Universal Post Lengths

[patrick1853]

I bought a fairly well equipped Tormek 2000 at auction that included two tool supports.  One has approximately 11-12" of useable tool support length with a black ring on one of the threaded posts that mounts in the machine that appears to be a stop or adjuster. 

The other has approximately 8" of usable length with a numbered micro-adjust ring on the threaded post that mounts in the machine.

Is there any particular advantage to one of these over the other?  Does the extra length come in handy or was this just an earlier design that has been revised?

The reason for my question is my primary use is for turning tools.  I am considering getting a BGM-100 to use with the turning accessories and letting go of everything else.

[jeffs55]

Only a certain amount of the usable length can be utilized for each tool. At some point, you are going to be to far from the grinding wheel or the angle will be so acute that it is useless for your application. The only exception that I can think of offhand would be on a really, really long bladed knife.

[Jeff Farris]

Patrick,

The shorter one is from a T-3 (or 1206).

[patrick1853]

To clarify, I probably should have said usable width.  The distance I am wondering about is the rod you slide the sharpening jigs back and forth on.  The posts that mount into the tormek are the same dimensions on both.  Basically, when mounted in the tormek, both extend to the right beyond the grinding stone, but one of the two tool supports extends an extra 3 inches to the right of the grinding stone when compared to the other. 

[Rob]

Hi Patrick

Personally I would probably err towards the longer of the two because when you're sharpening bowl gouges using the svd-185 articulated gouge jig (which I am constantly) you need a good length of tool rest as it eccentrically swings from one side of a fingernail grind to the other and you don't want it sliding off the rest (it has a circular hole that slides over the support).

But why not keep both as many tools can be happily sharpened with a shorter rest that doesn't protrude that far beyond the wheel and thus saves a bit of space.  As Jeff says, the shorter is from a T3 which is a "miniature Tormek" is many respects.

[patrick1853]

So this narrower tool support wouldn't be the US-105? 

[Jeff Farris]

No, it is a US-103.

[patrick1853]

Ok, thanks.  I tested it with a few of my fingernail ground gouges and it still has enough room to work.