Universal Support not tall enough?

[robincbailey]

I sharpen a lot of chinese cleavers, but the larger cleavers are too big for the Universal Support as it will not go up high enough to allow the correct angle to be set.

Any ideas other than holding it by hand, which I am doing.

I now have the Extended Universal Support Bars in stock and for sale.
You can purchase them via my website
http://www.sharpknives.co.uk/onlineshop/prod_4360851-Extended-Universal-Support-Bar.html

[sbachner]

You could get a machinst to make a universal support that suites your needs.

[Herman Trivilino]

Take a look at the SVA-170 Axe Sharpening jig.

http://tormek.com/international/en/grinding-jigs/sva-170-axe-jig/

I've never used it but have thought about getting one.  Do you have the scissor-sharpening jig?  I've used the portion of that jig that attaches to the universal support to sharpen stuff like that.

[akgourmet]

I agree with the original poster -- the universal support could use another 1" in height to make it more usable and stable when sharpening wide blades.

[Herman Trivilino]

It should be easy enough to make one out of 12 mm rod.  The only tricky part would be the weld. 

[bldaun]

I have the same problem.  According to the BGM-100 manual, the wooden support should be 2 inches tall.  It appears to me that it should probably be closer to 3 to 4".  Is this a misprint in the manual?  The slow speed grinder I am using has an 8" wheel and with the wooden mount at 2" and the base for the Universal support screwed on, the universal support is only about 1/3 of the way up to the wheel center.
Any comments from anyone else who has successfully installed the BGM-100 would be appreciated.

Bob 

[Jeff Farris]

You've misread the instructions. The block should be whatever height is necessary for the top of the block to be two inches below the centerline of the grinder...two inches down, not two inches up.

[robincbailey]

Herman may have an answer in the interim using the scissor jig, but I am very surprised that Tormek have not got a Universal Support extension or a larger/taller version as there are a lot of meat cleavers out there!
What about an extension to the bit that the support sits into, so that it is higher up, something like a collet extension on a router?

By the way I am not on about the BGM-100 Bench Grinder Mounting Set. This is on the standard T7 setup.

[glassguy]

I have not tried this, but thinking that a couple of rods with a coupling of some kind (nut, sleeve, hole drilled in stock etc. etc. that would allow the existing universal support to easily slip into) just add them to the existing universal rods as a slip in fit and should give you a bit of hight addition. This would also allow a perfect fit for each rod in the hold downs and screw clamp systems. I am new to the tormek so not sure if this will cause additional problems with stability etc. (Jeff would certainly know of any drawbacks to this plan...)

Just a thought.....

[robincbailey]

I need something a bit simpler really.
I am going to see if I can remove the support base and put some washers under it.

[Ken S]

I would agree with sbachner's suggestion.  A taller support bar would be a simple task for a local machine shop.  I recently had a local machine shop modify my Omnijig (dovetail router machine).  The work was done far more precisely than I could have done it, and the price was fair.

If you want to lower your end cost, consider having the shop make up several units, and sell the rest on ebay as after market products. 

[robincbailey]

I would agree with the above, apart from were I live (Bath in the UK) these type of shops that can make up steel work are far and few between. In fact I do not know of anywhere that I could get this done.
If there is anyone out there in the USA that could put me in touch with a company, it would be appreciated.

[Jeff Farris]

Robin,

Are you really that anxious to tip your machine over?   

Any extension of the Universal Support beyond its current maximum height adjustment will result in a loss of stability.

[robincbailey]

I am only talking about an extra 1" so wouldn't be an issue.

[tb444]

You could try:
http://www.bathbusinessweb.co.uk/Metal_Fabrication_Bath/_C_and_S_Energee

other local fabricators include:

http://www.bathbusinessweb.co.uk/Metal_Fabrication_Bath/

http://www.touchbath.com/business/search/typeId/1779/type/Steel+Fabrication

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=A7N&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=bath+metal+fabrication&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=metal+fabrication&hnear=Bath,+Avon&view=text&ei=qDtXTI2RLNSRjAfa_fXCBA&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-results&resnum=4&ved=0CDgQtQMwAw

The lack of stability could be improved by clamping the tormek down i presume