Difficulty with removing the 10" grindstone on a Tormek

[Don Morris]

I have an older model Tormek (SuperGrind 2000) and the 10" grindstone is now just over 7" in diameter. Needs a new wheel so I got one from Woodcraft and can't get beyond removing the initial securing bolt. Their instructions to loosen the bolt were to put a 3/4" wrench on the nut, then hit the wrench a couple times with a hammer. I spent a 1/2 hour trying various iterations of just that but it wouldn't budge. Put some penetrating oil on it and let that set in for a while. No progress. In desperation I used my impact wrench and the bolt came off with little effort. Looks like there is a 1" or so 3/16" thick metal washer (?) the nut was up against. That washer or whatever it is, is on tight enough I can't loosen it. Tormek shows turning the wheel clockwise to loosen it while turning the honing wheel the opposite direction.Tried that, won't budge. Tried the other direction while turning the honing wheel the opposite. same result. Before I put some major torque on the machine; perhaps I'm missing something in the removal process. I thought maybe some Creeker has done this and might have some sage advice on how to proceed. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes their time to respond.

Don M

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The gentleman who introduced me to the Tormek machine ended up carefully smashing his stuck stone with a big hammer after having the same difficulty. A SMC contributor (Carl Beckett) recommended copper anti seize compound to preemptively protect the stone, shaft, washer and nut. It can be considered a flaw with the design that the stone becomes rust welded to the shaft. I held the stone while my boss whacked it with a hammer (both of us being careful to not allow the machine to be harmed).

Sharpening decision – Tormek / CBN (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?296336-Sharpening-decision-%96-Tormek-CBN)

[Tom M King]

Tormek sells a stainless steel shaft for the old ones, now included with the new ones. Look at how the new shaft is installed and you may get some clues.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Tormek sells a stainless steel shaft for the old ones, now included with the new ones. Look at how the new shaft is installed and you may get some clues.

It is great that Tormek offers stainless. I wonder if Grizzly will do the same.

[Andrew Hughes]

When I did my first stone replaced on a 2000 I needed a new shaft.
It was rusted beyond use. I bought the stainless one and was glad to have it.
Good Luck

[Josko Catipovic]

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Dave Sabo]

I sprayed pb blaster on mine for a few days and that freed mine up

[Don Morris]

I'm glad I asked SMC for advice. Looks like I'll be into a new SS shaft. Will try the pb blaster penetrating oil first because that's easy and cheap to do. A local Advance Auto Parts sells a can of it for a little over $5.00. With my luck there's a good chance that won't work so I'll be ready to purchase a new SS shaft. Thanks to all who responded as that certainly was sage advice. Something I've become accustomed to receiving from SMC contributors.

V/r

Don M

[Rob Sack]

Not to hijack the thread, but what did Tormek think would happen once the machine was used over an extended period of time? This was initially and still is a very expensive, well made machine. What did their designers/engineers think was going to happen when mixing water and regular steel over time? How long has this machine been on the market? And only now they figured out that maybe the shaft should be made out of stainless steel. And what about the other hardware components like nuts and washers that come in direct contact with the wheel and/or water? Are these parts now available in stainless steel or will we have to wait another decade or two before Tormek realizes that it might be a good idea to make these parts out of stainless steel. Frankly, how much more would it have cost in the first place for an already expensive machine to use all stainless steel components that come into contact with water? I currently have and use one of the original first generation machines and am still using the original wheel. I can't wait until I have to replace the wheel, which has been on the machine for many, many years. That is assuming I will even be able to get the wheel off without trashing the machine.

[mike stenson]

They've been stainless for almost 20 years now. Since 2006. Which was when I got my 2000.

[Rob Sack]

They've been stainless for almost 20 years now. Since 2006. Which was when I got my 2000.

Just the shaft or all the metal components that come into contact with water?

[mike stenson]

Just the shaft or all the metal components that come into contact with water?

The body of mine is powder coated. I guess it seems like you're just looking to complain about a product you don't own.

[Rob Sack]

The body of mine is powder coated. I guess it seems like you're just looking to complain about a product you don't own.

Read my last three sentences. I have owned one of the first Tormeks, purchased new, for around 20 years or so. With the exception of not looking forward to changing the stone when the time comes, the tool has performed quite well. My point was and is that this is not a Harbor Freight knock-off, and it seems to me that using all stainless steel parts that come into contact with water is a no-brainer, especially for an expensive, high end tool.

[mike stenson]

Read my last three sentences. I have owned one of the first Tormeks, purchased new, for around 20 years or so. With the exception of not looking forward to changing the stone when the time comes, the tool has performed quite well. My point was and is that this is not a Harbor Freight knock-off, and it seems to me that using all stainless steel parts that come into contact with water is a no-brainer, especially for an expensive, high end tool.

Then you know that this is really the only highly exposed piece. It's not like the things aren't totally open.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The stone soaks up a lot of water. It takes many days for the stone to dry out. If you forget to lower the bath, the stone will be wet for weeks. Stainless steel is the answer. The little Grizzly complete machine costs less than a Tormek replacement stone. And less than the replacement SS shaft (last I checked). It is a sad state of affairs. I will be doing my best to keep my Grizzly alive.

[Dick Strauss]

Eventually the stone mounted on the regular steel shaft will begin to crack from the shaft rusting. DAMHIKT. I replaced the shaft with SS and got new plastic bushings when I replaced the wheel.

[Rob Sack]

Then you know that this is really the only highly exposed piece. It's not like the things aren't totally open.

I am not sure what "this is really the only highly exposed piece" is referring to. All I can say is that the stone wheel appears to be held onto my machine with a flat washer and a nut. The exposed end of the shaft, the washer, and the nut are heavily rusted and corroded. I interpret this to mean that these three components are not stainless steel and if and when it comes time to replace the stone wheel, I don't know that I will be able to break anything loose without causing damage to the machine. At this point, the corrosion is so severe, I don't know that breaking the nut loose and removing the washer is even possible.

What I was trying to say in my original post was that had these three components been made with stainless steel, changing the stone would not have the issues and difficulties I will be facing should I choose to replace the stone wheel. Changing the stone wheel should be more akin to changing a tire, not cutting suspension parts off a hundred year old car that spent most of its life at the bottom of a lake.