OK all, I just received Mikey's model tool in the mail (Monday @ 12:00 noon Calif. time). Started to run right out to the garage when wife grabbed me by the ear and said "eat lunch first because I know I won't see you till after dinner time". So, dutifully obeying - I choked down lunch and THEN ran out to the garage!
Note - I'm a complete newbie on lathe tool grinding!
First thing I did was to cut and pasted all of Mikey's write-ups into one single MS Word document (all 23 pages of write ups! Hell of a task and job well done by Mikey, I might add!). Printed it out and into the garage I went. Started with the basic RH cutting tool. Followed the instructions step - by - step and compared my tool to the Sample Tool. It was amazing, even on my old rickety belt sander it took less than 20 minutes to grind. And, this is with me going from 36 grit, to polish with 80, and then just for S%its & Giggle's 220 grit. finished off with honing it. IT CAME OUT GREAT!!!!! and the bloody thing is SHARP!
Apparently, for me at least, what has been missing was a simple step - by - step walk thru to make it clear and easy to do!
Other things i discovered while grinding the 3 sample tools - -
1) the platen on my belt grinder is not rigid enough.
2) Belt grinder motor is a wimp - it's 30 years old & from harbor freight
3) Table is definitely not rigid enough - flexes down from left to right under pressure (is
only held on left side by one bolt.
4) No easy, accurate & repeatable way to place angles on table
So, basically, belt sander is crap - - good for general roughing & / or wood sanding in garage. OH BOY, VALID EXCUSE TO BUY A NEW TOOL!!
Attached is a photo of the tool model (bright shiny tool on right) and my grind (dull color on left). Note: I had not put the slight rounding of the nose on my tool when this photo was taken.
View attachment 242582
A final note - - after grinding the 3 samples tools in key stock - I duplicated this RH tool in a cheap Chicom metal HSS tool blank I had laying around. Put it in the tool holder in my Sherline lathe & started making cuts I never would have thought possible on this small lathe.
THANK YOU MIKEY FOR TAKING THE TIME & PUTTING IN THE EFFORT TO HELP US NEWBIE'S LEARN & GROW IN THIS HOBBY! (and yes, I did blame you for needing the new belt sander when I told the wife!)
Dave Harris
ps, It's now 2:30 Calif. time & I'm prepping the 3 sample tools to send up to Canada tomorrow! So, in roughly 2 hours I cut the 3 sample tools, one HSS tool and made some cuts!