# CBN grinding wheel



## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Good afternoon fellow woodmen and wimmens. I am looking for some simple feed back on the CBN wheel for sharpening. How does it perform and are you able to actually get a good edge even being a novice sharpener? Where is the best place to purchase one, and do you need to go to the 8" or is the 6" sufficient? I have found them from 179.00 to 69.00 for the 6", I'd appreciate any help and instruction that is available. It's one thing to watch a video and then it's something else to hear from one who is fresh into sharpening. I tried the Tormek and even though I did my best, I still felt the edge wasn't the best as compared to the guys in the videos.


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## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

i'm a new turner (about 2 years). I used an 8" rikon slow speed grinder with standard wheels for a while, ruined a bowl gouge when a wheel blew up on me and scared my wife into buying my cbn wheels. I bought them from the site below, same set that I linked and it blew my mind how much of a difference it makes. smoother to sharpen, cleaner edges, no heat buildup and they NEVER wear out. I will never be able to say enough about how happy I am going with cbn wheels, I would never go back to anything else. Definitally worth the purchase.

http://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/radius-edge-cbn-wheels/products/cbn-wheel-pair-80-and-180-grit


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## putty (Jan 1, 2014)

I got the same set for Xmas. I'm a novice turner and always have had trouble sharpening. I have the rikon slow speed grinder also with the wolverine jig. Tools are getting very sharp and its a joy to use sharp tools. I mostly use the 180 grit. The wheels run very true.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Here is a link to the review I wrote over two years ago …

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/3742

Wouldn't do anything different if I were purchasing today.


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## Bruyet (Apr 10, 2015)

I've only been turning for a year and a half, and I can honestly say that the CBN wheel has had the biggest impact on my abilities. I also have the Wolverine jig. The repeatability is incredible, and if you can't consistently sharpen your tools you can't become a better turner, IMO.


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## JohnKos (Oct 15, 2014)

+1 for Ken at woodturnerswonders !!!!


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

First of all thank you all for your responses. I have found a site that offers 2 wheels for 99.00 each. You get a 6" wheel with a 1/2" hole. Now, beside the wheels, do I get the Wolverine sharp jig, and then I should be good to go, right? I have a 3450rpm grinder, many have said speed doesn't really factor in, whether high or low, and it has a 1/2" arbor.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Hey Gerry, thanks for forwarding your review it was very helpful.


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## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

speed is more a factor for the old style wheels because the heat ruins the tempering on your tools so they won't hold an edge if they get overheated during sharpening. with cbn wheels it won't be as much an issue. not all CBN wheels are created equal though, keep that in mind. you should have the wolverine and the varigrind. it does get a little expensive to get set up in the beginning but if you get the good stuff you will never have to buy them again!


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

i purchased the 180 grit wheel from woodturnerswonders.com last year after reading the review from the TheDane.
It is working perfect, and I believe it to be the best lathe accessory I have ever purchased.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

A bunch of enablers in here. Guess I need to save my pennies.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Do any of you guys sharpen your plane irons or chisels with these wheels? Thanks again for all the feed back, huge help.


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## mramseyISU (Mar 3, 2014)

I don't know anything about CBN for sharpening tools but I can tell you that in my last job all of the gear grinding we did was done with those wheels (just a lot bigger).


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## RichCMD (Jan 31, 2013)

I bought the a set of CBN wheels and a Rikon grinder from Ron Brown at the Woodworking Show in Baltimore in January. This replaced an older grinder with old style wheels that I seemed to constantly have problems keeping in balance. I love the new set up. I find it is much easier and faster to sharpen my turning tools with the CBN set up. So far, I have used this exclusively for turning tools.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> Do any of you guys sharpen your plane irons or chisels with these wheels? Thanks again for all the feed back, huge help.
> 
> - Clarkie


Only if they are HSS (or harder). I have heard that carbon steel will clog CBN wheels.


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## jeffski1 (Nov 29, 2008)

I purchased my CBN wheels from woodturnerswonders also after reading TheDane's review.I couldn't be happier.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

I use the Wolverine grinding jig with the CBN wheel. I had the jig before I bought the CBN wheel and really like it.
I am also using the 8" delta variable speed grinder from my local lowes, and it works fine. The instructions with the Wolverine jig say to sharpen at 3650 rpm. I sharpen a little slower, and bought the variable speed grinder just to have that option. If I remember it was only about 20$ extra from a fixed speed grinder.
Buy your grinder 1st. If your are going with woodturnerswonder. There wheels come in different arbor sizes so that there is no extra bushings. I think mine was 5/8" shaft.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Just ordered the wheels from woodturners, now I'm gonna be as sharp as ever, woohoo. Thanks to all you guys for your information.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

Dway tools has CBN Wheels best thing out there to sharpen HSS


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## HapHazzard (Jan 9, 2016)

> Dway tools has CBN Wheels best thing out there to sharpen HSS
> 
> - Ken90712


Some nice M42 tools and videos too.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

I agree Hap, I have 3 of his chisels and am a big fan!


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## kevinpiat (Apr 13, 2016)

Guess I need to save my pennies.


