The learning curve...

[Hogdog6]

I cannot find herman's Home made support link can someone post the link?  Thanks in advance.

[cbwx34]

I cannot find herman's Home made support link can someone post the link?  Thanks in advance.

Here you go!...

Homemade Knife Rest

and video...

https://youtu.be/AcWAkQmoU8c

Enjoy!

[SharpenADullWitt]

Maybe someday, this forum will have an option that so many others do.  Either subscribe or bookmark threads, so that one can refer/return to them later.

[Hogdog6]

Thank you for the link. Scissors jig ordered.

[Ken S]

Hogdog,

I believe you will look back on purchasing the scissors jig as a wise decision, even if you never sharpen a pair of scissors. Look at the Multi Jig. The Tormek engineers realized that this jig had more potential with interchangeable inserts. (In my opinion, it could be even more versatile with more than two inserts.) I think Herman's platform jig has the same multiuse potential.

I would recommend very careful layout and drilling. With such care, it will be easier to fabricate additional platforms for other specific tasks. While these tasks have not yet surfaced as working projects, I as convinced that they will. I can envision special platforms for things like sharpening prick and center punches accurately, more accurately than non machinists could do by hand. That is just scratching the surface.

Enjoy your new platform!

Ken

[Hogdog6]

Will do Ken... Thanks!

I'm considering making it with brass or aluminum with stainless hardware, just for the potential rust factor. Anyone use those materials?

[AKMike]

Just learned this yesterday - in a corrosive environment, aluminum and stainless don't work well together. Too much of a galvanic potential unless the dissimilar metals are separated by an insulator. Aluminum and plain steel are better in that regard.

Mike

[RickKrung]

It would be helpful, IMHO, if you could define what sort of corrosive environment would create the galvanic reaction of which you speak, in a Tormek application.  For example, those materials in salt water (oceanic) are known to be galvanic and require sacrificial anodes (most commonly zinc) to prevent corrosion. 

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/sacrificial-zincs.asp

Plain water with steel particles and broken down grinding stone particles does not seem, to me, like a corrosive enough environment to be of concern, even if the subject materials were completely submersed.  In a Tormek application, the materials could be subjected to incidental wetting on an intermittent basis.  Personally, I would not hesitate to use aluminum and stainless together on Tormek jigs and fixtures. 

It would be interesting to find out if zinc and stainless steel (in the absence of aluminum) have a similar galvanic reaction, and if not, perhaps that is part of the reason we have zinc jigs and machine housings rather than aluminum. 

Rick

[AKMike]

I learned the information at a seaplane seminar during a couple of presentations on corrosion. Obviously, saltwater is going to speed up the process, but any wet environment is going to lead to corrosion. However, if the jigs were thoroughly dried after use, and some anti-corrosion substance was used on the screws and nuts during assembly, the jigs would probably outlast the user. The topic came up because some aircraft owners had what they thought was a good idea, and replaced the normal screws on the airplane with stainless, and that increased the corrosion rate. Google galvanic series. The farther apart two metals are on the list, the greater the chances of galvanic corrosion. One of the presenters pointed out that the Boeing 787, which is made of graphite composites, uses titanium fasteners, because graphite and titanium are next to each other in the series. You don't normally think of carbon fiber as being something that corrodes, or would cause corrosion.

Hogdog6 mentioned rust, so I'm not sure of his environment. It was just interesting to me that some metals are worse combinations than others.

Mike

[Ken S]

I am presently assembling a 3D printer kit for my grandson. (If you think there is a learning curve with the Tormek, try assembling a 3D printer!)

Jan told me that some sharpeners in the Czech Republic have made versions of the kenjig using the 3D printer, which pleases me.

I plan to make the platform(s) for a Herman platform using the 3D printer with ABS filament. Plastic is softer than steel; I don't think it will scratch tools or knives. It won't rust. I can design a basic model, modify it as needed, and copy paste it to use as a basis for other platforms (including 40mm wide for the T4). I suspect the limits will be my imagination.

