CBN Wheel for Tormek

[Ken S]

Rem,

Please note in reply #26, Grepper should get full credit for the quote.

Ken

[Rem]

Ken, I would never seek to usurp the credit for something of this magnitude.   RR

[Ken S]

I fully realize that, Rem. I just wanted to clear up any doubt that the source of that wisdom was our distinguished member from Michigan.

Ken

[Rem]

I relinquish to the superior knowledge of the G-man in virtually all matters ....  with the possible exception of banjo picking.    I wonder if he plays the banjo .......  we are a dying breed.   And that's not necessarily a bad thing.   R   

[Ken S]

Rem,

At the risk of returning to the original topic,   Here is the reply to an email I sent to Dave Schweitzer of D-Way Tools. (An earlier post correctly stated that we needed some expert advice. Dave seems like the real deal CBN expert.)

Ken,
I am not sure of the brand he has so can't comment on it. Most likely it
would have to go back to factory to be flattened.

My wheels are electroplated to a steel substrate so you can't concave the
surface.

For general wood working tools the 180 grit works great. I use a 400 grit to
sharpen my knives. I don't have them in stock, but can order other grits.

Dave

(Dave stocks 80 and 180 grit wheels.)

A later email:

Ken, got to thinking about the issue, and it could be he has resin bond
wheel, which is glued on. Resin bond does cost less.

[Rem]

That's a gutsy move, returning to the original topic.   However, after careful consideration .....  I'll allow it.    R   

[Ken S]

Most gracious of you, Rem.

[grepper]

Here is the reply to an email I sent to Dave Schweitzer of D-Way Tools. (An earlier post correctly stated that we needed some expert advice. Dave seems like the real deal CBN expert.)

I agree.  I would be cool if someone with a CBN wheel, especially someone with long term experience like Mr. Schweitzer would post here.  When I read about them, they seem like the bee's knees o' sharpening and grinding.  If that's true, I'm sort of surprised that we have not run into at least a few folks that have one so they could give a good review of pros and cons.  I suspect it is the cost compared to traditional wheels that makes purchasing them a much greater consideration.  At least that's why I don't have one.

My questions would be: Do they really last basically forever?  Really?  How do they work for slow speed grinding?  Considering they cannot be trued, is alignment a problem with the Tormek USB?  I would think that some deviation could be easily adjusted for when sharpening knives.  Chisels might be a bit more difficult.

R-man.  On the egg thing:  It's way easier than you think.  I can do it every time without fail.  You can actually drop a plain, uncooked, bare, unprotected chicken egg onto concrete and it won't even crack.

Perhaps this will help:
You are a bus driver on the morning route to the train station.  On the first stop 5 people get into the bus.  On the second stop, 1 person gets out and 3 people get on.  On the third stop, 1 person gets on and 4 people get out.  One the forth stop, 2 people get on and three get out.  On the last stop, 2 people get on.

What color are the bus driver's eyes?

[Jan]

R-man.  On the egg thing:  It's way easier than you think.  I can do it every time without fail.  You can actually drop a plain, uncooked, bare, unprotected chicken egg onto concrete and it won't even crack.

As a boy I helped my grandfather with the manufacture of cement products and since then I know it is very hard to break aged concrete. 

From my geophysical profession I can add that a low gravity environment will also solve the riddle, but it is difficult to substantially lower the gravity. 

Free-falling environment (elevator) was used by Albert Einstein as a cornerstone of his theory of general relativity. 

Jan

[Ken S]

The real question, Grepper, is, Do you perform your egg dropping on the kitchen floor when your wife is also there?

I think we need a realistic definition of "forever". I have heard that in Ohio the legal definition of a "lifetime guarantee" is seven years. One report (hearsay evidence) that I heard is that one professional turner is still using the same CBN wheel after ten years. In my shop, that would convert to three hundred years. As a point of reference, Steve Bottorff is the only one I can recall who has worn out more than one SG-250 wheels. I may have overlooked some others, however, I would not place longevity at the top of the pro side list for CBN vs Tormek wheels. I would put not having to retrue the wheel as a definite CBN plus. As a counterbalance, on the Tormek side I would place, Periodic retruing necessary, however, retruing is not difficult and is relatively quick.

Like Grepper, I am surprised that we have not run into more folks who use CBN wheels. Assuming the comment about the turner using the same CBN wheel for ten years is accurate, that would indicate that CBN wheels have been available for ten years. Another bit of hearsay evidence is another dealer's claim that he has sold thousands of CBN wheels to Tormek users. If so, they are a very quiet group. I am not doubting the claim; I just have not heard from the claimees.

Comparing my low budget Norton 3X wheel option, I would note "Cuts very quickly (both 46 and 80 grit), however one inch wheel width requires more care in use." I was able to reshape a half inch turning gouge on the narrower 3X wheel artery low cost without feeling frustrated. (In fairness, I could have worked the same reshaping into my very busy sharpening schedule gradually and used the SG or SB at no extra tooling cost.) Many thousands of turners use one inch with grinding wheels every day. I am just spoiled with the Tormek's 50mm wide flight deck.

D-Way's ten inch wheel designed for the Tormek is 1 1/2" wide. At first glance, that is narrower than the SG-250 at 50mm (~ 2"). Based on my own experience with the even narrower 3X wheels and watching several youtubes demonstrating the 1 1/2" wheels, I do not believe the narrower width is a real world constraint. I have not felt constrained using the 40mm with SG-200 on the T4.

I have occasionally been accused of overthinking. I am still overthinking the CBN wheels. I suspect my stable of grinding wheels will someday include more than one CBN wheel. I am leaning toward starting with either 180 or 400 grit. 180 is the present front runner.

I still think I prefer to use it wet with the Tormek. I am spoiled with the Tormek's dust free, spark free cool environment.

My other overthinking question, perhaps unique with me, is, Which diameter? The 1 1/2" wheel width is an exact fit with the T4. All this overthinking is tiring.

Ken

[Rem]

R-man.  On the egg thing:  It's way easier than you think.  I can do it every time without fail.  You can actually drop a plain, uncooked, bare, unprotected chicken egg onto concrete and it won't even crack.

OK, so I tried the egg thing on the kitchen floor this morning.   It just made a big mess.  Had to call the dog in.   But the floor didn't crack.

Regarding the bus driver's eyes, they were red.   It was an early morning route. 

The real questions is:   How do you get a banjo player out of a tree ??

I hope this has been instructional for you guys.   I have a nice fire going in the old woodstove, and I need to feed the dog.   An egg isn't enough.     R   

[jeffs55]

The real questions is:   How do you get a banjo player out of a tree ??

You appear at the bottom of the tree with a chain saw. He will come down on his on.

[Ken S]

Great reply, Jeff.

In ages past, this kinder and gentler form oof pursuasion  was called "gunboat diplomacy".

Ken

[Rem]

The real questions is:   How do you get a banjo player out of a tree ??

You appear at the bottom of the tree with a chain saw. He will come down on his on.

The proper response is "cut the rope".   However, yours has merit.   I suppose there is more than one way to disarm a banjo player.    R   

[jeffs55]

]
The real questions is:   How do you get a banjo player out of a tree ??
[/quote]
You appear at the bottom of the tree with a chain saw. He will come down on his on.
[/quote]

The proper response is "cut the rope".   However, yours has merit.   I suppose there is more than one way to disarm a banjo player.    R   
[/quote]
Rem, I did not know that banjo playing was a "hanging offense" in the great white north. Took me about three seconds to understand your meaning.  I wore short pants and a T shirt yesterday. What did you wear?