You may have heard me mention that I use the WorkSharp 3000 for sharpening my plane blades and chisels. I find that tool the best way for me to put a fine edge on my hand tools. Yes, I do have a few hand tools.
On a 3000 (click here to see a video) the chisel and plane iron port sharpens tools up to 5 cm wide, so the machine is limited to work on narrow blades only. And with the only available bevel angles at 20?, 25?, 30? Or 35? You were also limited. Not to mention it was only possible to add a 5? micro-bevel if desired. From the moment WorkSharp WS3000 was introduced, there has been talk of an attachment that could sharpen larger plane irons. This attachment is now available.
This accessory replaces the original top tool rest by a platform bolted to it. There are leveling screws to bring the table into perfect position with the glass sanding discs , use a good straightedge to adjust the table. You may notice slight skew when you sharpen your blades if the table is not level or in line with the discs.
Once you have the setup completed, position your plane iron in the provided honing guide.
The conference taught me to make sure the blade is in the same position every time I return to sharpen it. If you do that, youll spend less time sharpening and youll extend the life of your irons. The attachment also includes the WorkSharps alignment fixture. This will help you achieve exactly that.
Place the alignment pin in the fixture at the desired setting (arrow facing away), then slide your iron, bevel-up, into the guide until it is held to the fixture. Once the blade is nuzzled up to the pin, tighten the honing guides, and capture the blade.
This accessory has one catch. You must match the angle scale on your alignment fixture to the correct position on the honing guides. Theres a white scale with angles that match those at the port, or an amber scale that has multiple settings from 25? From 25 to 60? Stick-on labels that indicate white or amber positions are not my favorite. Im fearful those labels might vanish leaving one to wonder which position is which.)
Once the blade is set into the guide, youre ready to sharpen. Turn the honing tool so that the bevel angle is at its lowest and the wheel of your guide is on the plate. You’re ready to sharpen your edge by attaching the iron to the sanding disk.
Of course, youll need to work through the grits to gain a sharp edge, and if you use a micro-bevel youll need to adjust the blade in the guide a second time. You can now adjust the alignment pin by turning a simple knob.
I plan to continue to sharpen with a WorkSharp 3000 in the future. Now I am able to work on my plane irons.
