I'm interested in building a sharpening machine that would have 4 wheels. Two for sandpaper strips, 1 for a leather for stropping, and one cloth wheel for polishing. Is anyone aware of plans/suggestions for do-it yourselfers &/or component suppliers :?:

Dave2 :?

I would think that all you need is a mandrel for four wheels, a belt and a washing machine motor!

Thanks for the comments on the washing machine motor; I got several messages suggesting their use and I will follow up on that.

Carver Dave

Dave,if you are going to use a leather wheel for stropping,you don't need a cloth wheel.First of all stropping wheels in order of hardness are paper,leather, and hard felt.Anything other ,forget it,the wheel will roll the tools edge and cause you more work, both in carving, and continual sharpening. Soft,medium felt wheels are being passed off as FELT wheels, the wholesale is much less than a hard felt wheel,the grooved wheel is a gimmick. The sander, heck use a belt sander, put some 3 in 1 oil on it and you have a shaper that may take a little longer,but does not burn the tool #110 sandpaper. For any stropping wheel .use a cooling paste,the secret Ozark compound is for hand stropping only.I don't see why it is being passed off for wheels, a 3 pound block is more like it My trick is to shape a tool((heel grinding only) on the belt sander, then use a paper wheel, tool at 45 degree angle and roll the tool to form the cutting edge. Then I wack it(no longer than saying ZIP IT) on the felt wheel,see if the little bead of melted compound says its sharp,try a cross grain in whatever handy,cherry,maple oak, etc(my firewood pile).I use the compound on the sander, paper wheel,felt wheel etc because the one thing that will screw up a tool is heat, fine ceramic wheels have ruined more gouges, than I have, throwing them at groundhogs.I just got done doing 80 tools in a bit over two hours. A lot from England,so they were in interesting stages of needing work from a simple honing to reshaping and grinding,will be honest not all came out as sharp as wanted, but it will be nice in a few days.So gang if I left you with questions. The trick is to use a tool rest,that is a basic requirement for accurate and sharp edges. So,once yas learns da basics there is a chance, abet a slim one, that you might be able to carver as badly as I do, Cordially, Nad larry nadwodney Forgot, the 45 degree angle on the paper wheel,if you use as you would a grinding wheel, that paper wheel will make the bevel surface concave, the sucker is HARD,anything not clear This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and thanks for taking the time to read my comments

I bought a "burke" sharpener and it works...but that said, I don't care a lot for the design, not bad, but just seems the wheels are too close and I have gotten my hand into the next wheel a couple times...no damage, but gets your attention! I am going to build my own sharpener too. and going to take my own advice...I found a site where you can get the free standing mandrels for about 26.00 to 32.00 dollars (and more I suppose!) with brass bearings. A good evaporative cooler motor that has a two speed. The burke has sanding wheels made of mdo board cut in a circle and self sticking sandpaper on them, may do that for one, thinking seriously of getting one of Nad's hard felt wheels....at least doing my own, I can space the wheels out better :roll:

The felt wheels have become an endangered species,have 18..sell them at shows because my profit is $8/wheel.When I ship,take $4.oo off that.With the dollar decline vs the pound, my price, shipped, results in a loss.. So,I can't replace them....However, a lot of people sell Hard wheels,,,,just make sure that you specify that you will only accept a HARD wheel..Should it crumble within a year or so,their/your/my defination of HARD will be totally out of sync..OK? I just wrote an article on Power Honing and sent it out..Don't know if accepted yet,or rejected..Will be happy to send you a copy,,,might give you some ideas,one person that reviewed,said if I was right,everyone has been doing it wrong..Sorry about that....In reference to John Burke,many of my tools date from the 1700's/1800's....John is the only person I would trust to sharpen them other than my self..I even think I could teach him to be OFF THE WALL.....then there would be two of us..cordially Nad