An inexpensive farm feeder, intended to hang over a fence rail, creates a perfect tub for storing waterstones as well as a platform for using them. These heavy-duty tubs are well-made, stiff, and durable. One common model is the Fortiflex Over the Fence Feeder.

To make mine work, I attached a wood flange where the fence rail goes, which then gets clamped in the vise, with the bottom of the basin sitting solidly on the benchtop. To create the sharpening platform on top, I screwed cleats to a piece of redwood, one on the bottom and a few smaller ones on top to secure the stone. I even chiseled grooves into the board to drain water back into the basin. Both of my combination stones fit in the pond, and sit up top one at a time for use.

After storing the tub on a shelf for a while, I bolted the mounting flange permanently to one end of my workbench, so my sharpening station is always ready to go.

—GARY NIELSEN, Oroville, Calif.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #279