# Woodpecker sharpening gizmo



## SteveMI (May 29, 2011)

I've never noticed one of these before, is this woodpecker gizmo something new? Anyone tried one? Seems priced reasonable at $18 if it worked.
M-Power Router Bit Sharpener

Don't forget to scroll down the page for the $179 version. (on sale)

Steve.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

SteveMI said:


> I've never noticed one of these before, is this woodpecker gizmo something new? Anyone tried one? Seems priced reasonable at $18 if it worked.
> M-Power Router Bit Sharpener
> 
> Don't forget to scroll down the page for the $179 version. (on sale)
> ...


I have found M-Power products to be well made. I use diamond paddles to sharpen my bits, but for the price and the surface area, it is appealing. I don't think that the bench mounts would be worth the price. You could do the same thing with a block of scrap wood.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Any diamond sharpener will work out of the box. If you want quality you have to pay for it. I highly recommend the Trend diamond sharpeners.


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## SteveMI (May 29, 2011)

Is this style any use for a bit like 1/4" diameter upcut or is there a different type? What are "diamond paddles"? 

At a woodworking show I bought a pack of some various grit diamond(?) wetstone pads with plastic back (1" x 3") with a similar surface look as the Woodpecker. They were cheap. I put the round router bits in a cordless screwdriver and run it in reverse on slow then touch the wetstones to it. Seemed to do some good in cleaning, but no different from 600 grit emory cloth and block of wood.

I'm not looking for a true "sharpening" as much as an optimized cleaning. I get good life from bits, just they get less than polished surface after a while.

Steve.


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## SteveMI (May 29, 2011)

Mike said:


> Any diamond sharpener will work out of the box. If you want quality you have to pay for it. I highly recommend the Trend diamond sharpeners.


I may need to stop by for a class!

Steve.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Photo shoot today Steve. I meant to do this the other night and ran out of time.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

SteveMI said:


> Is this style any use for a bit like 1/4" diameter upcut or is there a different type? What are "diamond paddles"?
> 
> *see attached*
> 
> ...


If you just want to clean the bits, use something like Trends Bit and Blade cleaner. This will clean the pitch build up off and keep them clean. With carbide bits (or a striking knife) you only run the diamond stone on the flat side, never the bevel edge, to touch it up. It is easier to do this and make the bit last longer, then to end up with a useless, dull, bit.

Do this every time you use the bit and they will stay clean, last longer and stay sharper longer.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

SteveMI said:


> I've never noticed one of these before, is this woodpecker gizmo something new? Anyone tried one? Seems priced reasonable at $18 if it worked.
> M-Power Router Bit Sharpener
> 
> Don't forget to scroll down the page for the $179 version. (on sale)
> ...


If it works as well as their system for sharpening chisels, etc M-Power DMT PSS Sharpening System it should be worth the money. After investing in a Tormek, only to find out that it's really not suitable for sharpening butt chisels, I bought one of the M Power systems and love it. On a new chisel "as bought" to sharp enough to shave hairs off your forearm took less than an hour, working up through the various grits, and including flattening and polishing the back, The only negative to me was that I had a problem holding the chisel in the base so that it didn't move as you stroked the stone across it, but I have a damaged tendon in my thumb and it's a problem applying a lot of pressure. The solution was to bolt the base to a piece of plywood, mount a toggle clamp next to it and use that to hold the chisel tight in the base. It's interesting that M Power recommends not to use any honing fluid on their diamond plates where Trend pushes their honing fluid for the diamond stones. For me, this does everything that I bought the Tormek for so thinking about getting rid of it as it's just taking up space.

Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tom, the lapping fluid helps keep the metal cool as it is being ground on the diamond; it also helps carry away the residue. Not that this process generates a lot of heat but every little bit helps. Basic metal working principles like using Tap Magic when tapping threads. The white Trend cleaning pad removes any residue from the sharpener.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Mike said:


> Tom, the lapping fluid helps keep the metal cool as it is being ground on the diamond; it also helps carry away the residue. Not that this process generates a lot of heat but every little bit helps. Basic metal working principles like using Tap Magic when tapping threads. The white Trend cleaning pad removes any residue from the sharpener.


Thanks Mike. I've seen the ad for the Trend lapping fluid and had planned to order some the next time I placed an order. It makes sense - and a couple of the reviews that I read mentioned that they used a lapping fluid, sometimes water, so I was going to try it on the next go around. I'll have to look into the pad for cleaning the stones, that sounds like a good idea.

Tom


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

SteveMI said:


> I put the round router bits in a cordless screwdriver and run it in reverse on slow then touch the wetstones to it.
> 
> Steve.


This is a bad method of sharpening Steve. You not only drastically change the diameter of the bit but you also remove the clearance angle on the cutting edge. This changes it from a cutter to a scraper. Any sharpening should always be on the flat side only. The easiest way I find is to lay the diamond hone on a table or workbench edge and move the flat of the bit back and forth over the hone.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

SteveMI said:


> Is this style any use for a bit like 1/4" diameter upcut or is there a different type? What are "diamond paddles"?
> 
> At a woodworking show I bought a pack of some various grit diamond(?) wetstone pads with plastic back (1" x 3") with a similar surface look as the Woodpecker. They were cheap. I put the round router bits in a cordless screwdriver and run it in reverse on slow then touch the wetstones to it. Seemed to do some good in cleaning, but no different from 600 grit emory cloth and block of wood.
> 
> ...


start your classes here...


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