I use to think I was a pretty decent...

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

Dan Donaldson

>I use the Tormek for setting up the bevel and the initial sharpening, then do the finish up on waterstones and a strop. I normally do not use the Tormek except for the rough work. I also use it for my turning tools without going to any other stones afterwards.

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

R.J.Whelan

>Matt ... when I went to full time professional mode I popped for a Tormek - I haven't been sorry.

It probably saves me 4-5 hours per month. I use the machine to establish the bevel and then polish with a black Arkansas stone - I can touch up the bevel about 40-50 times before I have to go back to the Tormek; I work in mostly tropical hardwoods so 40-50 touch-ups happen pretty quickly at times.

I have my machine set up on a roll-around cabinet and have a gravity fed water line to fill the reservoir and another line with a stop-cock to drain the reservoir into a bucket when I'm done - saves a surprising amount of time. The roll-around base allows me to turn the machine around without picking it up. I also bought an extra tool holder so I don't have to switch the holder from side to side when I'm working.

I've been sharpening for a looooong time and have never gotten the hang of grinding a bevel without burning the tool. Haven't damage any steel since I bought the Tormek.

I kind of enjoy sharpening so I'm not sure if I'd have made the investment if I didn't need to maximize productivity.

-rj-

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

Matt -- Los Angeles

>Hey R.J.

Thanks for the input. I understand the efficiency of the machine once you get the hang of it. The extra tool rest is a great idea.

I suppose I'll use it pretty much as I did the dry grinder, only more often I imagine.

Now, I posted a question on the other side about the guide bar set up and I don't fully understand the answer I got.

The machine is grinding at a skew, the guide bar is square to the stone in height, yet it appears out of alignment ACROSS the stone if you can imagine it. Meaning as if the support bracket on the machine was skewed out of 90 degrees from the side of the stone. I don't see how the truing tool would alleviate the problem. The only solution I've come up with is to bend the bar somehow or set the blade in the jig to compensate for the skew, although this is precisely why I bought the dang thing in the first place....I'm an expert at putting a skew on a straight tool. I don't a machine for that!

Thanks again

Matt

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Brute force...align it to perpendicular to the stone. It is just a rod bent to hang over the stone right? Get a piece of pipe or conduit and lever it into alignment. Beats trying to figure how to rework the mounting to compensate for the error.JR

Simple

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>I think everyone who buys a Tormek goes Huh??? when they realize the stone is out of true with the guide bar. You need the diamond dressing thingamajig. Classic case of your $400 machine will not work properly until you buy that $20 doohickey.

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

R.J.Whelan

>Matt ... I guess I got lucky with mine; my tool rest is in alignment with the face of the wheel. I've had to true my wheel twice in three years - I'm pretty careful about distributing the wear evenly across the wheel and I don't grind turning tools on the Tormek.

I does sound to me that you need to dress the wheel - the alignment on these machines is so simple in design I can't really imagine there being a problem with that.

Good luck ... rj

Thanks gang

Matt -- Los Angeles

>I'm going to try and true it up with diamond dealeeo and see if that takes care of the skewy...

rain rain--nothin but rain

Matt- Los Angeles

Re: I use to think I was a pretty decent...

CONGER - the Irish diaspora in Munich

>Moses.... great pic of the Da... I am enviouus!

-g-

One click too far!

CONGER - the Irish diaspora in Munich

>