Delta GR050 sharpener, worth keeping? Sharpen lathe bits?

[danielbuck]

I've got all of my father's tools and most of the stuff from his garage over the past 5 years or so. I've already been using the stuff that I immediately found useful for years now, but I'm starting to go through the tools and items that I kept but didn't initially see as much use. Today I'm looking at his Delta GR050 sharpener.


I don't do much woodworking, I do mostly metal working, so I don't really have the need to sharpen wood chisels (I'm assuming this is what my father used this for, to sharpen wood chisels) I'm guessing this would also work real good for sharpening axes, shovels, knives, and so on.

What will be wanting to do is learn to sharpen my own cutting bits for my a metal lathe. Would this type of sharpener be suitable for sharpening lathe bits?

 

[danielbuck]

Well I decided to give it a try. I put a new profile on a worn out cutter bit using this grinder, and it seems to have worked. It had no problem cutting mild steel on the lathe.

I'm still new at grinding lathe tools, so I don't know if this is the ideal way to grind bits, but it seems alot easier (and safer) with such a slow spinning wheel, rather than on my bench grinder.

Anyone here have experience grinding new (or touching up) tool bits from HSS blanks?

 

[danielbuck]

I ground a new point on this sharpener, and it took a while, but the result was pretty good. The bit doesn't get hot like on the bench grinder, so I don't have to keep cooling it. But it does take quite a bit longer on this slow spinning wheel. So, I may keep this sharpener for doing just that, sharpening dull bits. I'll grind the main profiles (if starting from a blank) on the bench grinder because it's faster, and then touch it up on the smoother slower spinning wheel of this sharpener.

I'll take a few photos shortly, in case anyone else is interested.

 

[danielbuck]

Well, I've been using the bits that I've ground (and/or re-sharpened) on the Delta sharpener, and they have been working nicely. I've used them on mild steel, and aluminum.

Here was last night's project in aluminum. Really basic, nothing particularly difficult here, I'm trying to make stuff that's easy so I can get more seat time on the lathe without getting frustrated or overwhelmed (making things precise isn't really something I've done much of in the past)

Can't have to many hammers

 

[zkling]

It would be better suited to honing metal lathe bits or sharpening wood lathe chisles. If you try reprofiling bits or making from new square HSS stock you will really wear the stone and motor out.

Nice work on the hammer, maybe try throwing a heavy piece of hose or even just o rings around the bottom of the handle for a better grip and stop.

 

[danielbuck]

Yea, I was thinking about doing something different with the handle.

I need to re-make the handle anyway, I turned down the shoulder for the threads to far, so the threads aren't fully cut on the handle (I'm cutting them with tap and die, not with the lathe, that's beyond me right now!). I'll probably turn the handle down from thicker stock, so that there's a bump at the end, and them maybe try some knurling.

O-rings in the grooves might actually be nice! I may have to try that.

The Delta sharpener is definitely slower, maybe I'll grind the main profile on my bench grinder, and then just use the delta for re-sharpening and touching up.

 

[danielbuck]

Made another hammer, this time the threads engage nicely. Helps when you measure

I'm going to try some knurling along the inside length of the handle.... I'll try it on some test pieces first.

I was using the dials on the lathe this time, getting everything evenly spaced, turned to the same diameter, grooves all the same depth.