Jet Sharpener

[Stoner Smith]

Does anyone use the Jet Sharpener for your lathe tools? Many say that it is a knockoff of the Tormek since their patent had expired. I have read several reviews that go both ways on the Jet Sharpener. The Jet is affordable in that you can buy the Sharpener and most of the jigs you would need for the same price as the Tormek Sharpener without any jigs. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with the Jet Sharpener? I read in one of the reviews that the posts that steady the jigs was not firm and tight fitting and would wallow out in time. That would concern me and if true I would not buy the Jet for that reason. The Tormek is a fine sharpener from what I have read but they about price themselves out of the consumer market for he most part. I do not want to spend $800 on a sharpening system. But I do want to buy a good quality sharpen system that does the job the right way. This is my first post and just recently started turning a few turkey calls. Appreciate and help. I am sure this topic has been covered a few times.

[Bill Wyko]

I use a JET wet sharpener and it works great. Had it for about a year now and it makes my tools razor sharp, litteraly. It's money well spent and I doubt the tool rest will ever be a problem. IMHO it's a great sharpener.

[Stoner Smith]

Thanks Bill I needed to hear that from someone that owns the Jet.

[Robert McGowen]

I have the Jet. Caught it on sale on Amazon for $300, including the drawer base, 5 jigs, a cover, and free shipping. I had no idea what a sharp turning tool was before getting one. I do now. :) I have had absolutely no problems with it. I have since purchased the flat tool rest and a side mount bar for doing scrapers on the side of the wheel. I personally would not turn without one now.

[Dennis Peacock]

Stoner,

Just get it and the jigs for sharpening your turning tools. Once the tool edge is established? Resharpening is about as fast as a Wolverine setup and grinder. I've been using a Tormek for several years now. I just recently sharpened my 8" jointer knives on it. Can ya say "super sharp jointer knives?" :D

[Jerry Pittman]

Stoner,
I have the Jet and have no complaints about the machine at all. I quit using it for turning tools because I couldn't get a fingernail grind with the Jet jig that is for turning tools and decided not to spend any more money on the idea by buying the Tormek jig for the same purpose. Instead, I went the Wolverine route on a grinder I had. For my flat work tools, it is great! I've never had such sharp chisels and plane irons. The turning tools I did sharpen and hone on the Jet cut very well. If you are just touching up the cutting edge, it is good, but if you need to change the profile of the tool, you need to plan on spending a long time doing it.
Hope this helps,

Bill Wyko,
I would be interested to know how you get the Jet to do a fingernail grind. I have the Jet jig and can't get a fingernail grind because of the tool hitting the machine before the swept back wings are done.
Thanks,
Jerry

[David Walser]

...because I have the Tormek. It's an excellent tool. I also have the "Woodturners Kit", which contains all the jigs for sharpening turning tools. I like the edge that comes off the Tormek much more than what I was getting off my grinder. The edge is sharper, lasts longer, and is more consistent from one grind to the next. I was using a jig with my grinder, so that's not the difference. The Tormek jig is a superior design that produces more predictable results with less effort than the Wolverine/Wood Cut style jig.

I know that many of you use the Wolverine jig with a slow speed grinder and are happy with that system. That's fine. I'm not trying to talk you out of what you are doing. I, too, was happy with my grinder and jig until I met this fellow named Jeff at a turning show. He's good. So's the Tormek.

As for the differences between the Jet and the Tormek, there's a user group on Yahoo that discusses how to use both machines. Naturally, there's been an extensive debate over the merits of the two, which you can find by searching the archives.

[Doug Rogers]

I have the Jet and love it. I did have a problem with the variable speed switch. Called Jet and they sent me a replacement circuit board (which was redesigned). It was easy to replace as you remove the cover, plug the wires into the new board, screw the board back into the machine and replace the cover. It works like new.

The Tormek jigs work on the Jet. I like the Tormek jigs more than the Jet, but that is just my opinion. I also got the Tormek Instruction package. This has a DVD and an illustrated manual for sharpening all your turning tools.

Doug Rogers