Tormek Tips Tricks and Techniques Beginners Start Here!

[Ken S]

What's wrong with using the version I submitted in reply # 18?

I don't have any ego issue here.  I just think we should have a finished (and much simpler to read) version.  I would suggest placing it after the welcome message.

Jeff, is there a problem completing this?

We can add a portion about sharpening knives when it is ready.  As I don't sharpen many knives, I would prefer to have someone else do that part of the writing.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

What's wrong with using the version I submitted in reply # 18?

Nothing!  I thought you wanted some minor changes made to it.  I was just suggesting that you do that, and then perhaps we can get Jeff to delete the rest of the messages in that thread.

[Ken S]

We can make minor changes later if needed.  I believe Klauswitz said something like "the enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."  I think we have good enough.  Let's do it.

Ken

[Rob]

perfect...when my software company used to have management meetings where all the global country managers met....the different National personalities were fascinating.  The Yanks were always about "lets just get going"....it was all John Wayne style...sort of saddle up and we'll knock over the problems as we find them.

The Brits, whilst secretly admiring that risk taking attitiude, simply HAD to spend more time thinking it through cos they didnt want to look stupid if they fell at the first fence.

After the teams strormed and normed for a while...we always found that what worked in actual business was a combination of both approaches.  Balls out risk taking...with a load of analysis and consideration backing it up...it was fascinating.

Another time I'll tell you how the French and the Japanese got on!!  Now that was funny.

The point is (by the way)......I agree with Ken...lets just go and we can edit after if we find the threads dont work...still wish we had a wiki mind....way better approach...would avoid all this

[Elden]

Wiki, is that like a hickey? To an old hick from the sticks, this jargon leaves me standing, holding the bag.

[Herman Trivilino]

A wiki is a web site that can be edited by the registered users.  All edits are stored so if someone buggers it up you can always revert to a former version.

[Herman Trivilino]

perfect...when my software company used to have management meetings where all the global country managers met....the different National personalities were fascinating.  The Yanks were always about "lets just get going"....it was all John Wayne style...sort of saddle up and we'll knock over the problems as we find them.

The Brits, whilst secretly admiring that risk taking attitiude, simply HAD to spend more time thinking it through cos they didnt want to look stupid if they fell at the first fence.

There are a lot of Yanks over here, Rob, who are like those Brits in this regard.  Especially in academia.  The last thing they want to do is make a decision about something because ... heaven forbid ... it may not be the optimum decision.  And, everybody may not yet have had a chance to weigh in with their opinion!  We even have meetings where it's announced at the beginning that no decisions will be made at the meeting!!

The fact is, most of the decisions we have to make involve solutions to problems where an optimum solution doesn't exist.  We just have to get on with it and be flexible enough to adapt to changes when necessary.

[Rob]

That sounds suspiciously like here Herman :-)

I rather like the John Wayne approach

[CleanCut]

The last post I see is 4 May 2013. As a beginner, I hope this project continues. In addition to the practicalities, I appreciate the wisdom of experience. For example, the paragraph about a good chisel to start with. Believe it, I went to my local hardware and there was the Irwin chisel with the commercial blurb making the link with the Marple chisels. Thanks to this post I was informed of this background and it enriched my experience. I even found a Sharpie at the trade desk. All this in the SW of Western Australia. I like the Tormek forum because of its international breadth.

[Rob]

Hi Clean

Well that's really nice to know...thanks for that.  To be perfectly honest, the project to garner all the wisdom in a single thread has been put on hold for the time being because we really need a wiki.  The forum's functionality is incapable of supporting this without intervention and I just don't think the will is there to put in the effort to support that software led management permission.

However, that needn't put you off, after all we've all benefitted from the forum also and that was without the "go fast for new entrants manual".

The trick is to use it's "old" functionality ie just post questions and use the search functions :-)

[Ken S]

Good thoughts, Cleancut.  Yes, this forum definitely benefits from being international.

I'm glad you found the chisel part useful.  I still believe a chisel is the ideal tool to learn many of the basics of the Tormek and sharpening.  It is a simple and straightforward tool.  The benefits go well beyond the initial learning process.  Keep it handy.  Eventually we all have some bad sharpening days.  When you encounter one of those days, revert back to sharpening your chisel.  If you can sharpen your chisel "to specs", you know your Tormek is functioning properly.  If not, reexamine your settings (or the operator .

As the original poster of this thread, I never imagined this to be all encompassing.  I just wanted a concise "quick start guide" to get new users up and running without getting bogged down in the typical problems. Something to get us past the initial discouraging difficulties. The tormek is a well designed machine, but it does have a learning curve. I think it should be short and to the point.  The wiki idea was added by other members.  Several posts back, Jeff, the moderator, was going to strip it down and make it like the welcome message.  (Jeff, my suggestion would be to place directly after the welcome message.)

I do Internet searching on an almost daily basis, and have frequently used the search function on this forum.  Frankly, I haven't had much luck with forum searches.  It's frustrating.  My advice to new members is don't be shy. Post your questions.  We all have had those questions at some point.  This is not an exclusive group where we have to be smart all the time.  Ask away.  Chances are we will all deepen our knowledge from your questions.

Ken

[Scott]

Beginner here!  Thank you for that initial post Ken!  I only wish that I had read it before today.  I received my T-7 yesterday and spent my free time reading the manual and watching videos.  I then set up my machine and chose a "throw-away" knife to start on today after work.  I wish I had started on a 3/4" chisel, but that will happen tomorrow.

Here are some things that are a bit unclear in the start up instructions:

How much light machine oil needs should be applied to the honing wheel initially? 
How much honing compound do you use initially?
How often to you reapply honing compound and how much?
Do you ever need to reapply light machine oil?

I realize that these are very vague questions and there is no pre-measured amount (i.e. a tablespoon), but any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Scott

Again thanks for that post and I look forward to many years with my T-7.

[Herman Trivilino]

I'm not sure how to tell you how much to apply.  But applying the oil is one-time treatment that should not be repeated.

I would say add enough oil to evenly discolor the entire surface.

Eventually you'll get a feel for how much compound to apply.  If you apply too much it'll just come off on the edges of your tools. 

[Ken S]

Thanks, Scott, for the kind comment.

As I understand it, the purpose of the oil is to let the leather something cheaper than the honing compound. I don't know how much of an exact science this is.  I started with considerably less mineral oil with my second Tormek than I used with my first.  I add compound as it seems necessary.  You will soon develop a feel for it.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Ken

[albion]

OK lose the word bog....it must be an English term....or replace with a "regular bench chisel"

Had to laugh when I read this! Yes, it's an English term - North of England particularly. It's used to mean 'common' or 'regular' - hence it's usually used in conjunction with 'standard'.

It's not uncommon to hear 'dead boggo' either...

Anything else I can help with?