Flat Grinding Platen Angle

[M.FREEZE]

What angle do you guys have your platens set to? Mine is 90 degrees and I'm interested in changing the angle to help with grinding. Does an angled platen make flat grinding any easier as opposed to 90 degree platen? Any suggestions will help.

 

[raylaconico]

I have my platen at 90 degrees to the tool rest. I use the tool rest with the platen when grind.

 

[jawilder]

Mine is also at 90 so that i can look down at the edge to see when the belt and edge meet

 

[CWendling]

I dont know what angle mine is at, but the top is probably about an inch back of 90*

 

[Fred.Rowe]

If the platen is set at 90 degrees to the work rest its easier to get the ricasso area to S4S; which is a carpentry term meaning smooth four sides. It also means all sides are square to each other. Its a good place to start grinding a blade. If the spine of the blade is square to the ricasso surface it can be used to judge the bevel grinding angle by setting the blade upright on its spine on the work rest. All surfaces of a blade should be ground relative to its opposing surfaces.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

My buddy uses a Burr King, and the platen is nearly horizontal. He likes it that way. I grind with the platen at 90° because I use a Bader. I suspect you get proficient with whatever you have.