Truing the stone : ADV-50D vs TT-50

[RichColvin]

I have a Tormek Supergrind 2000 that I've had ten years or more. When you got one back then, it came with the ADV-50D jig for truing the stone.  That was OK, but generally so painful that it was avoided until absolutely necessary. 

Well, I finally took the leap and bought a TT-50. Man was I stupid for waiting so long.

The TT-50 makes me take the time to do a proper truing of the stone.   It also is easier to move the diamond cutter across the stone also.  And when I'm done with as many passes as needed, the stone is so smooth that I can use it right away (with the ADV-50D, I had to use the stone grader to smooth out the big ole ruts in the wheel).

One lesson learned:  don't try to be to aggressive with it.   I was, and ended up taking a row of chips off the edge of the stone as I came to the end of my pass.

Ken S. - I'm holding the AVD-50D for you.  That way you can have a complete collection of jigs !

[Ken S]

Great comments, Rich.

If we can get beyond the notion that our precious grindstones should last forever, and realize that they are consumables, regular use of the truing tool has benefits in addition to keeping the grinding wheel true. Using the truing tool is an acquired skill acquired by practice. For those like me who who are not naturally gifted, regular use builds that skill, and gets rid of a multitude of gremlins. Light cuts administered often.

Ken

[amikek]

Great comments, Rich.

If we can get beyond the notion that our precious grindstones should last forever, and realize that they are consumables, regular use of the truing tool has benefits in addition to keeping the grinding wheel true. Using the truing tool is an acquired skill acquired by practice. For those like me who who are not naturally gifted, regular use builds that skill, and gets rid of a multitude of gremlins. Light cuts administered often.

Ken

For me, grasping the concept of the wheel as a consumable is among the most important of the early lessons learned. Perhaps because it seems contrary to the ultimate purpose of the tool - to extend the life of our tools. However, (repeating for personal grinding into my gray matter) the stone breaks down to build the tools and this is it's purpose. The little grains in the bottom of the tray are the sign of a Tormek well used and should be a source of pride. Changing the grit of the wheel and truing it - all make us better at prolonging the life of tools.

Thanks for sharing one and all!

Mike

[Ken S]

Rich,

Thanks for the AVD-50D. I want to get a feel for the development of the Tormek. I will put it to good use.

One of the unexpected side benefits of my marathon sharpening session this afternoon is a feeling of genuine fluency with the truing tool. I have felt comfortable truing my grinding wheels in the past. Today I added efficiency to comfort.I ended up retruing every three to five minutes. I was even comfortable taking deeper truing cuts.

I did notice some improvement whenever I used the stone grader to refresh the grinding wheel, but not as much as I expected. I'm still working on this.

Ken

[Ken S]

Mike,

Some random thoughts on the truing tool:

When my grinding wheels get out of true, the out of truness usually sneaks up on me. The most embarrassing time was when I was demonstrating the Tormek at a woodworking show. It was during a busy time and I happened to be working by myself, not the ideal time to retrue! (In the future my show kit will include a second, freshly trued grinding wheel.) Avoiding the sneak factor is what has made me a believer in frequent light truing.

Truing can make the water very muddy. I especially noticed this yesterday with multiple truings. In the future, I will adopt the practice of changing the water after truing.

For sharpening the skew chisel where I am removing a lot of steel, I have been turning the diamond across the grinding wheel more quickly than usual. This produces a coarser finish better suited for rapid steel removal. When I have completed the skew, or just before the final light finishing pass, I will change to clean water and take a light truing cut more slowly to reset the grinding wheel for ganeral work. (I have been following Steve's advice and using the SB-250 in horizontal trailing position to sharpen knives.)

I used the truing tool with no electrical ties and had no problem with it. In the past, for several years, I followed Ionut's advice and placed a tie on the TT-50. I have had good results both ways, and have no preference. This leads me to two of my beliefs with the Tormek. First, we should endeavor to become proficient with the standard Tormek as described in the handbook. And, second, once basic proficiency is obtained, we should not be afraid to venture farther afield. In the case of the electrical ties, they are very inexpensive, have no perceivable negative side effects and are quickly and easily installed and removed. So, if you are curious, why not give it a try?

Following that same thought, when I visited Rich, I brought several plastic ties for him to try. (Rich was a step ahead and had already placed ties on his truing tool.). I also brought a Nagura stone for use with the SJ-250. It was recommended by a forum member as a good alternative to the stone grader to clean the SJ-250. (apologies for not taking the time to search for the member's name who posted the suggestion) As I recall, the nagura stone cost about four dollars with free shipping on ebay. Like the electrical ties, it is cheap, easy to use, and has no negative side effects to the best of my knowledge. I have had good results with using the TT-50 and stone grader with the SJ. The nagura stone might be unnecessary, but for four dollars, it seems a good candidate to try.

I have not had a chance to try it, so I look forward to reading Rich's comments.

I believe increasingly in the value of first working with a carbon steel bench chisel. Practice with it will teach you the fundamentals of the Tormek with a minimum of distractions. And, unlike trying to reshape a high speel steel skew chisel, you will have a nicely sharpened tool in this lifetime.

One last thought: Be very certain you secure the TT-50 to the universal support with the forked area and lovking screw. I forgot once and thought I had destroyed the diamond. I even ordered a replacement before I realized that the diamond was all right.

Keep working and keep posting.

Ken