Around the shop #6: Enter the Sharpening Station

I have been lugging around this heavy duty workbench for a few years now. Acquired from part of my Grandad’s estate. Since moving in I hadn’t needed to set it up, so in the corner it sat. Well this week I reclaimed it from the cobwebs. I stumbled across a large granite surface plate on the cheap. Upon bringing it home I needed to find a home capable of supporting the 150lb mass. I am still not positive that the top won’t sag, so I will keep an eye on that.

Back in commission:

no7 for reference

Good spot to nest some of the spare parts, stones, and jigs

More space. Hopefully this predefined storage space will prevent me from piling on the work surface. Here’s hoping.

I have a plan for how best to use this bench. Obviously I am not going to be moving that hunk of rock around on any regular basis. I lucked out in getting it from my truck to there without even breaking a sweat. My planer cart allowed me to just slide it out of the truck onto it and then slide it again right onto the bench. There it will stay.

hmm, where was I?
Oh, the plan. I am picturing a series of shelves that can be placed over the granite slab. These shelves would be #1-for the whetstones, #2-for the slow speed grinder, #3-for the wet stone grinder. When I need to use the stones, simply put it’s shelf over the granite. Likewise if I want to use the grinder, just put it’s shelf up there. For lapping and stone flattening I will just stick sandpaper to the surface plate with 3M super77.

Hopefully this will get me to stop using my TS and Jointer for lapping plane soles ;-)

-- Doug, woodworking in Alabama