Tormek for bowl gouges

[Justin Bukoski]

I've been turning for about a year now on and off (mostly pens and tool handles!). I'm starting to take a stab at bowls but I have a question about sharpening. I have a Tormek that I use for sharpening everything from plane irons to kitchen knives to jointer/planer knives. I also have the gouge jig that has sat in its box because I'm too impatient to figure out how that particular torture device works.

So to my question: do any of you use the jig? I've been freehand sharpening on the Tormek and I get decent results but I think I could probably get better results if I used a jig on the Tormek or even my grinder.

whadda ya think?

[Dick Strauss]

Justin,
Use the jig and you'll get better results. It only takes a minute or so once you get the hang of it. The Tormek also takes off less metal to sharpen (less metal removal=longer tool life).

I don't have a tormek myself but I see my buddy using it to sharpen his oneway turning tools without any trouble.

[Wilbur Pan]

I bought a Tormek specifically for sharpening turning tools, and I like it a lot.

I find that the jig is very useful for the many of the same reasons that Dick mentioned: very repeatable results, and it removes less metal to give you a sharp edge than a grinder. Plus, you won't be spewing grinder wheel and metal dust all over your shop. ;)

[robert hainstock]

I have seen three different bowl gouge jigs in use, and can only repeat what the others have said. n It took me about one minute to get the hang of it. one guy drilled a block for a depth gauge to insure tool depth mounting in the jig would always be the same. good luck!:o
Bob

[Justin Bukoski]

Time to get off my lazy but then. Is there a larger jig for my roughing and spindle gouges?

[Steven Wilson]

There's three jigs you can use; SVD-180/SVD-185 which is probably what you have, SVS-50 good for skews, and the SVS-32 (short tools) or SVS-40 (and older jig that's great for roughing gouges). They work on all the Lathe tools I have.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

jUSTIN, BY ALL MEANS GET THE NEW ADJ. TOOL. THE ONE WITH THE TWO DISCS AND 2 HOLES AT THE BOTTOM. dO YOU HAVE THE HANDBOOK? SET THE TOOL IN THE BACK HOLE, ADJUST THE MOVABLE REST SO THAT THE TWO DISCS TOUCH THE GRINDING WHEEL THEN REMOVE THE TOOL. SET THE TOOL AT WHERE THE 6 SHOULD BE,FLIP THE ADJ. TOOL OVER AND YOU HAVE THE PROJECTION SETTINGS.PROJECT THE GOUGE TO THE LONGEST SETTING AND SECURELY CLAMP IT DOWN. SLIDE IHE TOOL AND HOLDER ON THE REST AND GRIND FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. tHESE SETTINGS DUPLICATE THE ELLSWORTH, IRISH GRIND. iT IS TRUE YOU WILL LOSE MUCH LESS METAL, AND THE TOOL WILL NEVER GET HOT. HEAT CAUSES THE TOOL TO BECOME BRITTLE. bEFORE i GOT MINE I WAS LOSING ABOUT AN INCH A YEAR. ON A 109.00 DOLLAR TOOL, THAT IS A LOT. PM ME IF MORE QUESTIONS. mAX

[Bill Fleming]

I too use a Tormek for my turning tools. Frankly it is great except slow if you are fixing or reshaping factory angles on tools. But once you have the various angle you want the maintenance sharpening is fast, easy, repeatable and great edge.

The following is a post I made some time ago concerning using a Tormek for skew sharpening, just fyi for your files:

Alan Lacer method works great
The following is what I recently posted on the Tormek discussion group:

A few weeks ago I asked whether anyone had experience with sharpening turning
skews in
a manner like recommended by Alan Lacer. I was especially interested in
experience
sharpening the "Alan Lacer" heavy skew.

I got no input so proceeded to figure it out.

At first I assumed that I could do as recommended by the Tormek manual for skews
with
curved edges. The problem is that the Lacer skew (large size) is too large for
the SVS-50.
I modified mine to fit the larger skew chisel but while you can get it to fit
the skew is too
large to allow the jig to properly work.

So how to sharpen large skew with the Lacer edge?

Us the SVD-110 with the stone turning toward the edge. Set the bevel to match
the Lacer
bevel. Sharpen starting at the "long point" and sweep along to the "short
bevel." Do not
try to go from the "short point" back toward the "long point."

So that is the story.

Bill

[Steve Retherford]

I've had a Tormek 2000 for years. I used it for my chisels and planes. Last week my Oneway 1640 was delivered and a bunch of turning tools from Craft Supply. I originally tried sharpening the tools with the wheel rotating into the tools. I think that I got great results on my scrapers, but I was less thrilled with my roughing gouge (learning curve?). For my other gouges I used the trailing mode of sharpening. It took longer but the results looked better (learning curve?).
My question for other Tormek users; do you hone your gouges after the grinding, or find that it is a waste of your time? Thanks.

[Steven Wilson]

Yep, learning curve. It takes awhile to develop the skill to form the wings correctly. I only hone a gouge if I'm going to take a shear scrape cut with it. I will hone a skew with a strop or finish up on a couple of Shapton stones.

[Justin Bukoski]

Nice stealth gloat Steve :D

[Steve Retherford]

Justin, Yeah that was kind of sneaky. I've gone a few years without a lathe (since I sold my Shopsmith) and I'm pretty excited about finally getting this new one. I hope everybody has a happy Thanksgiving. Steve.

[Bill Bolen]

I've used the Tormek for 8-10 years and have found that with A little practice you will get your best edge ever using it. I only hone my skew and detail gouges. I've found a much cleaner cut happens when I hone, but the fine cut is not always necessary. To try and save time devoted to sharpening I made a wolverine-type set up (full directions at aroundthewoods.com) about 6 months ago and find that I use it much more than the Tormek for lathe chisels. However after reshaping a chisel to a new angle I generally finish up with the Tormek. Control of the edge shape is just so much better even if time consuming.
Bill

[Jeff Farris]

For those of you who are trying to learn to use the Tormek for turning tools, there is a new video available from your Tormek dealers. This is a video I produced on using the Tormek for turning tools. There's about an hour of instruction on using the Tormek, and another 23 minutes on how to use the tools at the lathe once you have them sharp. If you have the Turning Tool Setter (TTS-100) that Harvey mentioned you'll find it fully detailed in the video, but I also covered all the conventional set-up methods.

Moderator Note: Please note that this video is not free.