Plastic should be strong enough. If I need more strength, I will just reprogram the thickness.

Register fences can be built in, insuring correct alignment with only one securing screw.

Don't hold your breath; this project will probably not materialize soon. When it does, I will post.

Ken

[RickKrung]

Ken,

Good to hear about your 3D printer project.  I'm sure we will all learn and enjoy from your experiences.  Please keep us informed.

I think it is cool you are assembling it, presumably from a kit.  I looked into building one that way a couple/three years ago.  Never pulled the trigger on it, so I am very interested in your experiences with the build. 

I think you should make a new topic of it and move it to the General section, so it is more recognizable and accessible. 

Rick

[Y-Not]

Okay...
I've been busy. Spending time with the Tormek.

It seems that the Plastic Dip spray on the platform was not able to handle the work load.  After about 30 knifes being sharpened, the Plastic Dip began to part ways with the platform.

While I was optimistic, I was not surprised and decided to go with another option.
I needed something that could be replaced on the spot with minimal downtime.
The Plastic Dip required 4 hours between coats and I did 3 coats.  That's easy math. 12 hours waiting for it to cure.  Can't do that while working a Farmers Market.

So...

I went with some extra wide Gorilla Tape (super adhesive duct tape).
Cleaned, lightly sanded the platform and stuck it on.  This stuff is the stickiest tape I think I've ever had anything to do with. Just getting it off my finger tips was a chore.

Once the tape was on the platform, I pressed it between two 2x4s and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Then I put it on the USB. A drop of mineral oil on the platform and on the blade and I was back in business.

Until...I screwed up and ran an edge against the tape and sliced a nice dog ear into the tape.

I cursed at first then thought, hey, this is a real life experience and the reason I'm spending time with it before the market.
I quickly put a new piece of tape across the platform at a 90 degree from the first layer.

I think I like this even better.  it now has a tiny bit of padding (two layers of duct tape) but is still firm enough to use without any noticeable impact on the bevels.

Still testing/practicing and working on muscle memory with the Tormek.

I've got everything I need for the market minus the banner and it's on order and should be here in 7 to 10 days.

Fingers crossed it'll work out reasonably well.

Either this weekend or next I'll get everything I think I'll need together and set it up in the driveway and have a few neighbors come over with whatever they have and do a practice run as if I were set up at the market for opening day.  This way if there something I need that I hadn't thought about, I can add it to my list.

[cbwx34]

...
I plan to make the platform(s) for a Herman platform using the 3D printer with ABS filament. Plastic is softer than steel; I don't think it will scratch tools or knives. It won't rust. I can design a basic model, modify it as needed, and copy paste it to use as a basis for other platforms (including 40mm wide for the T4). I suspect the limits will be my imagination.

Plastic should be strong enough. If I need more strength, I will just reprogram the thickness.
...
Ken

You might be in for a surprise.  I've tried plastic (from a cutting board) on another "wet wheel" knife sharpener I used to own, and it would scratch the sides of the blade... even cleaned off.

I wonder if the film on the scissor jig would scratch a blade?  You can buy it separately....

https://advanced-machinery.myshopify.com/products/9492-sliding-film

... but not sure if it would work any better than smooth duct tape.

Okay...
I've been busy. Spending time with the Tormek.

It seems that the Plastic Dip spray on the platform was not able to handle the work load.  After about 30 knifes being sharpened, the Plastic Dip began to part ways with the platform.

While I was optimistic, I was not surprised and decided to go with another option.
I needed something that could be replaced on the spot with minimal downtime.
The Plastic Dip required 4 hours between coats and I did 3 coats.  That's easy math. 12 hours waiting for it to cure.  Can't do that while working a Farmers Market.

So...

