On what do you mount your Tormek?

[RedLeafWoodwork]

I have been using my Tormek T-7 on a counter-height bench and keeping all of the accessories in their styrofoam containers, stuffed in a cabinet. When I sharpen anything in the top position, I end up standing on a step stool to get above the jigs so I can apply pressure effectively.

I've been meaning to get or make something shorter just for the T-7 with storage for all of the accessories and casters for moving around the shop. A few nights ago, I had an hour or so to myself in the shop after my boys went to bed early. I also had some scrap melamine-covered particle board left over from a job and quickly knocked together a rolling stand that's only about 23 inches high.

Tonight, they went to bed early again and I had another 90 minute or so in the shop, so I quickly built 4 drawers for the T-7 accessories out of some scrap 1/2" plywood that was used to crate a lathe that was delivered via freight yesterday. They still need drawer slides (I'll use full-extension ball bearing slides) and the rolling cabinet still needs to have the edges trimmed out (I'll use some scrap curly maple that's been laying around), but I'm already much happier than I have been.

Originally, I was thinking about building a larger, bi-level cabinet that would hold the slow speed bench grinder, too, but I'm glad I didn't. The grinder will continue to live on the counter, separate from the T-7.

What do you use? Does anyone use the Tormek cabinet? Any other storage tricks or tips out there?

[wootz]

...

[Ken S]

Good topic, Jeremy. My set up is rather crude, however, I do have a couple suggestions:

I purchased an old belt grinder at a yard sale. The one clever thing which stood out was the way it was mobile. The two back legs had homemade wooden wheels. The front legs were just legs. There were handles, actually just straight boards, on both sides. They were secured to the back end of the table with single pivot screws. They extended downward and were long enough to extend past the front of the table when raised to horizontal. There were simple pieces of wood with overhanding lips to keep the handles close to the table when in horizontal position.

With these very simple handles the table was very mobile and also secure. Jeff Farris talked about this with Norm Abram when Jeff was on the New Yankee Workshop. The general opinion was that regular legs were preferable to castors to keep the table stable. I think the two simple wheels and handles would accomplish this and also increase mobility.

My second thought relates to storing extra grinding wheels. I have found that grinding wheels retain moisture for quite some time. I would store a recently used wheel where it can dry thoroughly before putting it in a drawer.

Please keep us posted on your ongoing thoughts.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Like you, I cobbled together a bench at the same height as the Tormek Sharpening Station (about 30 inches). Mine consists of a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood covered with a piece of scrap flooring. It's attached to the wall. I agree that things are much better at a lower height. I used to have mine resting on top of my table saw and that was way too high.

[SharpenADullWitt]

A few months ago, on one of the deal of the day sites, they had some rolling wood cart with drawers that while cheaply made, cost me less then my time right now.  A friend had an old piece of stainless that was off of something, and I can only describe it as a stainless three lipped shelf, that he sold me cheap (under $10 if I remember).  The two together are currently my stand.

[Ken S]

I found a good example of the ruling chest concept I described earlier. in the current issue (Vol. 11/No.66 Aug/Sept2015) of Woodcraft magazine, pp. 60-64 is "A Trio of Benchtop Carts". They are generally the garden variety of boxy plywood shop "furniture", however, the first page shows the idea of having rolling castors on one side and wood on the other second side. The cart is easily movable, but more steady than one built with four castors. I would adapt the dimensions to for the Tormek. Having one drawer seems like a lot of wasted space to me. (I might place a couple boxes of cat litter on the bottom shelf for ballast.)

Ken

[Rob]

My stand was entirely made from scrap and therefore cost me nothing. It consists of a 4x2 (State side you would call that 2x4) framework half lap jointed upon which sits a piece of scrap oak veneered kitchen cabinet material (particle board core if I recall).  That's then hardwood edged with oak to make it last and the table top deliberately overhangs the apron by about 3" ie long enough to use clamps all the way round.  Directly under the top is a single drawer that conforms to the "push me pull you" principle ie it pushes through both sides of the table for easy access on either side and it's just sitting on wooden runners made from scrap Beech from an old school science bench.

About 6" up from the base is a shelf spanning the entire table with cutouts for the legs which is just left open.  No wheels for the reason Ken states.

It houses my T7, a regular bench grinder which has the Tormek BGM-100 permanently installed upon which is nearly permanently installed the Torlok Toolrest which in turn is nearly permanently set at 80 degrees for my round nose scrapers.

Next to that is a small bench top sanding with belt and disc sander (6").  I also have a linisher style machine but there's no room for that on the table which is already quite big at about 3" square.

If I were to make any mods I would do 3 things:

1) Put it on big expensive industrial casters which would be sufficiently robust to both lock and avoid movement yet give the flexibility of mobility because it weighs a ton.
2) Make a pull out step for up and over work a la Norm's integrated step.
3) Integrate a mains outlet with at least 3, pref 4 plug sockets to rationalise the power from it to the wall.

(And maybe pop a small beer fridge in somewhere discreetly!!)