Height of Tormek

[Gary Keedwell]

I ordered a Tormek sharpener and they won't deliver till mid-February, so in the mean-time I want to have a dedicated table ready for when it arrives. I cannot find the information on the most comfortable height it should be. I thought I heard the table should be around the same height as your belly-button. This is important because I heard the Jet rip-off is higher so this information could be helpful for everyone who buys one. Does anybody know?

Gary K.:confused:

[Larry Fox]

I might be mistaken but I think it will depend on what you are sharpening as your attitude to the machine might be different for different tasks. However, a quick call to Jeff at SharpToolsUSA might be able to get you the answer - he might even have a FAQ that addresses it. I use mine with it somewhere around waste high depending on where I set it up.

[Michael McCoy]

Tom Hintz has the measurements in his writeup

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/jettormekcomparo.html

[brian lanning]

I ordered a Tormek sharpener and they won't deliver till mid-February, so in the mean-time I want to have a dedicated table ready for when it arrives. I cannot find the information on the most comfortable height it should be. I thought I heard the table should be around the same height as your belly-button. This is important because I heard the Jet rip-off is higher so this information could be helpful for everyone who buys one. Does anybody know?

Gary K.:confused:

Norm (new yankee workshop) has an episode they call the sharpening station. Maybe you could look into that design and see what they did. I seem to remember a pull-out step, like a drawer, because sometimes they wanted to be higher than others. He isn't eactly a tall person though so keep that in mind. In the show, they had a guy who was there to demonstrate the tormek as part of the show.

brian

[Gary Keedwell]

Thanks guys...I just received an e-mail from Jeff and he said 27" based on my 5' 10" height.

Gary K.

[Ken Milhinch]

27" ??? Are you going to get on your knees ? :) That sounds way too short to me.

[Jeff Farris]

27" ??? Are you going to get on your knees ? :) That sounds way too short to me.


You want the top of the machine about the height of your navel, and the machine top is 9 inches above the table top. A lot of problems people have with the system can be traced back to having the machine too high.

Norm's pull out step was my suggestion, in that it is sometimes nice to have the machine about 4 or 5 inches higher for work that is done in the horizontal mount. Given the choice of one or the other, I would make it lower, rather than higher. The step gives you the best of both, but is sort of a pain. It can be a trip hazard in your shop if it is only out occasionally, and you have to remember not to walk off the back of it, if you don't use it frequently.

[Steven Wilson]

27", my back would be dead meat if I had my Tormek at 27". The stand I made is 31" and I'm 5'11". Some vertical operations are slightly uncomfortable but for most turning tools, chisles, and plane irons the 31" height has worked out well.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38967&d=1148176952 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38968&d=1148176966

[Ken Milhinch]

Jeff, Thought you might be interested to know that the show you did on NYW was what alerted me to the existence of the Tormek - here in Australia - and I went right out and bought the junior model. I have since sold it and bought its big brother. It is far and away the best sharpening tool I have ever had.;)

[Jeff Farris]

Jeff, Thought you might be interested to know that the show you did on NYW was what alerted me to the existence of the Tormek - here in Australia - and I went right out and bought the junior model. I have since sold it and bought its big brother. It is far and away the best sharpening tool I have ever had.;)


Good on ya' mate. (did I get that right?) :D

[Ken Milhinch]

Very good. Now if only I could learn American english, but then I have never been good at foreign languages.:D

[Gary Keedwell]

27", my back would be dead meat if I had my Tormek at 27". The stand I made is 31" and I'm 5'11". Some vertical operations are slightly uncomfortable but for most turning tools, chisles, and plane irons the 31" height has worked out well.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38967&d=1148176952 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38968&d=1148176966

I think I'll make one 27" because I can always put something under it to raise it up if I need to. I can't wait to get it...feeling a little giddy..:p

Gary K.