric lathe using green timber and shear tools is a: ?

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Both of these encourage lareg

Understood.

Bagpipes eh .. serves him right ... ;-( (not really)

So, today I collected the 4 jaw chuck and bowl turning rest for the lathe. The chuck seems pretty good (for 35 quid) and at least means I have the option to use one or not.

I also treated myself to one of those heavy free standing tall cast iron stands for either the wet/dry grinder or my std one (and put the wet/dry on the bench). The idea being I can stand it out the way in a corner till I need it or put it in a cupboard and break the stand down flat etc.

Forgot to get the masks but need to go back to get a wheel dressing diamond thing ..

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

If you go back to Holtzappffel's day (and his very readable books) there was a distinct split between lathe-using bodgers or furniture makers and these new-fangled "turning benches" with continuous rotation. They were only small at first, and developed from clockmakers' and metalworkers tools. Over time the "great wheel" was developed, where an apprentice could do the donkey work. Operator hand-cranked small wheels were popular for small work in wood, but the large wheel took a surprisingly long time to supplant the reciprocating lathe for cabinetmaking. America seems to have adopted the large great wheel lathes more readily. England really took until the adoption of steam-powered lineshafts in factories before switching to continuous rotation for all turning.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

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