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## DLK (Nov 26, 2014)

> A bunch of enablers in here. Guess I need to save my pennies.
> 
> - TheFridge


+1000


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## RobS888 (May 7, 2013)

I'm thinking of getting a set of CBN wheels for my wife from the link above, what grits did you wood turners go with?


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I went with 80-grit and 180-180 grit from http://woodturnerswonders.com/


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## RobS888 (May 7, 2013)

> I went with 80-grit and 180-180 grit from http://woodturnerswonders.com/
> 
> - TheDane


Thanks TheDane,

Do you find the 180 high enough? I think my wife has 60 and 120 white aluminum oxide wheels now, but I know she uses diamond tools to touch up/clean the edges.

I've wondered why we go so high on plane blades and not that high on grinding wheels for turning.


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## soob (Feb 3, 2015)

I have the 350-grit wheel and it does just fine for resharpening.

But the tools don't hold super sharp edges very long (as I'm sure you know). Still it's nice to be able to get it for finishing cuts.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

I have the 60 grit oxide wheel for when I need to shape a tool, and the 180 cbn wheel for sharpening. 
I just learned how to use an purchased a Trend (James Barry) diamond set from Jimmy Clewes for daily sharpening. Only use the cbn when the tool gets really dull. I may cbn sharpen at the start of a project and use the diamond file to maintain the edge for the next project or two. Helps make the tool last much longer.
Here is a link to Jimmys site if anyone is interested. http://www.jimmyclewes.com/tools/


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## jeffski1 (Nov 29, 2008)

I went with the 80 and 180 cbn grit wheels.The 80 grit will take off metal very quickly.Ken at woodturnerswonders recommended the 80/180 wheels.I always wondered if the 180/220 would be a good combo?.The 180 will sharpen very quickly so you have to be careful.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> Do you find the 180 high enough? I think my wife has 60 and 120 white aluminum oxide wheels now, but I know she uses diamond tools to touch up/clean the edges.
> 
> I ve wondered why we go so high on plane blades and not that high on grinding wheels for turning.
> 
> - RobS888


Yes. JMHO, but I don't think it makes sense to try to get turning tools razor sharp. They will cut cleanly, but the edge is more fragile and dulls quicker. The 180-grit wheel puts a nice polish on my gouges, takes only one or two passes to re-sharpen, and I and get smooth, clean cuts. I use a diamond stone (from Alan Lacer) on my skews, but seldom take the skews to the grinder … I have had my Lacer skews for over a year now, and have only ground them twice.


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## RobS888 (May 7, 2013)

> Do you find the 180 high enough? I think my wife has 60 and 120 white aluminum oxide wheels now, but I know she uses diamond tools to touch up/clean the edges.
> 
> I ve wondered why we go so high on plane blades and not that high on grinding wheels for turning.
> 
> ...


Thanks TheDane, I'll get her the 80 -180.


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## soob (Feb 3, 2015)

A fine burr is more fragile than a coarse one, granted, but a cutting edge with a finer polish is more fragile than a coarse one? And dulls more quickly? I find that hard to believe.


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## RobS888 (May 7, 2013)

> A fine burr is more fragile than a coarse one, granted, but a cutting edge with a finer polish is more fragile than a coarse one? And dulls more quickly? I find that hard to believe.
> 
> - soob


I'm not a turner, but I've helped my wife with setting stuff up and as I understand it a 4 inch bowl would be roughly 12 inches around. At 1,000 rpms you have 1,000 feet of cross grain passing the tools edge. If I understand correctly putting a really fine polish on would be gone in a minute or two. Even the carbide tips don't last as long as you might think they would in a turners hands. Compare that to the use a hand plane or chisel gets. Probably 10 times the wear on the cutting edge.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

The argument for hollow grind and for flat grind has been going on for as long as I can remember. So, no wonder it should carry over to the fine burr situation. Yes, the finer the edge the nicer the cut, yet, you have to continually go back and maintain that edge. The factory never puts a hollow grind on the edge of the chisels or planer blades. If you don't mind spending more time at the grinder or sharpening center, then no problem, but if you enjoy as much time using the tool then the flat edge seems the way to go. Have fun, make some dust.


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## soob (Feb 3, 2015)

I'm not saying the tool will stay sharper for all that long, just that I don't see how it will end up duller (in absolute terms) faster than one sharpened on a coarser wheel.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

Yes I don't try to get turning tools polished sharp like I would a bench chisel.
I use the 180 cbn wheel, and when it starts to get dull I will use my diamond file to put a quick edge back on.
I would say I'm only doing a touch up to the edge the cbn wheel gave me in the 1st place. 
After I use the file 4 or 5 times, I have to go back to the cbn wheel. 
It takes me less time to use the diamond file to sharpen a gouge then it does to put the gouge back in the wolverine jig, and it removes alot less of the tool. So the less I use the cbn wheel, the longer the tool life I have.
That adds up in a hurry.
I totally agree that if you tried to put a hi polish edge on a turning tool, you would be wasting your time and creating an edge that would be to fragile to last for any length of time.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

A skew chisel that has a very fine sharp edge, will grab more quickly than a less sharp edge. Hand chisels are a different story. They can benefit from ultra fine sharp edges for fine detail work, but need frequent touch-up.


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