Edge Retention/Rolling Test Stand

[Rick Kr]

Hello Mr. Rick Kr, Welcome to the Forum! It's really great to have you here.  

I'm barely a novice machinist, but I have several good friends (and one of my heroes) who are magnificent machinists. I've always been in awe, and have tremendous respect for your trade. I finally acquired a full size digital knee-mill several years ago, and it is my favorite single piece of equipment, spanning three well appointed shops. I appreciate your comments, and can easily recognize your point of view.

Mark,

Thanks for the welcome. It is good to be here. 

I hope I did not mislead anyone with my comments about being a machinist. That comment was relative to my experience/status as a very novice sharpener more than a claim to being a good machinist.  I learned machining in my father's high precision, exotic materials, short-run production machining/tool and die making shop in the 1960s.  I didn't do much more until beginning again as a home shop machinist in 2000.  Since then, I have built on what I learned earlier.  Since working in my father's shop, I have never worked professionally as a machinist.  I was a professional fish biologist.  The machining knowledge certainly came in handy there. 

I have a digital knee-mill, albeit a small one, and am in the market for a full sized one.  I currently have one lathe running in my shop, a Monarch 10EE (1946 vintage, very nicely restored, with DRO).  In my opinion, this lathe is one of two ultimate home shop machinist lathes.  I am exceedingly fortunate to have it.  

I have now read the entire thread and have learned a LOT.  Just as I was starting to get a clue about sharpening to finer levels of sharpness...   ...the world may be shifting on its axis.   I anxiously await results and further discussions. 

Rick