My 12.5 degree ramp.

[Diomedes Industries]

I put together this 12.5 degree ramp last yesterday and tried it out with my Laconico bushcrafter.

Here is the ramp - I will show you the results when I take the pics:

Thanks for the idea guys.

TF

 

[Mossyhorn]

It looks like a winning idea. I like the Norton Fine India stone. I'd like to see the results when you're done.

 

[chococrazy]

I put together this 12.5 degree ramp last yesterday and tried it out with my Laconico bushcrafter.

Here is the ramp - I will show you the results when I take the pics:

Thanks for the idea guys.

TF

The stone looks a little thick to be used with a ramp.

The ramp looks like it'll work like a champ though.
I would get rid of the stone holder and take a piece of double sided tape. Lay it on on the wood then just touch the tape a lot so it looses some stick, and turns into grip.
That way the stone holds, without the extra height giving you closer to 12.5.

 

[unit]

The stone looks a little thick to be used with a ramp.

The ramp looks like it'll work like a champ though.
I would get rid of the stone holder and take a piece of double sided tape. Lay it on on the wood then just touch the tape a lot so it looses some stick, and turns into grip.
That way the stone holds, without the extra height giving you closer to 12.5.

I have no idea why a thick stone would be any less appropriate for a ramp than a thin one, and I am not sure I understand why getting rid of the holder would get you closer to 12.5. Perhaps you could explain?

I think the setup looks great! My only suggestion is one of personal preference. I have stones of various sizes and would not like adjusting the holder between their dimensions. I trimmed a sheet of rubber from an inner tube and glued it to my ramp. Simply lay the stone on it and go.

Looks like a well made setup you have there!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

The stone looks a little thick to be used with a ramp.

The ramp looks like it'll work like a champ though.
I would get rid of the stone holder and take a piece of double sided tape. Lay it on on the wood then just touch the tape a lot so it looses some stick, and turns into grip.
That way the stone holds, without the extra height giving you closer to 12.5.

The stone could be 12" thick, with or without the holder, and it still wouldn't change the angle. As long as the SURFACE of the stone is PARALLEL to the ramp's angled surface, the angle will be EXACTLY THE SAME. The thickness of the stone, or the presence/absence of the holder, makes no difference in the measured angle from horizontal.

 

[me2]

Excellent. Mine looks different, but works the same. Its a 4x4 cut at an angle and screwed to a 1x6x10 base. I can set it vertical or horizontal. Horizontal is the method I used to get my hair whittling edges at 220 and 1000 grit. I have not been able to do that freehand or with a vertical set-up. Freehand I don't think I have the control, and vertical, my waterstone just won't stay wet, and the swarf at the end of the stroke gets in the way.

 

[zyhano]

Excellent.
This idea is great and there's been threads about it here and there.
I tried mine too but wanted to go to perfection and didn't have the tools, material and skills to do that.

What I mean is, howcome there is NOONE that does this setup in a more configurable way and commercially?
I can see how cost of manufacture versus pieces sold would make it expensive but the idea is good and it would work on every stone.
I'd think someone with some CAD skills could easily make this and it would be the bomb for a lot of knife/sharpening junks here...


I'd like to see:
- strong quality build materials (wood and waterstones are not a good combo). The feeling you get with wood is of a solid block. I'd like to see that through the use of good synthetic material
- configurable with multiple stones and strops, plug and play with the stones, be able to fix them to the tool
- one piece does it all: store your stones (maybe place for 2 double sided benchstones in the tool, maybe in the base of the tool (storage)
- an angle adjustable rig, easily alter the angles and fix it in position, with the angles easily readable.
- optional: for waterstones, a small holder (don't know the word) so the water you sprinkle on it won't drip all over the place, but will be caught at the bottom of the container. container maybe .2 inch high, so the waterstone comes out above it and has a little horizontal drip out container at the bottom
- stones are stones. No vendor specific stones and tools that come with it. a generic application for all your existing stones.
- maybe some extensions: a surface to lift your stone a littlebit higher, different formats (for the most common benchstone sizes). of course, these can easily be made by you yourself.
- awesome feature: built in magnifier

the pieces to build this are mechanically VERY simple. and construction wise too. I could draw it out in a sketch no problem. Building it: no skills here...

something to think about, or maybe someone handy willing to pick this up??

 

[Minnesota]

So you hold you knife flat and just drag it up the stone? That's a pretty good Idea!

 

[hiwa]

Cool idea, Talfuchre. I did a ramp awhile ago , but the stone was 20 deg. from vertical , so I held the knife vertical , like a sharpmaker. Whatever works !
Making homemade sharpening jigs is a blast !

 

[jayinhk]

That's really cool.

 

[PB Wilson]

Excellent.
This idea is great and there's been threads about it here and there.
I tried mine too but wanted to go to perfection and didn't have the tools, material and skills to do that.

