Just Getting Started

[davenpom]

My wife bought me the Deluxe Tormek 2005 system a couple years ago after watching the NewYankee Workshop of the Sharpening station.  We had just moved here to Alaska and I hadn't had a chance to get my shop set up.  I tinkered with the Tormek from time to time, but recently I started devoting some time to it.  I'm getting pretty good at chisels.  I have 3 sets and I've ground each set to a different angle.  Every one of them is super sharp now.  I have never used a chisel anywhere that is as sharp as these are now.  Last night I started on my Lathe tools.  After years of grinding them free hand on a wheel, I think I have my work cut out for me.  It took me about 90 minutes, but my 1" Skew is perfect.  I then moved to my Parting Tool.  This brings me to my first question:  I did it at a 40-degree angle and have some major Hollowing going on.   Is this the right angle?  What did I do wrong? Where can I get something that tells me some common angles for all tools?  

The DVD you sell for $24.95 - does that go into greater depth than the video does?
The Sticker on the front of the 2006 system, can that be obtained somehow?

thanks
mark

[Jeff Farris]

Hi Dave.  Glad you're enjoying your system and getting some results.  Just a quick comment on your skew....  When you have a tool that is fouled up and needs major work, keep your stone grader handy.  Use the coarse side of the stone grader every 10 or 15 minutes, and it will greatly reduce the time needed to reshape a tool.  

The hollow on your parting tool is common.  Though it looks severe, it should be fine.  You could change the angle to 45 or 50, but unless you see results that lead you to believe that the edge is brittle, I wouldn't worry about it.

Keith Rowley's Fundamentals of Woodturning is one of my favorite references.  Keith has a very down to earth style of writing.  He details proper angles for all tools.

The DVD definitely has more detail than the factory video, but not on turning tools.  The subjects covered in the DVD are set-up, chisels, scissors, knives, and maintenance.  

The sticker will not do you any good unless you have the frame with the beveled front (in which case you would already have it).  The stone diameter gauge will not work with the square frame machines.