sharpening

["Paul Rigby" <p.j.rigby@xxxxxxx>]

Hello all and thanks for the info on sharpening.
I have had good luck using a speed control for a router in line with my
bench grinder.  I was told it may burn out the grinder moter but I've
experienced no problems. (beside I have several grinders I'm willing to
sacrifice).  the great benefit of this has been much more control of the
grinding surface.  No matter how much I dress the wheel, at high speed it
tends to bobble the chisel head.

I've also had great success using the green wheel in the same way for my
carbide chisels.  Running at a low speed I can shape the chisels the way I
want.  I use a 1/4 inch green wheel and dress it with a diamond tool (I
think I got it from Granite City or Braxton Bragg--one can contact them) to
shape the wheel to a narrow point.  I then run carbide tooth chisels into
this wheel (slowly and carefully)  to reset the teeth.  I've even made a
tooth chisel this way.  BTW, I saw this set up at the Bybee Limestone plant
when I went to the Limestone Symposium last summer (If you have not tried
this it is a great experience which I plan to repeat!!!)

Has anyone had any success with small dremel cutoff wheels used with a
flexible shaft tool (or any other system) to make fine tooth chisels.

I will only add to a previous post about overheating your carbide tools and
then quenching them--this can cause the brazing join to pop.  Even tho the
carbide itself seems impervious to overheating I get much better results by
slowing the wheel down.

Finaly, I have not tried the water-cooled wheels.  I imagine they are really
great for control.  The system I outlined above was an inexpensive
alternative.

Thanks to all who contribute to the LISTSERV, it's been very helpful to me
in my work.

Paul Rigby