Wolverine vs. Tru Grind

[Dudley]

I've been looking a sharpening systems. I like the Oneway Wolverine and the Woodcut Tru Grind

Can anyone offer advice to which system would be better for a newbie? They look to be very similar. I like the idea that the various jigs come with the Tru Grind.... works out to be a bit cheaper.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Vernon Oberle]

I have both

I had the woodcut first but didn't like the way you tightened the gouge in the jig. Other than that it is a good tool. I still use it on an old lighter grinder for travel and keep the wolverine on my heavy grinder in the shop. Since it is on a short bench I made an additional short fixture to use with the jig. I also made a fixture to use my Ellsworth jig with the Wolverine base. I really like the Oneway better.

Vernon

 

[woodwish]

I have a Tru Grind, good salesman at a show. Sure wish I had bought the Wolverine instead, particularly for gouges. Thought about buying one but think I will hold out for a Tomek eventually.

 

[hockenbery]

I like the Woulverine and have used it for many years in the Maryland Hall classroom and just bought one for teaching in my own shop.

It accepts the 3/4" square tubes if you want to make your own attachment like a base for the Elsworth jig.

Also it is used by most of the turning schools. It is one invention that has made teaching woodturning more about teaching turning than about teaching sharpening.

On the Tormek - I and the 4 other turners I know own a tormek but don't use it for their turning tools. It is perhaps the finest sharpening system around and is great for planer blades and jointer knives and for re-working carving tools. I would not buy one for turning tools.

Happy Turning,
Al

 

[dkulze]

Have never used the Tru-Grind but have the Oneway and have been very happy. Just looking at the pic, it appears to me that the Tru-Grind folks were trying to get the same effect as the Oneway without violating patents. The problems suggested in that system appear to be ease of use, the possibility of the jig bouncing off the set point, and not having the simplicity of being able to drop a gouge butt into the jig seat to give a quick grind to the end (as in for roughing gouges). Can't say as I'd advocate for the Tru-Grind.

dietrich

 

[Griesbach]

I'll stay with my Wolverine, thanks. I've lusted for the Tormek and my friend has one but I get just as good a cut off the Wolverine as he does on the Tormek, at least with turnimg tools. And, probably faster too. When I want to do "flat" tools I can drive over to his Tormek. Most of the other systems seem to be just knock offs of the Wolverine anyway. By the way, get the vari-grind as well.

 

[Angelo]

Grinding Jig

I use a wolverive almost every time I turn. It has limitations, however, it does not accept by big spindle and bowl gouges (over 1" wide)

To sharpen those I have to revert to the predcessor of all of them, the jig that was made by Jerry Glaser. If you can find one, snap it up! You'll never need two jigs with Glaser's.

Angelo

 

[Vernon Oberle]

adding tomek to mix

I also have a tormek. I use the wolverine for gouges and such because it is so quick. I do use the tormek for skews and other chisels because of the fine edge. my problem is that i don't like to use it in winter because of the water freezing in the shop.

Vernon

 

[Ed Koenig]

I use the Wolverine and Tormek. The Wolverine now offers the Vari-Grind attachment in two sizes for bowl gouges. 1/8" to 5/8" and 1/2" to 1-1/8" so you can sharpen larger bowl gouges.

I know you are not interested in the Tormek currently, however I strongly disagree with those folks who tell you not to use it for turning tools. I use the Tormek 90% of the time for gouges and can sharpen any gouge I own in less than a minute! Secondly, the Tormek does not create the heat that even a slow speed grinder with friable wheels creates. I really like that. That being said, I do not use the Tormek for heavy grinding.

I can't speak for others but I sharpen my tools many times during the turning of a single piece. Sharp tools are a must!

I use the Wolverine with a slow speed grinder (1725 rpm) and Oneway wheels for changing the angle on new gouges and anytime I need to remove a lot of metal quickly. It is also very useful for skews, parting tools and scrapers.

I really like having both systems and use the heavy duty Wolverine base for many other grinding tasks.

Good luck.
Ed

 

[Chris Wright]

Both are decent...

I own both the Tru-Grind and the Wolverine. Both have their benefits. Main complaint on the Tru-Grind is getting to the wing nut to tighten the slide base, but the new version solves this. The tru-grind does allow for more grinds with a single jig, but what that translates into is fewer parts (good) with more adjustments (not good). If you really need a jig, go with the wolverine. Or do what I did and learn to freehand grind and get the basic wolverine with 2 platform bases...no jig needed. 🙂

 

[Gerry Meekins]

Kelton ?

