table height for knife sharpening

[Ken S]

I usually use my Tormek sitting on a small table I knocked together over forty years ago. That humble table has proven quite versatile over the years. For sharpening knives with the Tormek, it is not so good. The table is thirty five inches tall (aproximately 90 centimeters). It is too tall.

Today I set up my Tormek on the lower position of my Work mate. In that configuration it is about twenty four inches high (approx. 60 centimeters). i was surprised with how much more control I had with the lower table. My hands seemed to fall naturally into position to steady the knife jig.

All future knife work will be done on a lower table.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

How about a bit more science?  How tall are you?

I find this quite interesting, as I have been wanting to make a stand for mine (missed a stainless table on CL by a couple hours).  The posts on the lighting, make me think about putting my lighted magnifier on the table as well.

[Ken S]

5' 10" tall. (last I checked, which was sometime in the last millenium)

Having a magnifying light nearby sounds like a good idea. my usually not so great fluorescent lighting was helped by a lot of natural light from the nearby window. The humble work mate actually works rather well.

Ken

[mike40]

I can see that a lower table can be an advantage, especially when sharpening knives. I have my Tormek on a cabinet with drawers where I keep all my sharpening jigs and accessories. The disadvantage is that it is too high at about 75cm or 30". I like the convenience of my cabinet, so I plan to make a little platform which can be placed in front of my drawer unit to raise me up about 10cm or 4". The platform would be in the way for sweeping the floor, so I will put a handle on it to make it easy to grab and store on edge next to the cabinet. I have a nice magnifying glass with florescent light which I use for my scrollsaw and I plan to drill a hole in my Tormek cabinet top to accept the cylindrical mount on that light so I can easily transfer it over while sharpening. Here's a photo from my shop that manages to show the Tormek set-up and the magnifying light I mentioned with my scrollsaw all at once.

       

[Herman Trivilino]

The TS-740 Tormek Sharpening Station http://tormek.com/international/en/accessories/sharpening-station/ts-740-sharpening-station/ has a height range of 750 mm to 830 mm (29 1/2" to 32 11/16"). Being tall I built my table at a height of about 32 inches, as I recall. I have a magnified light mounted right above it and also a florescent under cabinet light also mounted just above it.

[Ken S]

Good thoughts, guys.

I have the DVD of Norm Abram building his sharpening station for his Tormek. I like the idea of the small stool for "lowering" the Tormek for working above, as in knife sharpening.

I think I might build it such that the "foot table" could also do double duty and fit securely with the cabinet top to raise the Tormek when a higher level was desired. I also think I would size the cabinet such that one of the new, but not quite generally available, Tormek rubber mats would fit. The rubber mat with a lip around the edges looks like it would be a very secure place to set the Tormek and also a great way to contain any spillage.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

This is getting me to the drawing board.  I missed some stainless tables a while ago by an hour.  Today I was talking with a friend who is selling some restaurant equipment and asked him if he had a small table.  He said no but he had something I might want.  He had some piece that mounted to the side of some kind of equipment, that is a 20" square stainless table with three sides having a backsplash.  (looks like a larger, flat, tractor seat)
Going to have to design a little cabinet now.

Thanks

[Ken S]

How about a taller cabinet with a hinged fold down wing on one side? The wing could be designed to be an ideal height for knife sharpening.

Ken

[Jan]

I have a nice magnifying glass with florescent light which I use for my scrollsaw and I plan to drill a hole in my Tormek cabinet top to accept the cylindrical mount on that light so I can easily transfer it over while sharpening. Here's a photo from my shop that manages to show the Tormek set-up and the magnifying light I mentioned with my scrollsaw all at once.

       

Mike, thanks for posting the picture of your nice shop. 
Please, be so kind and let me know what is the magnification of your magnifying glass.
I admired your big wood-working machines. 
I would like to ask you several questions concerning the big scroll saw:
1) What is the maximum cutting depth?
2) What is the maximum cutting angle?
3) Is it allowed to cut Al sheets?
Regards
Jan