# Rikon Slow Speed Grinder and Wolverine have come to my "Shop"



## oneleggimp (Jan 17, 2015)

:biggrin:

I went to Woodcraft today and picked up a RIkon 8: slow speed grinder and the basic Wolverine Sharpening jig (no skew attachment or versa grind - just the "bases" and the vee arm and the platform).  The Rikon was on sale this weekend so I got a good buy.  I am happy to have this so I can sharpen my HSS lathe chisels as needed - rather than stop turning and take them up to the hardware store and have one of my Lodge Brothers (who owns the hardware store) touch up the chisels.  Now no matter what the weather I can keep on making shavings.  I'm really happy to have these.  Can't wait to get them set up.:cowboy:


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## Charlie_W (Jan 17, 2015)

Good deal!
If you plan on turning bowls, you will find the Vari Grind attachment is a great piece to have.


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## oneleggimp (Feb 2, 2015)

*A Minor "Glitch".*

Got my sharpening set-up finished up today.  All bolted down.  Discovered one small "glitch".  The chisel set I got for Christmas was the PSI 6-piece HSS Midi Chisel set. "Glitch" is that the "blades" are only about 3 1/2" long, exclusive of the portion that is inside the handle (which is about 8"  overall length making a total tool length of around 11 1/2" overall.  The blade on the Scraper and the diamond parting tool should be sharpened on the platform on the Wolverine.  The short blades mean that you can't swing the round nose scraper to make the curve (it's not long enough with the platform dimension from front to the wheel.) and also you can't sharpen the diamond parting tool on the standard platform.  I will have to invest in the "Mini Platform Assembly" from Oneway Wolverine which will solve this minor issue. Neither my local Woodcraft Store  NOR the local Rockler store nor can I find it listed on their online catalogues.  I did find that CSUSA has it so I'll have to order from them and pay shipping and wait for it to some.  I hadn't planned on this extra $30.00 investment but stuff happens.  At least there's a reasonably priced  "fix" for this minor  problem and I can still use the Wolverine.  Could be much much worse.




Charlie_W said:


> Good deal!
> If you plan on turning bowls, you will find the Vari Grind attachment is a great piece to have.


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## Fay Prozora (Feb 3, 2015)

I have mine all set up and have used it and love it. Now I want to get  the raptor guides for setting the angles. Those are pricey at over $8.00 apiece. Any way, I have a near perfect bevel on my bowl gouge but it was tricky getting it right.  Here is my set up.   Fay


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## Robert Taylor (Feb 3, 2015)

*mini platform*



oneleggimp said:


> Got my sharpening set-up finished up today.  All bolted down.  Discovered one small "glitch".  The chisel set I got for Christmas was the PSI 6-piece HSS Midi Chisel set. "Glitch" is that the "blades" are only about 3 1/2" long, exclusive of the portion that is inside the handle (which is about 8"  overall length making a total tool length of around 11 1/2" overall.  The blade on the Scraper and the diamond parting tool should be sharpened on the platform on the Wolverine.  The short blades mean that you can't swing the round nose scraper to make the curve (it's not long enough with the platform dimension from front to the wheel.) and also you can't sharpen the diamond parting tool on the standard platform.  I will have to invest in the "Mini Platform Assembly" from Oneway Wolverine which will solve this minor issue. Neither my local Woodcraft Store  NOR the local Rockler store nor can I find it listed on their online catalogues.  I did find that CSUSA has it so I'll have to order from them and pay shipping and wait for it to some.  I hadn't planned on this extra $30.00 investment but stuff happens.  At least there's a reasonably priced  "fix" for this minor  problem and I can still use the Wolverine.  Could be much much worse.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I got my mini platform from Hartville Tool. They have free shipping.


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## Wildman (Feb 3, 2015)

Save yourself some money and use your fingers on platform and laying tool on top of those.  That is how I freehand sharpen my normal size tools that too short for the vari-grind jig or parting tools.  Depending upon tool might be two or three finger stack off the platform.

Also try using the v-arm if have a problem with finger op and freehand sharpening!


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## oneleggimp (Feb 3, 2015)

Also found Packard Woodworking has it in stock.  Their prices on the mini platform are less and the same applies to the vari-grind (original which is the one I want) and also the skew jig.


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## Charlie_W (Feb 3, 2015)

For some of the shorty tools, I even used a narrow piece of 1/2" plywood stuck to the platform with double stick tape to elevate the tool so the handle cleared. I also purchased the mini platform but some of these tools are just short shanked.


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## JimB (Feb 3, 2015)

You can use the V arm to sharpen the parting tool or add a piece of wood to the platform as Charlie suggested. There's no need to spend the extra $30 if you are on a tight budget.


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## oneleggimp (Feb 3, 2015)

I like it.  Thank you, Sir. I've got a piece of 1 1/2" wide X 4" long 3/4" thick MDF that will work just fine for this application.  Nice smooth surface so I can swing the chisel nicely around the arc.  I appreciate the input.


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## Fay Prozora (Feb 4, 2015)

A friend of mine on another forum made a gadget that fits over the platform with a V grooved on it so the tool will stay in place. He said it works pretty well. I'll have to try to make some thing like that. I have some tools that too short to sharpen on the V arm and the Vari-Grind so I have used the platform. The do tend to slide off the wheel if I'm not careful. That even happens with the V arm and the Vari-Grind tool also but one needs to be careful... Fay


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## oneleggimp (Feb 6, 2015)

I ordered the Mini-Platform from Hartville Tool yesterday. Interesting.  I put a note on the order to use UPS if possible at the Free shipping offer. U.S. Mail service hereabouts is pretty lousy.  They tend to throw packages over the porch rail rather than walk up the porch steps and put the package down by the door.  At Christmas time I had a package with Glass Christmas Ornaments handled that way and my ornaments got broken.  Post office won't do anything about it. Hence my preference for UPS. UPS driver actually carried a pair of very heavy wheelchair batteries into our house for us. He also carries a dog bisquit for my Service Dog Ruby.  I got a call from them saying no they'd have to charge for shipping if I still want UPS.  I elected to stay with the free USPS. I thought it was really classy of Hartsville Tool to call me up to let me know the situation.  I have several other Wolverine Items I still want (Vari-Grind and Skew Jig) and I will definitely order from Hartville Tool for them as well.  BTW - they shipped the same day (yesterday) and the tracer says it should be on delivery tomorrow (Saturday).  Great Service!


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## oneleggimp (Feb 23, 2015)

View in Gallery



 Here's the grinder setup with a picture of my whole shop: two power tools: Lathe and grinder


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