Tormek Clone

[Rich Torino]

Does anyone have any thing on this sharpening system?? It looks pretty similar to a Tormek but about $100 cheaper.

Rich

http://www.toolcenter.com/scheppach/Tiger_2000_Sharpening_System.html

[Allen Bookout]

I have been interested in a sharpening system also. The thing that gripes me is that buying the unit is only the start. The system, they say, is $299.00 but then I would want the leather honing wheel at $52.95 and I would also want to be able to sharpen kitchen knives as long as I have the "system" so add another $39.95 for a long knife jig. But wait --- what about your short knives --- add another $29.95 for the small knife jig. And scissors add another $39.95. I do not turn so skip the gouge jig thank goodness. Just about everyone needs to sharpen Planer/jointer knifes so add another $139.95. Have to have the stripping device to true the grinding stone at $59.95. Grand Total of $661.70 when we started out at just below $300.00. The Tormek is even worse with the add ons but at least they have a video.

Unless you sharpen a LOT of stuff it seems cheaper to just buy everyting new.

REALLY GRIPES ME!!!! Allen

[Jay Knepper]

Check out the February 2006 issue of Fine Woodworking. They compared this system, Tormek and several other powered sharpening systems. They like the Lee Valley system best.

[Dev Emch]

Hey Allen.... you either write prose for late night infomercials or you spend to much time watching them. Wait! You must have picked up this attitude from the woodworking shows. Yah, that's it... the woodworking shows.

You really hit the nail on the head. I like the tormek but the design is something out of the pages of microsoft. By the time all is said and done, your into the system for 3 or 4 times the intial purchase price. And if you dont accessorize, then you have a nice paper weight that is useless. And these accessories you talk about cost them $5 or $10 bucks to outsource and your getting a deal at $39.95. Hmmmm, I am in the wrong business!

I would like to know more about their blue wheel however. What grit is it? Is it compatible with the tormek? That way, I can use one of those finer pink tormek wheels not made by tormek. I really dont like the idea of glazing over the grit to make a rough stone a fine stone.

[Rich Torino]

Alan, your right on the money...by the time you add up all the attachments the average woodworker/ do it yourselfer you would want you can buy a table saw, or a jointer or bandsaw.... some how it doesn't quite equate.... Maybe be we need to get our friends at Grizzly (are you listening?) to get a similar type unit produced at one of their factories. I'm sure it would then be affordable...

[Steve Stube]

Allen;

Unless you sharpen a LOT of stuff it seems cheaper to just buy everyting new.

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but buying new "is not" a guarantee of sharpness.

[Brian Jarnell]

I have a Tormec,it is very good,must have been feeling rich at the time of purchase.:)
Makes a great job of 9"buzzer knives,chisels,knives,scissors etc.

[Scott Coffelt]

I just bought it last week from Hartville Tool when they had the 20% off sale. I've not got a chance to use it yet, but in all it looks like it will be a nice tool. It does have a smaller diameter wheel if that is an issue for you or not. You can use the T brand accessories with it, but they ain't cheaper. Since it is a pre-birthday present, it may be January until I can offically try it out. It is built pretty nice from what I can tell, fairly heavy.

[Brian Jarnell]

I just bought it last week from Hartville Tool when they had the 20% off sale. I've not got a chance to use it yet, but in all it looks like it will be a nice tool. It does have a smaller diameter wheel if that is an issue for you or not. You can use the T brand accessories with it, but they ain't cheaper. Since it is a pre-birthday present, it may be January until I can offically try it out. It is built pretty nice from what I can tell, fairly heavy.
What is it you bought Scott,or did I miss something?

[Allen Bookout]

I have been looking at these systems again and I do see one major difference. The TiGer 2000 says that it handles planner blades to 12.6 inches. I watched the video on the Tormek and their planner/jointer blade system will handle blades to any length with a little juggling. That could make a difference to a lot of people. There was no question and answer page that I could find that addressed that issue with the TiGer.

[Chris Barton]

The latest edition of FWW has a review of this and other sharpening systems. They found it to be less of a system than the Tormek because of a couple of reasons, 1) the wheel is 8" on the Tiger and 10" on the Tormek, 2) the grading stone on the Tiger could not make the wheel nearly as fine a grit as the Tormek.

I have a Tormek and while I will be the first to agree that it is not a cheap product I will also be the first to point out that it's not a cheap product! I think that statement makes sense. While not looking like rocket science, the Tormek is very precisely made and all of the attachments work flawlessly. I remain cost conscious when selecting my tools but, I try to buy the very best technology and craftmanship my money can get. The Tormek fit well with that criteria.

