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As some of you have read I set up 3 sharpening systems to play with. 180 grit CBN wheel, 1" strip sander, and a Tormek. I still haven't set the Tormek up to use my jigs yet but I've been playing with the strip sander and using 320 grit belt. It definitely cuts cleaner than the 180 grit CBN. I was turning finials for Christmas ornaments yesterday and turned this top finial out of Walnut. I used my small Sorby continental gouge (actually it's a mini Sorby roughing gouge that I reground to resemble the larger Continental gouge grind) I have it sharpened at about 45 degree bevel. Using the 320 grit belt I got this finish.
The photo doesn't show it well enough. It was almost burnished. Except for 2 tiny areas where there is totally side grain showing I could have just applied finish. 400 grit actually dulled the surface but did blend all the areas. I had to sand to 100 grit to resemble the finish off the tool. Now I do believe some of that is burnishing from the polished bevel of the tool however I did try my best not to do that so it's probably a combination of really clean cutting and burnishing.
the 320 belt removes metal very fast so you have to be careful or you'll grind away your tool. All it takes is a very light touch. It leaves a satin bevel with no striations. I'm going to use the 600 belt next which will leave an almost mirror finish
I've been using it to sharpen my spindle roughing gouge which is also sharpened at about 40 degrees. It seems to make it hold an edge longer although if you were actually roughing a lot of work an edge with that sharp of an angle might chip. For doing table legs and such I use my bigger roughing gouge that has an angle of about 50 degrees which handles those forces better.
The photo doesn't show it well enough. It was almost burnished. Except for 2 tiny areas where there is totally side grain showing I could have just applied finish. 400 grit actually dulled the surface but did blend all the areas. I had to sand to 100 grit to resemble the finish off the tool. Now I do believe some of that is burnishing from the polished bevel of the tool however I did try my best not to do that so it's probably a combination of really clean cutting and burnishing.
the 320 belt removes metal very fast so you have to be careful or you'll grind away your tool. All it takes is a very light touch. It leaves a satin bevel with no striations. I'm going to use the 600 belt next which will leave an almost mirror finish
I've been using it to sharpen my spindle roughing gouge which is also sharpened at about 40 degrees. It seems to make it hold an edge longer although if you were actually roughing a lot of work an edge with that sharp of an angle might chip. For doing table legs and such I use my bigger roughing gouge that has an angle of about 50 degrees which handles those forces better.
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