Chisel sharpening jigs

[gavcon]

Here is a jig I made to sharpen bowl gouges using scraps of wood and metal I had around the shop.

First I took a block of red oak 3" long x 2" high x 1 3/4" wide. I drilled a 3/4" hole through it lengthwise, then a 3/8" hole down through the top and another 3/8" hole at a 45 degree angle in the bottom. I put a 1/4-20 threaded insert into the top hole and an 8" long piece of 3/8" aluminum rod into the bottom hole. I trimmed the shoulders in the front of the block so they wouldn't hit the grinding wheel when I rotated the jig.



I rounded the other end of the aluminum rod and screwed a 1/4-20 star knob into the threaded insert.



Next I bolted a piece of square steel tubing that had been tapped for a 3/8-16 lever knob to the bottom of the wheel housing and inserted a length of hardwood into it. I screwed a piece of 1/2" plywood with a notch cut in it onto the end of the hardwood stick.



To use the jig I insert the gouge into the hole and tighten the star knob, making sure that the flutes are parallel to the top of the jig.



The rounded end of the aluminum rod sits in the notch in the plywood and the jig is rotated back and forth while the grinding wheel is running.



The angle of the grind is determined by the length that the gouge extends from the block and the length that the hardwood stick extends from the square steel tube. Adjust them until you get the angle you want.

Using this jig I can touch up a tool in under a minute. It's not very pretty, but it is quick and effective, and I would rather spend my time making pretty bowls