What I mean is, howcome there is NOONE that does this setup in a more configurable way and commercially?
I can see how cost of manufacture versus pieces sold would make it expensive but the idea is good and it would work on every stone.
I'd think someone with some CAD skills could easily make this and it would be the bomb for a lot of knife/sharpening junks here...


I'd like to see:
- strong quality build materials (wood and waterstones are not a good combo). The feeling you get with wood is of a solid block. I'd like to see that through the use of good synthetic material
- configurable with multiple stones and strops, plug and play with the stones, be able to fix them to the tool
- one piece does it all: store your stones (maybe place for 2 double sided benchstones in the tool, maybe in the base of the tool (storage)
- an angle adjustable rig, easily alter the angles and fix it in position, with the angles easily readable.
- optional: for waterstones, a small holder (don't know the word) so the water you sprinkle on it won't drip all over the place, but will be caught at the bottom of the container. container maybe .2 inch high, so the waterstone comes out above it and has a little horizontal drip out container at the bottom
- stones are stones. No vendor specific stones and tools that come with it. a generic application for all your existing stones.
- maybe some extensions: a surface to lift your stone a littlebit higher, different formats (for the most common benchstone sizes). of course, these can easily be made by you yourself.
- awesome feature: built in magnifier

the pieces to build this are mechanically VERY simple. and construction wise too. I could draw it out in a sketch no problem. Building it: no skills here...

something to think about, or maybe someone handy willing to pick this up??

Much of the beauty in Tal's model is that it can be made from scrap pieces of wood found in countless basements, garages and wood shops around the world. The only important part is cutting the angle of the bottom pieces. Anyone with a decent tablesaw setup and mitre gauge can do it. You could make a few of them for any angle you'd want. If it gets messed up from too much water and metal, just make a new one for pennies.

I know that many people would pay a lot of money for their sharpening systems, especially if it guarantees success, but after paying for my diamond stones, I personally wouldn't spend a lot more for something I could make, or have made by a buddy. To each his/her own. I'd still like to see your designs. Maybe you'll hit upon something unique that would make it a big success.

 

[KennyB]

I really like the idea, it made me have one of my own. It'd be neat to use the lid to a wooden box as the ramp, and prop it up at various angles. Could even screw on a mangifying glass and use the box for storage, and even mount a little quarter-circle to the lid at the corner for a built-in protractor. Now that would be fun.

Here, maybe a visual would be better

Just a rough visual of course. I think putting half-inch spaced holes in the top to fit "pegs" into would make it adaptable for pretty much any stone too.

Then not to mention you've got a nice box to keep all your stuff in too.

I bet finding the materials to do this at a craft store or Home Depot wouldn't be very hard at all. A nice box with a lid like the one shown, maybe just make one yourself. I mean, I think I'm gonna go down as soon as I can and pick up a box, some dowels, a little protractor which I'll cut in half and glue to the lid top as shown, and just make a quick little version to see how it works.

Shouldn't be hard, a cheap protractor cut in half, some dowels, a wood box with the lid extending over the walls. The only real issue would be securing the stone, but even that's as simple as buying some stripping to screw on top.

 

[zyhano]

I really like the idea, it made me have one of my own. It'd be neat to use the lid to a wooden box as the ramp, and prop it up at various angles. Could even screw on a mangifying glass and use the box for storage, and even mount a little quarter-circle to the lid at the corner for a built-in protractor. Now that would be fun.

Here, maybe a visual would be better

Just a rough visual of course. I think putting half-inch spaced holes in the top to fit "pegs" into would make it adaptable for pretty much any stone too.

Then not to mention you've got a nice box to keep all your stuff in too.

I bet finding the materials to do this at a craft store or Home Depot wouldn't be very hard at all. A nice box with a lid like the one shown, maybe just make one yourself. I mean, I think I'm gonna go down as soon as I can and pick up a box, some dowels, a little protractor which I'll cut in half and glue to the lid top as shown, and just make a quick little version to see how it works.

Shouldn't be hard, a cheap protractor cut in half, some dowels, a wood box with the lid extending over the walls. The only real issue would be securing the stone, but even that's as simple as buying some stripping to screw on top.

that's already awesome to put it in a 3d perspective.
Now throw in a hinge as a fixture between the base and the ramp.
make the angle adjustable by a rod at the top of the ramp that is height adjustable and strong.
assemble it with a good and sturdy material(s), have an engineer take a look at it and bammm, of you go.

 

[unit]

that's already awesome to put it in a 3d perspective.
Now throw in a hinge as a fixture between the base and the ramp.
make the angle adjustable by a rod at the top of the ramp that is height adjustable and strong.
assemble it with a good and sturdy material(s), have an engineer take a look at it and bammm, of you go.

That is pretty swell.

I was gung-ho to create an adjustable base...but I discovered that I am pretty simple and a few fixed bases (with various angles) is all I need. The added benefit with a fixed base is no moving parts to wear...I RARELY need to check the angle of my fixed base.