I have the Wolverene and am happy with it. I see the Kelton has a platform that has adjustable height. Might be a bit better for scrapers. That is if you know anyone that uses scrapers 😉 .LOL

Anybody out there have the Kelton?

Gerry

 

[Dudley]

OK, I decided to order the wolverine system. I found a package deal at The Woodturners Catalog web site. But they have two different packages two differnt packages. One has this wheel dresser and the other has this jig . They both seem to be a great value, the package with the dresser is $149.99 and the package with the jig is $172.99. Is the jig worth the extra $23?

They both come with the wolverine and vari-grind. The only difference is the type of wheel dresser.

 

[Mark Mandell]

OK, I decided to order the wolverine system. I found a package deal at The Woodturners Catalog web site. But they have two different packages two differnt packages. One has this wheel dresser and the other has this jig . They both seem to be a great value, the package with the dresser is $149.99 and the package with the jig is $172.99. Is the jig worth the extra $23?

They both come with the wolverine and vari-grind. The only difference is the type of wheel dresser.

Okaaay,

I don't like point dressers; unless you're very good and steady, they tend to leave lines and grooves, however small, which don't give good edges. I use a diamond "T" block dresser similar to what you saw pictured for about $40.

I'M TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT "IN YOUR FACE" THE NEED FOR A FULL FACE SHIELD! again in case you missed it on the "blanks" thread. 😉

Now back to our scheduled point . . . .

The wolverine with vari-grind jig will make your sharpening time shorter, much more accurate, and repeatable. If, however, you get a 1/2" bowl gouge like the Ellsworth, you will not be able (it's a geometric thing) to replicate David's grind without his jig. It will work in the Wolverine, but only after a few moditifations to the base mounting.

M

 

[Steve Worcester]

If, however, you get a 1/2" bowl gouge like the Ellsworth, you will not be able (it's a geometric thing) to replicate David's grind without his jig. It will work in the Wolverine, but only after a few moditifations to the base mounting.

M

You can easily replicate the Ellsworth grind with the Wolverine system, it will just take some patience. In the how too section on my website are a few articles on doing so. One covers that exact subject and another covers how to use the Tormec with the Wolverine.

In addition, to make it even easier, Don Geiger has a gismo that fits in the Oneway system that allows you to adjust the vertical (height) of the jig by adding an adjustment on the rod to allow for up and down. He also has a diamond point dresser that works extremely well. The problem with all dressers is that they will face the wheel, but not take out the out of round because the dresser just follows the wheel. The diamond points by Geiger and Oneway will solve that problem.

Dons solution
http://www.dongeiger.com/geigerssolutions.html

But I don't see the wheel facing setup

 

[Mark Mandell]

You can easily replicate the Ellsworth grind with the Wolverine system, it will just take some patience. In the how too section on my website are a few articles on doing so. One covers that exact subject and another covers how to use the Tormec with the Wolverine.

In addition, to make it even easier, Don Geiger has a gismo that fits in the Oneway system that allows you to adjust the vertical (height) of the jig by adding an adjustment on the rod to allow for up and down. He also has a diamond point dresser that works extremely well. The problem with all dressers is that they will face the wheel, but not take out the out of round because the dresser just follows the wheel. The diamond points by Geiger and Oneway will solve that problem.

Steve,

I remember David indicated in his classes that the Vari-grind would not quite replicate both the nose and the side of his grind on a 1/2" gouge using his flute profile. I elevated my right slide mount by 1/4", made a wood block to fit the specified distance from the pocket-point to the wheel's face regardless of wear on the wheel, and screwed a piece of angle iron in from the edge of the grinder cart as a depth guage; takes me, at most 15 secs., to set the tool and the slide to use David's jig, and I can still use the Vari-grind with my other tools up to the 3/4" Glaser.

Since David had shown Don's aux slide in class, I spoke to Don in KC. Just couldn't see spending $100 for his "gizmo" when I was already set up (okay, so I'm cheap), but his dresser looked interesting because it was indexed to the Wolverine's big platform edge. Seemed very steady and I was tempted to get one to use in addition to my "T" tool, but he was sold out when I went back for a second look. 😱