Design Philosophy
The essential precondition for Tormek developments is that each product must satisfy a genuine need; otherwise it should not be made. Behind each successful product lie a number of thoroughly tested prototypes to meet Tormek’s high demands for quality and effectiveness. Design details, often invisible, determine if a product works smoothly and reliably or if it gives you a problem.
Unlike conventional jigs, the upper and flat side of the tool is always parallel to the Universal Support.
In the patented design, the sides of the tapered bore touch the round bar – not the bottom. This means that the locking force increases by as much as 250%!
The AngleMaster works on any stone diameter thanks to the diameter compensator.
One of the latest products, the patented Square Edge Jig SE-76, is an example of how a problem came to be the driving force for a new design. Users of the original Straight Edge Jig SVH-60 and of similar jigs on the market sometimes had a problem to properly align a wood chisel, since the jig is referenced to the bevelled underside of the tool. The jig needed a bit of adjusting to achieve a 90 degree grind.
Tormek solved this problem by using the flat and machined side of the chisel as the reference for the mounting. The result is a perfectly aligned tool without any need for adjustments.
With the Tool Rest SVD-110, Tormek have thought outside the box to improve upon the conventional method for an ordinary sleeve to be locked on to a shaft. The problem was that the locking screw demanded a high tightening torque to ensure a reliable locking on the tool rest.
Tormek solved the problem by giving the hole a slight wedge shape. This means that the locking force increases by as much as 250%. A quick and light tightening is now sufficient to achieve a secure locking.
Another interesting design is the AngleMaster WM-200, which can be used for any edge angle. The diameter of the stone is set with an integral compensator, which gives the tool exactly the same edge angle even as the stone wears and gets smaller. It works on all grinding machines with a grindstone or grinding wheel from 150 to 250 mm in diameter. Earlier angle setting devices had fixed angles that only worked with a specific stone diameter.
These Tormek innovations are just a few examples of how the functionality is put in focus. This is the thinking which drives all Tormek developments.