Questions about the Tormek

[Jim Izat]

I am about to break down and by a Tormek and have two questions.

1) Where can the best deal be had?

2) As I'll be sharpening hand plane blades and chisels are there any other jigs that I'll need? I can't see me sharpening jointer or planer blades. I usually just replace once every couple years.


Slight OT, why is it that jointer and planer blades stay sharp enough to do good work for a couple years but chisels and plane blades stay sharp about five minutes?

Jim Izat

[Mark Kauder]

Sorry, I just sold a Tormek to Robert Simmons in Atl.

Anyway, the basic system comes with the only jig that you will need for Plane Irons and Chisels.

Mark

[Jim Izat]

Originally posted by Mark Kauder
Sorry, I just sold a Tormek to Robert Simmons in Atl.

Anyway, the basic system comes with the only jig that you will need for Plane Irons and Chisels.

Mark

Mark,

I'd be interested in knowing why you sold it. Did not meet your requirements? Did you find something better?

Jim Izat

[Robert Simmons]

I'm just getting the one I got from Mark set up, looks like a handy tool. I played around with saome of my older kitchen knives on Sunday, they're seriously sharp now. I already have multiple requests from friends for knife sharpening, so I think it'll stay busy.

You might want to check out the Highland Hardware website, they've got a deal of some sort going on a Tormek and chisels. Looks like a pretty good price.

Robert

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I have the tormek--great for anything with a radius-turning tools, scrub plane blades etc. Okay for straight things-chisels, plane blades etc. I use it for everything because I usually do them all at once, but a diamond stone and a good quality water stone is just as fast. However, by the time you buy the grinder, diamond stone and waterstones, you've spent as much as the tormek.

[Mark Kauder]

It just did not fit in with me and my small shop. I did all the knives in the house, etc, but found that for my flat work, I prefered the "Scary Sharp" sandpaper method. For my Turning stuff, for me, my Vari-grind was faster, and good enough.

I did not like the mess of all the water, either.

It is a good system, but I got it as a good deal with a bunch of other tools, tried it, and then decided to sell it.


Mark.

[Jim Izat]

Originally posted by Mark Kauder
It just did not fit in with me and my small shop. I did all the knives in the house, etc, but found that for my flat work, I prefered the "Scary Sharp" sandpaper method. For my Turning stuff, for me, my Vari-grind was faster, and good enough.

I did not like the mess of all the water, either.

It is a good system, but I got it as a good deal with a bunch of other tools, tried it, and then decided to sell it.


Mark.

Thanks Mark!

Jim Izat

[David Rose]

nice work when they are dull enough that you couldn't cut hot butter with them. <slight exageration ;-)> After a few feet of (clean) hard maple my planer and jointer knives are considerably duller than I'd want my hand tools. And they still cut well at the speeds they rotate. Also the steeper angle ground on the machine blades will help save the edges, but would be bad for easy slicing cuts in hand tools.

My Marples chisels are standing up much better since I started micro bevelling them. The factory 25 degree (or so) edge just flakes for me with not so heavy hand pressure. A couple of degrees of micro bevel helps a lot. I think I will try a 30 degree main angle next time.

David


Originally posted by Jim Izat
I am about to break down and by a Tormek and have two questions.

1) Where can the best deal be had?

2) As I'll be sharpening hand plane blades and chisels are there any other jigs that I'll need? I can't see me sharpening jointer or planer blades. I usually just replace once every couple years.


Slight OT, why is it that jointer and planer blades stay sharp enough to do good work for a couple years but chisels and plane blades stay sharp about five minutes?

Jim Izat

[Dick Shryock]

I've got a Tormek and love it. I only have a couple of jigs te long knife jig and one for grindig angles. I just finished up a couole of 1/4" skew chisels for use in making half blind dovetails. They are really great. Regarding the comment about the water, it sure does make a mess. A simple solution is to buy a "rubbermaid" container (or clone) and use the top undr the tormek. It catches all of the spills.

[Steven J Corpstein]

I just went through posting on the Pond several months ago and after a lot of research and suggestions, chose the Makita 9820-2. I've had great results with it on both LN blades up to 2 1/2 " and jointer knives. I didn't like the hollow grind that the Tormek gives. I think a flat 25 degree bevel with a 1 or 2 degree micro-bevel lasts longer on maple. Just my 2 cents worth. I bought my Makita at Highland Hardware.