I do not want to discourage anyone though. It could be a fun project to build that!

 

[zyhano]

That is pretty swell.

I was gung-ho to create an adjustable base...but I discovered that I am pretty simple and a few fixed bases (with various angles) is all I need.

I get where you're coming from and I do agree.
But you know, then you start thinking, space is limited, why do I need 5 blocks instead of one, how could I make it even better, could I use it for storing stuff so I need even less space, or maybe use it to organize my sharpening stuff.
etc.
In the end, you'll have a sharpening shed with an adjustable angle

 

[unit]

In the end, you'll have a sharpening shed with an adjustable angle

Amen brother!
Add a fridge, AC outlets, running water and A/C and I will take one...perhaps two!

 

[KennyB]

that's already awesome to put it in a 3d perspective.
Now throw in a hinge as a fixture between the base and the ramp.
make the angle adjustable by a rod at the top of the ramp that is height adjustable and strong.
assemble it with a good and sturdy material(s), have an engineer take a look at it and bammm, of you go.

Yeah, I thought about how to use an adjustable prop rod, but between the hinges, the holes to drill into the bottom side of the lip, and keeping the rods from "warping" from the pressure, I figured that using a straight-standing rod just cut to length, and propped straight under the end of the ramp would be better. Then the shorter they are, the strong they'll be and the less likely they'll bend. Lastly, if I chisel a recess into the lip of the wood to hold a dowel, then the lid will sit squarely down, keeping it from bending.

So something like this (I moved the rod sticking out int he foreground from the notches so you can see where there would be a hole and a recess):

You'd only need two dowels for various angles, and it would avoid a lot of the complication of fitting just one adjustable rod.

I'm not sure what you mean by putting a rod at the top of the ramp, but here's a better visual of how the props would be hinged in ( I can't draft hinges very well lol).

Oh, and I'm not sure what you mean about a hinge betweent he base and the ramp... Do you mean like a lid hinge? There would be one, I just didn't draft one on...

Hanging the rods from the lid of the box would make for better storage capability, but you'd have to pay attention to the depth of the box and the length, plus the "notches" to prop the rod in would be on the bottom of the box, and so if you wanted to store anything in the area the prop rod would sit it would get in the way. So I think this is the simplest and strongest way to make it adjustable, however for a little less simplicity...

Might take some extra time to drill all the holes needed and find a suitable pin, but it would resolve all the issues of storage space in the box and grinding all the extra prop holes in the underside of the lid. There would be one on both sides, but for the sake of making the model simpler...

I think the idea with the hinged rods will be the easiest to build at first. Less drilling and chiseling than fitting dowels into drilled holes.

 

[zyhano]

Yeah, I thought about how to use an adjustable prop rod, but between the hinges, the holes to drill into the bottom side of the lip, and keeping the rods from "warping" from the pressure, I figured that using a straight-standing rod just cut to length, and propped straight under the end of the ramp would be better. Then the shorter they are, the strong they'll be and the less likely they'll bend. Lastly, if I chisel a recess into the lip of the wood to hold a dowel, then the lid will sit squarely down, keeping it from bending.

So something like this (I moved the rod sticking out int he foreground from the notches so you can see where there would be a hole and a recess):

You'd only need two dowels for various angles, and it would avoid a lot of the complication of fitting just one adjustable rod.

I'm not sure what you mean by putting a rod at the top of the ramp, but here's a better visual of how the props would be hinged in ( I can't draft hinges very well lol).

Oh, and I'm not sure what you mean about a hinge betweent he base and the ramp... Do you mean like a lid hinge? There would be one, I just didn't draft one on...

Hanging the rods from the lid of the box would make for better storage capability, but you'd have to pay attention to the depth of the box and the length, plus the "notches" to prop the rod in would be on the bottom of the box, and so if you wanted to store anything in the area the prop rod would sit it would get in the way. So I think this is the simplest and strongest way to make it adjustable, however for a little less simplicity...

Might take some extra time to drill all the holes needed and find a suitable pin, but it would resolve all the issues of storage space in the box and grinding all the extra prop holes in the underside of the lid. There would be one on both sides, but for the sake of making the model simpler...

I think the idea with the hinged rods will be the easiest to build at first. Less drilling and chiseling than fitting dowels into drilled holes.

awesome stuff KennyB
Now, I don't want to be hijacking this thread, so maybe you or I could start a new thread to promote the idea and get some more input from people, kindof turning it into a collaborative thing.

 

[KennyB]

awesome stuff KennyB
Now, I don't want to be hijacking this thread, so maybe you or I could start a new thread to promote the idea and get some more input from people, kindof turning it into a collaborative thing.

Oh, yeah...

Sorry if I got carried way Talfuchre.

 

[shelbysguns]

Cool Idea TF! I might want to buy one, because I'm technically challenged when it comes to the tablesaw!