ShopNotes Drill Press Scary Sharping Jig

[junquecol]

Recently watched a you tube of ShopNotes (WoodSmith) drill press sharpening jig. Caught my eye, so dug out issue 107 and started looking. Has anyone actually built this jig? If so what pros and cons did you experience? Thinking about building one. Got sources for all the parts lined up, just waiting to dive off the pier.

 

[BWhitney]

I haven't built this but it looks doable!
It also looks a lot like the Worksharp system. For my worksharp I have extra glass wheels but also have some MDF wheels so go for it.
Even though I have the worksharp, I may look closer at this myself. The instructions in Issue 107 seem pretty straight forward.

 

[McRabbet]

I agree with BWhitney that the ShopNotes sharpener operates very similarly to the Worksharp 3000 but it has an 8" diameter sharpening disk versus the 6" disk used by the Worksharp. It certainly looks like a good alternative as a lower cost solution for the fundamental features one needs. However, the Worksharp has features that make it superior for some specific tasks -- it has an adjustable ramp that is ideal for plane irons and chisels which have fixed bevel angles, AND it also can be used from on top with a fixed bar or a honing guide for wider irons or gouges. One key addition I made to my Worksharp 3000 (which I won as a raffle prize at an NCWW Picnic many years ago) was to add flat lap diamond disks I purchased on Amazon.com to both sides of the 6" glass disks. A quick check of Amazon shows 8" disks in a broad range of grits as well which should work with the ShopNotes sharpener.

 

[junquecol]

The Work Sharp is based upon the Lap Sharp macine. Lap Sharp cost 0ver $600 in 2005, and what does a Work Sharp sell for today? More cost friendly to consumer, which is why Lap Sharp declined in popularity.