[Garrett Lambert]

I get to answer this question about once a month on one forum or another. Can't remember if I've done so here. In any event, the Tormek is a great tool but it has to be considered as the centrepiece of a sharpening system, not a stand-alone panacaea.

The good: Perfect for flat tools such as chisels and plane blades. Wonderful for bringing any kind of edge tool including turhing gouges back to original - or any other - specification, and keeping them there. Repeatability is exact. The video is good, as is the book, but it would be a lot better if it included tables for angles etc. , but they're available from the Web.

The not-so-good: This is not the tool for quick touch-ups if the tool needs a complicated jig, of which there are many. To achieve repeatability requires careful bookkeeping of several set-up factors. Some of this can be alleviated with some simple home-made wooden jigs as outlined in the manual, but not all of it. Several of the jigs take time to set up and require practice to use properly, but they do do what they are supposed to do, something no other system duplicates. The stone is softer than I expected, and uneven wear is a factor. While it can be trued, it isn't as easy as advertised, and truing does take the stone down. Sharpening is also not nearly so fast as advertised. I find the leather honing wheel far slower and less effective than my home-made arbor with an impregnated rubber honing wheel mounted on it.

Would I buy it again? Yes, but with the knowledge that it doesn't replace the other elements in my sharpening inventory. I first made a cart that holds the Tormek - the top slides out to provide more room - the honing wheels I mentioned, and a regular high speed grinder with a fine coraborundum wheel and a white wheel. However, I've now made a Wolverine-style jig for my turning tools since they don't need to be honed, but do need to be touched up as I turn. This setup now sits on its own cabinet right beside the lathe, and these tools no longer go to the Tormek. (Which is a bonus for the stone, anyway.)

I don't find the water to be a great nuisance, but the Rubbermaind container suggested above is a good idea I'm going to adopt. Another one is to cut the top - but not the handle - off a plastic gallon jug and use it for the waste water after turning. You definitely do NOT want to pour it down a sink, drain or toilet, since its laden with stone slurry that would block your plumbing very quickly.

So long as you know that the Tormek does its job slowly but exceedingly well, and that it complements rather than replaces the grinder, it's an excellent piece of equipment.

Cheers, Garrett

[Rik Rickerson]

I bought mine at Sharp Tools USA (http://www.sharptoolsusa.com) and can't imagine not having it. You'd be hard pressed to find a better deal. New Yankee Workshop had Jeff Farris on as a guest to show Norm the system.

[Steven Wilson]

1) Where can the best deal be had?
Sharptools USA. Even better can be your local woodshow

2) As I'll be sharpening hand plane blades and chisels are there any other jigs that I'll need? I can't see me sharpening jointer or planer blades. I usually just replace once every couple years.

The jig that comes with it is good for most chisels and plane irons. You will also need the stone grader and truing tool.

Now, will the Tormek properly sharpen chisels and plane irons? No.

First - the Tormek is useless for flattening the backs of chisels and plane irons. The manual says you can do it, but it doesn't work very well. For that you will need to use stones or scary sharp. I use a granite surface plate.

Second - the Tormek doesn't get things very sharp; razor sharp is about all. This is fine for the initial sharpening of carving tools, chisels, plane irons, and most kitchen knives but is not sufficient to get a real good edge. The Tormek does leave a good enough edge for axes, turning tools, and jointer/planer blades.

The finish honing you'll need something other than the Tormek. For carving tools I prefer to use oil stones and then strop; works well, it's very fast, and the edge is great. For plane irons and chisels I like to use Shapton water stones; a decent set will run about $300. I will establish the edge on the Tormek and then get it sharp on the Shapton's (1000, 5000, 8000 grit). During the winter, when water stones can crack when they freeze, I'll finish hone on oil stones; it takes a little longer but the results are good.

Is the Tormek good for creating a new edge angle? No, it's too slow. It takes forever to grind a completely new edge or bevel angle on a chisel, plane iron, and sometimes turning tools. For those, something else is needed. A good high speed grinder is one choice, I use a 1"x42" belt sander.

I own, use, and like the Tormek but it is not a panacea. Would I buy it again? Probably.

Steve - who will be starting on his second Tormek wheel sometime this year.