[Allen Bookout]

Thanks for the info Chris. Sometimes you get what you pay for and this may be one of those times.. Allen

[Rich Torino]

Well I guess if your willing to give up your first born it should be for a Tormek...Oh well, Christmas is all sewed up...I wonder if my wife would like one for her Birthday????

[Clifton Evans]

HI All,
Point of interest. A tormek with all the attachments save the short knife attachment just sold on Ebay for $861.52 plus shipping. They sure left me in the dust.
Clif

[Scott Coffelt]

I bought the Tiger 2000, but I just read the FWW article and now I am on the fence as to whether I would rather have the Tormek. When I bought the Tiger, I was under the impression it was basically the same wheel, but smaller. If in fact it is not, I am not sure that it is what I want.

[Gary Curtis]

If you want a Tormek, my local tool dealer has a new, unused Tormek with 17 accessories. (Gadzooks) Call Westood Power Tools (Los Angeles) and ask for Don. 310 387-1231. Still in the box, shiny and new. I saw it 2 weeks ago and think the price was $399. Can't remember exactly. The tool belonged to an elderly man too old to putter in the shop anymore.

For a awhile early this year, I was looking seriously at the Tormek, but the price threw me.

In February, I bought the Veritas Mk.II system at a show. What sold me was the fact that the Veritas representative admitted he was a klutz at sharpening. Even though he'd been a high school woodshop teacher in Canada.

Using the Mk. II, he said, finishing off a plane iron would take all of 2 minutes for him. Then he demonstrated it. I haven't used mine, but will post my opinions on it when my shop is up and running in January.

Gary Curtis

[Gary Curtis]

Telephone for Westwood Power Tools in Los Angeles should read------

310 837-1231. And the location is actually Culver City.

Sorry.

Gary Curtis

[Gary Herrmann]

TimberlineTools had them for $399 as well. Noticed that when I picked up a few kbodies. Not sure how long the sale lasts tho.

[Kent Cartwright]

I thought long and hard before I plunked by $800 bucks down on the Tormek system, but am glad I did. I have tried many of the manual systems out there, but I simply do not spend enough time sharpening to get decent and consistent results sharpening manually. All I can say is prior to the Tormek, a hand plane in my shop was pretty useful as a paperweight. After the Tormek, hand planes have become useful, and much used, tools. Chisels and wood turning tools are now really "scary sharp" and treated with respect. Steak knives now do quite a fine job on the butter :p

As an amateur woodworker (or woodbutcher) I want to spend minimum time sharpening and maximum time working on projects. The Tormek fits the bill to a T. I had to rearrange by tool purchasing priorities to buy the system, but doing so made ALL of my hand tools much more useful and practical. I am sure most of us can get any of the jig-based sharpening systems to work for us. I simply decided to go down the proven trail and not worry about whether or not the system would "really" work for me. IMHO, the Tormek is worth the price because of the doors it has opened up (i.e. hand tools).

Happy sharpening!!

Kent

[Chris Barton]

Alan, your right on the money...by the time you add up all the attachments the average woodworker/ do it yourselfer you would want you can buy a table saw, or a jointer or bandsaw.... some how it doesn't quite equate.... Maybe be we need to get our friends at Grizzly (are you listening?) to get a similar type unit produced at one of their factories. I'm sure it would then be affordable...

Rich,

I have wondered since I bought my Tormek why a company had not come along and reverse engineered a copy of it to sell at a much lower price and I figure it's because of two things. First, a relatively small audience, few people want to spend even $100 to do something as mundane as sharpening and figure they can do it with a stone for a fraction of the price. Second, I think there have been some efforts to copy it and they have been largely unsuccessful. Trend came out with a cheap water cooled wheel sharpener but without the precission of the Tormek. My local Woodcraft ended up sending them all back because they couldn't sell them. Perhaps Shiraz and his team could figure out a way to reproduce the results at half the price of the Tormek but, even then you would be talking about $400 for a complete system. I could buy several bench top power tools for that kind of money. There are plenty of folks out there that could equip a rudimentary shop for that cost... Expensive is a state of mind.

[Gary Curtis]

Airplanes were my line of work before retirement, so I know a bit about things that spin. Those 10 abrasive wheels have got to be ghastly expensive to produce. At least ones that are balanced enough for 700 rpms.

And, with that spinning mass, the motor bearings must cost twice those of a 6" grinder motor.

Gary Curtis

[Randy Denby]

Actually Gary...not to take away from your post, because your spot on. The Tormek actually runs at 90 rpm. I have enjoyed mine immensely. Its really nice to have sharpening available to me when I need it. I figure also that my 15 inch planer and 8 " jointer blades cost close to a hundred dollars each set , so it wont take long for payback. I have 3 woodworking buds and several family members I sharpen stuff for...so it helps me justify the cost a little more. But then, I can always find a reason for more tools :D