Checking for flatness adv50d diamond tool

[fboreale]

Hi All,
I feel kinda of stuipd asking this question,But here goes,When i set the diamond tool at the low spot on the stone and start to move across the stone very fine ridges form across the stone,w/these ridges there How do you know when you are done truing the stone,There is no way to check for flatness because of the ridges,I do not want to move the tool rest down to check as i would lose my setting for the diamond tool,Now lets assume that the stone is flat?Now i use my stone grader to remove the ridges left by the diamond tool and now i figure i am done as all the ridges are out and the stone is back to 220 grit then i check w/the tool rest and  the stone is not flat,It is high in the middle,Not by much but not flat,I am not movng the grader very much accross the stone maybe a 1/4" side to side as not to crown the stone but i can't seem to get the stone dead flat,it is always high in the middle.(A very small amount)
Now, Was the stone flat after truing the stone or did i unflaten it w/the grader? How do you know.What am i doing wrong.
Thanks
Fred Boreale  

[fboreale]

Greeting to all,
I posted this message about a week ago and i have not had a response,Over 30 people have look at this post and not one reply,I joined this forum so i could get some help useing the tormek correctly,Maybe no one here as had this problem,I have not been able to get the stone flat,I know that i am doing everything right i think,From what i see,there is no way to tell if your stone is flat after using the truing tool,and before you use the grader so i would know if it is the grader that is causeing the stone to not flatten,I was hopeing someone here would have an answer to my post.
Thanks
Fred Boreale

[Jeff Farris]

Fred, I think you are trying to make this harder than it really is.

Move slowly -- very slowly across the stone when cutting with the diamond and you will get a better surface that needs less grading. Even at that, it is unlikely the you will get the stone effectively out of flat with the grader by knocking down a few ridges. Notice that I said "effectively" not "absolutely".  Minor inconsistencies (.016 or so) will not affect performance of your TORMEK in any way.

[fboreale]

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the reply,
When i am sharping a chisel or plane iron i can hear the stone cutting more on one edge of the tool then the other,It is not an even grind across the bevel,Then when i start to hone the blade it does not hone evenly across,One side is lower then the other and it takes forever to get the bevel flat,Also i am moving the grader very slow across the stone and the ridges are very small.
Fred

[Jeff Farris]

Your uneven grind could be an issue of uneven pressure.  If you're right handed, you may be putting more pressure on the right than the left without even knowing it. Correct it by concentrating on the long point of the skew and trying to focus on even pressure.