In the Shop > Wood Turning
1 day old Tormek, should I bin it?
Chief:
Thanks all for the replies, I am seeing a rep on Friday, maybe he can show me the error of my ways, stone is 7mm smaller than when I set it up, water tank is constantly full of grindstone, now with practice my main gouges are as sharp as they used to be freehand from a grindwheel (have only re-profiled a few so far).
TomC:
I read this thread a couple of days ago. I had T-7 system on order and thought about canceling my order after reading this. I got my machine late yesterday, delivered by UPS. I played with it last night. I had to reshape two bowl gouges and one spindle gouge. I found it very easy to do. I did not even regrade the wheel. It took only about 15 to 20 minutes to reshape. I found it easier than a slow speed bench grinder. With the wet wheel grinding it is much slower and easier to control. Only have the system less than 24 hours I am so far very pleased.
TomC
Rhino:
I write this in support of Tormek. It is a very nice sharpener. I love it and enjoy sharpening.
It cost around $600 or $700. If you buy all the jigs, it will cost another $600 or $700. The price list and accessories are on the internet. Going in, I have no illusions that it will grind everything without more jigs - unless you have the skill to do it freehand. It won't do drill bits without a jig. It can't do plane irons without a jig. It can't do scissors without a jig. The prices of jigs are all on the internet. There are some things it cannot do well - like a heavily concave blade. You can investigate before buying.
I can built the jigs myself but it is cheaper to buy them from Tormek. If you can do it cheaper, you are free to try. I have tried and posted my findings on this forum for fun.
It is a hobby, and like all hobbies, requires constant money. Don't expect to buy one and never spend any more money. If you are a professional, hopefully you have made a good business decision. Also, the grinding wheels do not last forever. It is a consumable. I use about 7mm in 2.5 years so it is lasting a long time for me.
Also, if you already have a sharpening solution that works well for you and you can sharpen your tools in two minutes - you should not expect to improve with a Tormek.
Ken S:
Learning to use a Tormek reminds me of something Ernie Conover said in his hand cut dovetail class. As part of the class we all made Shaker candle boxes with hand cut through dovetails. Needless to say, the dovetails in our first attempt were less than perfect. Ernie suggested making fifteen candle boxes. He assured us that if we worked carefully, by the fifteenth box, we would be proficient.
Instead of several days with the Tormek, buy it with the idea of trying it diligently for a year. If after a year of steady use it doesn't seem to measure up, put it up on ebay and move on. The year should eliminate operator error, or at least operator inexperience.
I don't expect the tormek to be my only piece of sharpening equipment. I recently removed decades old head mushrooming from a couple splitting wedges. I used my dry grinder with a Norton 3X 46 grit wheel. I am not convinced the Tormek can do a better job with the final stages of chisel back flattening and polishing than my water stones. In fact, i'm not sure the leather honing wheel can match the 8000 water stone. (I admit this may be partially operator inexperience with the honing wheel)
I am convinced the Tormek can do many sharpening operations with far more precision and repeatability than I can do by hand, and with much less strain on my hands.
I recently started using the DBS-22 drill sharpening jig. I was surprised how well the first bit turned out. Not perfect, but far superior to what I could have done by hand. It came as no surprise that the next couple of bits were sharpened better than the first. As I learn the routine and work diligently, my frill bit sharpening skills are growing. Bit number three was very good. Bit number 53 will be on target.
You are off to a good start, Tom.
Good points, Rhino.
Ken
wrightp:
I know this thread is kind of old, but I couldn't help but add my $.02. After reading countless reviews of the Tormek, as well as other sharpening systems (which mostly read, "If you can't afford a Tormek, then this works well.."), I finally took the plunge. I'm not the type to start out slow and make do for a while, so I bought the T7 with all the jigs except the drill bit sharpener and the miter blade sharpener. I also bought the universal support jig that allows you to use some of the jigs with your "regular" bench grinder. I watched all the videos I could get my hands on and read all the materials that came with my T7. I have to say that I LOVE this machine! From the first time I used it I achieved nearly perfect results. If you're still considering buying a Tormek, JUST DO IT! Quality is expensive and you truly get what you pay for. The T7 is worth every penny.
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