sharpening planer knifes

[twobears]

HI FOLKS:is there any good posts on sharpening planer knifes?? i did see a reply about using a table saw with a rock replacing the blade to sharpen planer knifes..but,i could use pic,s to help me understand how it,s done.
i do have a old table saw just sitting in the shop.i wouldn,t mind modifying that if it,s possiable..or building a sharpener right from scratch.. any ideas??

delbert

[TexasTimbers]

Someone posted a knife grinder in the For Sale section not long ago I think. A knife grinder is ideal, especially if your planer is the type (old American iron) that had one originally.
Check with Daren. He might have one for sale also. He has a mail-in sharpening service too if you decide you want to go the easy way. 

[WDH]

http://www.mytoolstore.com/makita/mak08-09.html

This is what I use to sharpen Jointer and Planer knives.  Works great, but not cheap.

[Daren]

Daren. He might have one for sale also. He has a mail-in sharpening service too if you decide you want to go the easy way. 

I had one listed for sale here but it was a big one for doing up to 36" knives, then I decided not to sell it...business picked up and I figured having 2 would not hurt after all for what I had in them $ wise.

I have never heard of replacing a tablesaw blade with a sharpening stone (I guess I don't get out much  ;)). Having said that Foley Belsaw makes a little machine called the 1055 Sharpall that kinda works on that principle. But the "table" on the 1055 adjusts for angle and height. The stone is stationary and has a decent carrier for the knife. The carrier would be the most important thing to get right. I have a 1055 but don't ever use it to sharpen planer knives, just not accurate enough for me...I think I would be leery of running a planer knife on a table saw, but I am just a big chicken though  :D. I envision flying knives, at the very least ruined ones.

This is what I use to sharpen planer/jointer knives. I really like using it, it is a slick machine. (and one of the very few quiet ones  : I have)

[twobears]

DAREN:could you get me some good pic,s of the grinder part of that sharpener.i have a 14x40 metal lathe and i,am wondering if i could use that to make a sharpener.
i really think i can but,i need good pic,s of the parts that hold the grinder motor/stone.
good pic,s of the knife holder would help too.

delbert

PS:what grit stone do you use??

[Daren]

DAREN:could you get me some good pic,s of the grinder part of that sharpener.i
PS:what grit stone do you use??

I can once I figure out my new computer (old one blew up this morning  :() I cannot knock your ambition, I am a tinkerer myself but p.s. back at you. Disregard what kevjay said about my mail in sharpening...I don't want to see your knives around here after you get done with them :D :D.

[twobears]

oooooooo,come on daren..give me more credit then that!!.. : i just finished a bandsaw blade sharpener and it works great...besides if i build my own planer blade sharpener i surely wouldn,t send you a hacked up blade..or even let anybody know i trashed one or three..  ;D

delbert

[Daren]

i surely wouldn,t send you a hacked up blade..or even let anybody know i trashed one or three..  ;D

delbert

I'm glad you took that in the spirit it was intended  ;D, joking. I was serious about the computer blow up I already took some pictures, but my new pc is alot different (Vista eh eh) I am having some troubles getting it going today.
At $.50 inch to get them professionally sharpened though that is alot of knives for the time/expensive of making your own sharpener...blah blah.

[twobears]

i just heard they had alot of trouble with vista.i hope you get your new computer running right tho.
DAREN:i understand where your coming from.it,s kinda like sharpening your own bandsaw blades..is it really worth it.i have around $500.00 in the sharpener i built and alot of hours and i gained a few grey hairs. yet,i have a friend that will do my blades for $3.00 each.
to me it,s worth doing my own blades tho.now,that my sharpener is done i can just walk out and do blades anytime i need too.i don,t need to spend time hunting my friend up,running blades up to his house and spending time to go get them.
the closest guy to me that can sharpen planer blades right is 25 miles away.i just don,t feel like running down there every time i need blades done.
at some point i plan on having two planers and be using both of them alot.i don,t wanta be running after blades all the time.
i looked at your gallery of pic,s and i don,t see a reason why i couldn,t use my metal lath to build a sharpener.i can clamp the blade holder to the track part of the lathe and the grinder to the tool rest.

delbert