I went with some extra wide Gorilla Tape (super adhesive duct tape).
Cleaned, lightly sanded the platform and stuck it on.  This stuff is the stickiest tape I think I've ever had anything to do with. Just getting it off my finger tips was a chore.

Once the tape was on the platform, I pressed it between two 2x4s and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Then I put it on the USB. A drop of mineral oil on the platform and on the blade and I was back in business.

Until...I screwed up and ran an edge against the tape and sliced a nice dog ear into the tape.

I cursed at first then thought, hey, this is a real life experience and the reason I'm spending time with it before the market.
I quickly put a new piece of tape across the platform at a 90 degree from the first layer.

I think I like this even better.  it now has a tiny bit of padding (two layers of duct tape) but is still firm enough to use without any noticeable impact on the bevels.

Still testing/practicing and working on muscle memory with the Tormek.

I've got everything I need for the market minus the banner and it's on order and should be here in 7 to 10 days.

Fingers crossed it'll work out reasonably well.

Either this weekend or next I'll get everything I think I'll need together and set it up in the driveway and have a few neighbors come over with whatever they have and do a practice run as if I were set up at the market for opening day.  This way if there something I need that I hadn't thought about, I can add it to my list.

Thanks for the update... always good to read what does and doesn't work.

(Did you do your kitchen knives?) 

[Y-Not]

Thanks for the update... always good to read what does and doesn't work.

(Did you do your kitchen knives?) 

Yeah baby!
I thought that I mentioned that already.  Perhaps in another post/thread.

I started with a Cutco knife.  Not sure where/when I got it. My son is 15 years old and he's never seen it. It had to be dug up from the bottom of the drawer but I figured why not. If I screw it up, it was screwed up from the beginning.
It turned out very nice.

I then turned my eyes to an Ikea knife.
Not sure why but I love that knife. And it's a cheap replacement if I mess it up.
It turned out perfect as well.

Then...I went to a Shun pairing blade that my wife hates.  Not because it's a crap knife but just because of the curve in the belly.
I re-profiled it and it know resembles a mini chief's knife. Sharp as anyone would ever need. And my wife said (confidence booster) that it looks like it came from the factory that way.

Then I started feeling brave and I pulled out the 8 inch Shun Classic.
Nothing but pure success with that one too!

All of my everyday kitchen blades were already fairly sharp and only took one pass with the stone graded to it's fine grade, to get the burr. But still...No funky bevels. Bevels were are even to the eye from tip to heal.

So far, so good.

Worst case, I scrap the whole thing and go back to stones and elbow grease. But as of now, the Tormek is my Farmers Market solution! 

[cbwx34]

Thanks for the update... always good to read what does and doesn't work.

(Did you do your kitchen knives?) 

Yeah baby!
I thought that I mentioned that already.  Perhaps in another post/thread.

I started with a Cutco knife.  Not sure where/when I got it. My son is 15 years old and he's never seen it. It had to be dug up from the bottom of the drawer but I figured why not. If I screw it up, it was screwed up from the beginning.
It turned out very nice.

I then turned my eyes to an Ikea knife.
Not sure why but I love that knife. And it's a cheap replacement if I mess it up.
It turned out perfect as well.

Then...I went to a Shun pairing blade that my wife hates.  Not because it's a crap knife but just because of the curve in the belly.
I re-profiled it and it know resembles a mini chief's knife. Sharp as anyone would ever need. And my wife said (confidence booster) that it looks like it came from the factory that way.

Then I started feeling brave and I pulled out the 8 inch Shun Classic.
Nothing but pure success with that one too!

All of my everyday kitchen blades were already fairly sharp and only took one pass with the stone graded to it's fine grade, to get the burr. But still...No funky bevels. Bevels were are even to the eye from tip to heal.

So far, so good.

Worst case, I scrap the whole thing and go back to stones and elbow grease. But as of now, the Tormek is my Farmers Market solution! 

You did mention it... my bad. 

Thanks!