The proviso, however, is that you must have correctly shaped and sharpened tools. In this article, let’s set up a dry grinding system so you can sharpen most steel turning tools quickly and easily.

In the past, grinding turning tools was done freehand at a bench grinder and had a long, difficult learning curve. Some never got it right and gave up in frustration. Most got inconsistent results. A large part of the problem was (and still is) that standard bench grinders have tool-rests designed for grinding machine-tool bits and not woodturning tools. While scrapers could be ground on such rests, gouges could not. Most of us mounted a 1/4″-diameter steel bar at the center height of the grinder and balanced our tools on that to sharpen, the same way we would use the lathe’s tool-rest for turning.

ONEWAY Jig Solution

In 1982, Jerry Glaser introduced a wooden gooseneck jig that pivoted on a wood block glued to the floor in front of the grinder. Anyone of average skill could suddenly grind gouges perfectly.

Tim Clay at ONEWAY Manufacturing improved the Glaser jig with the Wolverine Jig and Vari-Grind gooseneck holder that allows precise grinding of spindle, bowl and roughing-out gouges. It has become the universally accepted sharpening method for the turning community and the system that almost all turning clubs have for visiting demonstrators like me.

The Wolverine Grinding Jig (available at Rockler) consists of a pair of black, hollow bases that mount beneath the grinding wheels. They replace the grinder’s factory tool-rests. The bases accept a long steel V-arm that cradles either the Vari-Grind Jig or the end of a tool handle, for sharpening gouges. The system also includes a pivoting platform rest, similar to a standard grinder tool-rest, for sharpening scrapers. Both the V-arm and platform rest are held in the bases with cams activated by long levers.

An 8″ slow-speed grinder with 1″-wide wheels, such as RIKON’s 1/2 hp model 80-805, which is shown here, or the more powerful 80-808 (1 hp), are good choices for use with the Wolverine system.

Setting Up the Grinding Jig

In order to allow clearance for the Wolverine bases beneath the grinder’s wheel shrouds, it must be raised on blocking so the arbor shaft is about 6-1/2″ above the work surface. (Remove your grinder’s rubber feet, first.) On the RIKON 80-805, you can achieve this by gluing scraps of 1/2″ and 3/4″ plywood together. (Blocking thickness will vary among grinder models.) Make the blocking piece large enough to suit your grinder’s footprint.

The Wolverine bases also must be aligned directly beneath each grinding wheel and screwed in place. While you could mount your Wolverine system permanently to a benchtop, an 8″ to 10″-wide by 20″ piece of 3/4″ plywood or solid wood creates a portable workstation that can be stored, then clamped to a benchtop wherever and whenever it’s needed.

Glue and nail or screw the blocking piece to the center of the baseboard. Then carefully measure the span between the grinding wheels, from the center of one wheel’s thickness to the other. Mark the baseboard to center this span on its length.

Arrange the Wolverine bases so their diamond-shaped opening (for the V-arm or platform base) is aligned with the wheel-span layout lines, and set the front faces of the bases flush with the front of the baseboard. Secure each base to the baseboard with panhead or flathead screws.

All that’s left to do is mount the grinder to the baseboard. Position it on the blocking so the rims of the grinding wheels are flush with the front edge of the baseboard and the wheels are aligned correctly over the Wolverine bases. A pair of 5/16″ or 3/8″ carriage bolts, driven up through the baseboard and blocking into the grinder’s base holes, will secure it. Fasten the components with washers and nylon-insert locknuts or lock washers and regular nuts.

CBN Wheel Considerations

In the photos shown, I replaced the aluminum oxide wheel originally supplied with the grinder on the right side with an 80-grit CBN (cubic boron nitride) wheel. This 1-1/2″-wide wheel is covered with a manufactured abrasive that is nearly as hard as diamonds but can cut dry without fracturing, as diamonds will. CBN grinding wheels have a metal core that conducts heat well, to draw heat away from the tool being sharpened. While pricey, CBN wheels will last a lifetime. They’re wider than standard wheels, so you’ll need to remove the grinder’s wheel shroud to install them. But since CBN wheels can’t fracture and explode like typical bonded abrasive wheels can, this is not a dangerous modification to the machine.

Whichever wheel types you use, an 80- and 180-grit pair is a good combination for sharpening high-speed steel lathe tools.

Wolverine Accessories

Several accessories can be used with the Wolverine Jig for sharpening the gamut of turning tools.

Platform rest: Perfect for grinding scrapers of all shapes, the rest tilts to match the scraper’s bevel angle.

Vari-Grind Jig: Nests in the V-arm to sharpen fingernail or side grinds on spindle or bowl gouges. Adjusting the angle of the gooseneck changes the angle of the sides of the fingernail, while sliding the V-arm in or out changes the nose angle.

