I have two sharpeners now in my shop:  a bench grinder with the Wolvarine shajrpening system and a Work Sharp 3000.  While I like both sharpeners, Iam using the Work Sharp system more and more for my lathe chisels.  Several woodworking friends have been impressed with how sharp I can grind my lathe tools on the Work Sharp system.  Here is how I do it.

 

Gouges: 

Materials:

• 
  
• scrape lumber
  
• various size hole saw drill bits that are larger than the diameter of your gouge
  
• 1 1/2" to 2" hole saw drill bit
  
• piece of 3/4" lumber 3"x3" minimum
  
• 1/4-20 screw insert
  
• drill bit for screw insert
  
• 1/4-20 thumb screw or eye bolt
  
• 1/4" piece of plywood 2"x4"
  
• digital angle cube
  

Process:

1. 
   
2. In the scrape lumber use the various large drill bits and drill holes until the back of your gouge rests nicely against the side of the hole.  Call this drill bit, Bit-A.
   
3. Using the 3/4" lumber, drill a 1 1/2" to 2" hole and save the plug you cut out
   
4. Drill a hole into the side of the plug toward the center of the plug using the drill bot for the screw insert
   
5. Clamp the plug so that it will not spin on you when you drill into it, drill a hole in the center of the plug using Bit-A.
   
6. Screw in the 1/4-20 screw insert and insert the thumb screw/eye bolt.
   

Setting up the jig

1. 
   
2. Slide the jig onto the gouge
   
3. Place the gouge and jig on the Work Sharp tool rest
   
4. Place the angle cube on the sanding surface of the Work Sharp and zero it
   
5. Move the cube to the top of the gouge and adjust the gouge until you get the desired angle between the gouge and sanding surface
   
6. Slide the jig up against the tool rest and tighten it to the gouge
   
7. Place the 2"x4" plywood against the jig under the gouge and mark the length of the gouge on it.
   

Using the jig

1. 
   
2. Slide the jig onto the gouge
   
3. Place the 2"x4" plywood under the gouge with the tip on the pencil mark you made earlier and hold it tight to the gouge
   
4. Slide the jig up against the plywood and tighten the thumb screw to hold it in place
   
5. Place the gouge on top of the tool rest and slide it until the jig is also againt the tool rest
   
6. Turn on your Work Sharp and begin sharpening the gouge, keeping it on the tool rest and the jig against the tool rest.
   

 

Note:  The jig must be round and not square.  This makes for better control of the sharpening process.

 

Note:  While the same jig can be used for various size gouges, I would not recommend it.  You can make several jigs at the same time for the various size gouges that you have.

 

 

Skew chisels and Parting Tools

I will discuss how to sharpen these chisels in another post after I have taken some photos to illustrate the processs of making the jig since two angles are involved.

 

 

Phil that sounds interesting. I have the WorkSharp but haven't used it for my lathe tools yet.

 

Can you post a picture of two of the jig you made?

 

Thanks

 

 

Here are some photos of the jig and how to use it.  For a 3/4" gouge my hole size was 1 1/4" and the hole saw bit was 2 1/2".   

The rest of the photos

I see said the blind man!  Much better with the pictures.  I have a worksharp and sharpen my skew with it.  I was never successful with my gouge.  I will make a jig today.

I understand now. That is a great jig. I'm going to have to try that.