Tormek Side Wheel

[Leigh Betsch]

Anyone know how to dress the side of a Tormek wheel flat? I want to flatten the back of a few chisels but I get a concave surface on the chisel, I think the wheel is domed.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Leigh,

I would contact Tormek. I would hate to see something done to the wheel that might damage it. I suspect, they are extemely expensive to replace.

[george wilson]

Lay it flat on some abrasive paper stuck down on a granite plate,or float glass. Use water. Keep checking your progress to make sure you are grinding the wheel down evenly all around,or it will wobble when running.

I have a large,old sandstone wheel that I can use with water to rub stones flat on pretty quickly.

[Leigh Betsch]

After sleeping on it I think I could clamp my diamond dresser at a right angle on the flat tool rest and get it to work but I like George's idea better.

[Leigh Betsch]

Thanks George, worked great. I haven't re-installed and tested it but the straight edge says it's good. The outermost 1/4 still drops off about .010 but the rest is flat and I should be able to get a flat chisel by using the rest of the wheel.

[Greg Portland]

I was under the impression that only the first 1/8" to 1/4" of the back of the chisel actually needs to be flat. In fact, certain chisels are intentionally made with a small hollow in the back of the blade (Japanese chisels IIRC).

[Josh Bowman]

Thanks George, worked great. I haven't re-installed and tested it but the straight edge says it's good. The outermost 1/4 still drops off about .010 but the rest is flat and I should be able to get a flat chisel by using the rest of the wheel.
Leigh,
Did you lap it on a ganite stone or use you dimond dresser?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

After sleeping on it I think I could clamp my diamond dresser at a right angle on the flat tool rest and get it to work but I like George's idea better.
I think that this is what they tell you to do in the manual if it is out.

[Leigh Betsch]

I lapped it on sandpaper glued down to a cast iron layout table I have. I used 100 grit cloth backed abrasive paper. The only problem I see is that it is now so fine that it takes forever but leaves almost a mirror finish. I may have to re-lap with courser paper.

[Josh Bowman]

I lapped it on sandpaper glued down to a cast iron layout table I have. I used 100 grit cloth backed abrasive paper. The only problem I see is that it is now so fine that it takes forever but leaves almost a mirror finish. I may have to re-lap with courser paper.
Leigh,
I just take the course grader and use on mine. I per sharp tools USA have one side graded course and the other fine. As seldom as it's used to flatten, it shouldn't change the flatness much. I do appreciate the info on flattening the stone though.

[Leigh Betsch]

I'll try the course grader to rough'en it up a bit. I have some chisels that I give the Tormek once over and call them good, others after the Tormek I hone and polish the back. So even if the grader takes some of the flatness away I think it will still be good for my rough chisels however when I go to the honing stones with the others I really what to start with the most flat chisel I can get. I'll leave one side of the wheel as lapped to help with those chisels.