Skew jig: Attaches to the end of the V-arm and provides two offset pockets for grinding the angled bevels on both faces of skew chisels.

For under $500, a slow-speed grinder equipped with a Wolverine Grinding Jig will make the path to proficient turning much gentler. Once you get the hang of using it, sharpening turning tools won’t be the hassle many turners believe it to be.

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The Internet was in its infancy then, so guitar specs and YouTube instructional videos were not an option. What I did have was a tape measure and a local music store where I spent hours measuring, sketching and planning my build. I came out of that project with a guitar that worked, a little more knowledge and an immediate desire to start the next one. Fast forward 27 years, and my excitement for guitars continues to be as fervent as ever. It’s now my business.

I was fortunate enough to attend the 50th anniversary gala for the Apollo 9 mission, held at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. I talked with Mission Control legend Gene Kranz and mentioned that it would be a dream to build an Apollo-themed guitar. He encouraged it, as did veteran astronaut Jim Lovell. While talking about the idea of an Apollo-themed guitar, Lovell asked, “Who is it for? It should be for somebody.” Brilliant! After a quick concept sketch and a meeting with San Diego Air & Space Museum’s CEO Jim Kidrick the next day, the guitar project was a go!

A Tribute to Inspire

I wanted this to be a serious tribute to the men and women who made the Apollo program a success; it needed to be striking but not gaudy, to catch the eye and inspire the next generation to look to the stars. I also wanted it to be fun. I’ve built a lot of guitars, yet there were many aspects of this build I was uncertain how to execute.

To allow experimentation with technique, I built two identical guitars. My design was intricate, calling for the mission patch of every manned Apollo flight to be created in wood veneer and inlaid into the sides of the body, large mural inlays for the back and plenty of Easter eggs hidden in plain sight. My work was cut out for me.

Building both guitars took more than 1,000 hours to complete over two years. Each has 1,328 individual inlay pieces. The fretboard side markers are authentic space-flown artifacts from every manned Apollo mission. The internal bracing bears the names of fallen astronauts; the famous “Earthrise” adorns the headstock, and a quote from John F. Kennedy is engraved on the back of the neck. A Saturn V rocket stands proudly on the fretboard, and the front of the body looks as if it just splashed down after streaking to earth from the heavens. The back includes the Apollo program logo and a depiction of the Command and Service Module docked with the Lunar Module as it would have looked on the way to the moon. Hours of research went into making this as technically accurate as possible.

Spacefest Unveiling

“Eagle” and her sister guitar, “Aquarius,” were unveiled last year at Spacefest in Tucson, Arizona. I experienced firsthand the reaction of astronauts and support staff as they looked over my creations, and it made me beam with pride. I asked the astronauts to sign the Apollo guitar, since it is for display. Watching Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke add the first signature was a thrill. I have been fortunate to have several of the Apollo astronauts and Mission Control staff sign it. These men rode rockets, coolly handled danger and left footprints on the moon. Seeing the wonder on their faces as they looked over my tribute is something I can’t describe, but I will treasure it for the rest of my life.

Today, “Aquarius” resides in my personal collection, and “Eagle” is on permanent display in the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s “SPACE: Our Greatest Adventure” gallery; positioned side-by-side with storied relics, like the Apollo 9 Capsule “Gumdrop” and Apollo and Mercury space suits. I am honored that my tribute will be enjoyed for generations to come.

See more Stotler guitars at oakcreekguitars.com.

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When I graduated from college 20 years ago and got my first apartment, I couldn’t afford a bed. After several trips to the furniture store, I decided that I could make my own bed instead. How hard could that be? You see, my father made all sorts of projects from mirror glass, and my uncle is a carpenter. My mother, grandmother and aunts are also crafty, so I knew this was in my genes. With a borrowed drill and a battery-powered screwdriver, I built a platform bed. It took me three months, but I was successful in the end, and I slept on my bed for the next seven years.

Several projects have happened since then! Seven years ago, I left my job in corporate America to become a full-time maker. I love building things that mean something to others. I also love helping others realize their potential with tools and sparking their creativity. I’m a mom of four kids, so I’ve introduced children as young as seven to power tools and have taught people as old as 80 how to use the table saw, miter saw and other woodworking tools. Even if my students make simple projects such as birdhouses, toolboxes or charcuterie boards, they then have a new life skill.

My main goal is to give back to the maker community. I do that by volunteering with the Girls Makers Club at my local maker space, and I serve on the board of directors at Decatur Makers in Atlanta. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with various television networks as a maker and create content for several magazines.

Becoming a social media influencer was serendipity. It has connected me with other makers and enabled me to share opportunities with a much larger online audience. Having a voice in this traditionally male-dominated craft of woodworking motivates me to empower other women. I really believe that whatever your passion is in life, pursue it with every fiber of your being.

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