Questions on my Tormek machine

[Ozblade51]

Hi,
I was registered as Ozwelder but changed my ISP and now am back as Ozblade51.

I bought a Tormek with accessories from a local high school.It was brought to sharpen chisels but they do 96 chisels in an hour and a half and it was too slow,so I scored it for a couple of hundred with most of the attachments.

It was solvent damaged so I removed the aluminium stickers and repainted it green.
I disassembled it to do so and found that the abrasive wheel had been left sitting in the water trough for too long and had slumped.

It is about 2mm out of round. Can the trimming stone I have be able to bring the wheel back to concentric or is it necessary to buy another wheel.
Thanks
Ozwelder51

[Ken S]

Welcome Ozblade51.

There are two truing tools for the Tormek. I have used only the newer model, which has been around for many years. It is the TT-50 and has been around for many years.

The diamond cutter traverses the stone using the screw knobs. This is well covered ib both the product video and the handbook. If your Tormek does not have the newer universal support bar with the numbered microadjust knob and one threaded leg, I highly recommend getting one. It makes life easier when truing the grinding wheel.

You can remove the 2mm to true the wheel. Do it in several passes; it will not take very long, and you will have a very usable grinding wheel. I suggest you set up so that your first pass barely touches the high spots. Move the dial half a number for the second pass. Assuming this is comfortable for you, move a full number for the third pass. You will gradually approach grinding on the full wheel.

As you have a lot to renove, you may want to work up to two numbers. Your traverse time should be around ninety seconds. Once your cut includes the entire traverse and circumference you are done. I suggest cleaning the water trough before sharpening; this much truing creates a lot os swarf. If you are dumping it down your drain, let the water sit for a minute, then remove most of the (mostly clear) water with a turkey baster and wipe out the sludge with a paper towel.

The thread on the microadjust has a 1.5mm pitch, meaning that one revolution equals 1.5mm. That means that a revolution and a half should true your grinding wheel, not a big or unpleasant chore.

You will want to regrease your shaft bushings soon. That's another post.

Sharpening ninety six chisels in an hour and a half sounds like a tall order for any sharpening method. It also sounds like a plan from some administrator or teacher who was not a woodworker. I would guess most of these chisels had become deadly dull awaiting infrequent sharpening. A skilled Tormek operator with a well organized technique and perhaps a helper loading a second jig should at least come close to this objective. Explaining how would make this post too long. If you are interest, post again and I will describe the process.

Enjoy your Tormek.

Ken

ps Be sure to register your Tormek on the website. Even if it is older than the warranty period, registering allows you to download the current edition of the handbook and wstch some very good videos by Alan Holtham. If you have any problem doing this, contact support (support@tormek.se).

[Ozblade51]

Thank you, Ken
My Tormek machine is a bit hard to identify but it was marked on the silver decals as a Super Tormek. When stored away, the roof of a storeroom leaked it got soaked and the handbook was soaked and illegible.
I think some sort of solvent was spilt on the silver and black decals as most of the black ink came off the silver decals. I stripped it and painted it a dark green near as to the original green as I could. Even though it looked rough I thought that with several attachments it was well worth $200. I'll have a look through Google Tormek pics and see if I can see one, the same as mine.

I had a look through the accessories but the dressing tool is not a TT-50 (had a look at Google)so obviously I have the older model but will certainly check a TT-50 out.Ditto the threaded support bar.

As far as the chisels there were 4 or teachers doing a room and we could do it in an hour and a half by batching the chisels. They were sharpened on a bench grinder-Ugh! I know what you thinking- but they were hand stoned after the grinder  . When you consider how some the little angels treated the chisels ,it was good enough for government work as they say.

Thanks again
Ozblade

[Ken S]

Ozblade,

On the Tormek website, click on "My Tormek" on the top right. Then click on registration. Your Tormek is an older model without a serial number. Once you register your machine you can download the current version of the handbook. I have this downloaded on my ipad. The handbook was written many years ago by Torgny Jansson, the inventor of the Tormek. Small parts of the handbook have been modified over the years to reflect product changes, however, the "meat and potatoes" of the handbook has not changed. You will find much useful information which applies to your SuperGrind.

Many of our members use veteran SuperGrinds. As you can see, even with less than fastidious care, it is hard to kill a Tormek.

I believe that "Super" entered the Tormek vocabulary when the grinding wheel was changed from a finer grit natural stone mined locally to a coarser grit manmade aluminum grinding wheel, designated the "SG-250" (Super Grind, 250mm diameter). The coarser stone cut more aggressively. The stone grader could modify the stone to a finer grit.

Jeff Farris, who founded this forum, did a series of instructional videos (google farris tormek videos) which are our video learning staple. He made them years ago on s SuperGrind just like or very similar to yours. If you sharpen turning tools, the turner's information box which Tormek sells is excellent. I consider it a must have item for turners. Most of the jigs and accessories shown on the website have short videos attached.

Getting parts is no problem. You should be able to find many of the nuts and bolts type parts at your local hardware store. advmachinery.com stocks all the parts.

I suggest you get your machine up and running (true) before thinking about upgrading much. Your two hundred dollar investment can easily grow to six hundred. I think the TT-50 and the microadjust universal support bar (US-105) are essential. I consider some of the upgrades "nice to have, someday".

Your classroom description brings to mind a favorite saying I learned from Dave Hout. Dave was a career shop teacher. He liked things "stone simple and indestructable".

Keep enjoying your Tormek and keep posting. There is much for all of us to share and to learn.

Ken

[cbwx34]

Ozblade51,

If you can, post some pictures of your Tormek.  I'm sure someone here could ID it... and I'd like to see your machine... sounds like you did some good work!  (Even better if you have a 'before' pic too).

[Ozblade51]

Thany you guys,
For the present, the project has been set aside for a week or two as I need to attend to some urgent home maintenance issues.
My primary purpose for the Tormek is to have it to sharpen knives. I am a pocket knife/folding knife collector so
I make knives when the mood takes me, being into muzzleloading and re-enactment where people ask me to make knives relative to the historic period.

I also sharpen all manner of tools from chisels, plane blades, and have even tried scissors but that aspect of my sharpening experience needs work.
As you can see the Tormek will play an important role in this activity.

I will get the Tormek re assembled as it has been sitting awhile so I could strip and repaint it. While it is in pieces it's an ideal opportunity to make any upgrades if needed.

What are the parts that typically wear? I am not expecting any wear as the machine did very little work at the high school. It is good to be preemptive and if there's any part I could upgrade it would be nice to know about it.

[Ken S]

Check the nylon shaft bushings. If they are OK, just clean and regrease them. White lithium grease is a favorite, although other options will work. Your choice on the shaft. With one grinding wheel, if the shaft is not pitted under the bushings, I would probably just continue to use it. The Tormek is rugged and simple; there is not much to go erong or wear out.

I would rub the rubber drive wheel with some sandpaper (described in the handbook) as preventative medicine.

Use the leather honing wheel on some practice tools to get it back in shape.

Post questions.

Ken