Frontal Vertical Base

[Gary@QSS]

Welcome to the Forum Gary,

If you are 100% certain you have set up the FVB correctly and input the correct information into the applet (blade protrusion, grinding wheel diameter), then I would trust the applet. Watching Wootz YouTube videos he checks his bevels with a laser protractor and I've never seen him be off by even 1 degree. I also use the applets and although I don't have a laser protractor I believe it to be spot on.
Another thing with the angle master is it's not easy to set an exact wheel diameter setting when adjusting for wheel ware. The applet is more precise.

Antz

Thanks! That was pretty much my thinking. I'm certain things are set up correctly. All measurements were made with a digital caliper, and we know the trig don't lie. I had not thought about Wootz checking with the laser protractor as we have seen him do...good point.

[John_B]

Double check your wheel diameter setting in the applet. The grinding wheel is not exactly 250 mm but this should not result in the variation you are seeing.

[Gary@QSS]

Double check your wheel diameter setting in the applet. The grinding wheel is not exactly 250 mm but this should not result in the variation you are seeing.

Thanks John, I actually measured the wheel diameter with a digital caliper. It was spot on at 250 mm.

[wootz]

For grinding into the wheel, as normally people do on Tormek,  you need our "Grinding Angle Setter" software for Tormek. Newstarters may confuse these two applets and mistakenly go for the FVB applet.
Function is different -  the "Grinding Angle Setter" is for grinding into the wheel in the normal Tormek position, while the "Frontal Vertical Base" is for grinding edge-trailing and honing on the leather wheel in front of the Tormek. The "Frontal Vertical Base" is a free application coming with the Frontal Vertical Base attachment, while the "Grinding Angle Setter" is  a paid software for Tormek.

[Gary@QSS]

For grinding into the wheel, as normally people do on Tormek,  you need our "Grinding Angle Setter" software for Tormek. Newstarters may confuse these two applets and mistakenly go for the FVB applet.
Function is different -  the "Grinding Angle Setter" is for grinding into the wheel in the normal Tormek position, while the "Frontal Vertical Base" is for grinding edge-trailing and honing on the leather wheel in front of the Tormek. The "Frontal Vertical Base" is a free application coming with the Frontal Vertical Base attachment, while the "Grinding Angle Setter" is  a paid software for Tormek.

Yes sir...I believe I'm using the correct software. You sent it to me with the FVB. The file name as extracted is "FVB_Edge_Angle_Setter.application", and the name at the top of the applet for data entry says Frontal Vertical Base for Tormek. I also downloaded the software from the App Store to my i-phone. That applet is titled "KG FVB Angle Setter (Frontal Vertical Base applet)".

I've cross checked both applets, i.e., the one sent me with the FVB purchase and the one from the App Store. They give me the same results, and I am grinding edge-trailing from the front of the Tormek (not into the wheel in the normal Tormek position).

I believe all is good. If not, please tell me so.

[Josu V]

To corroborate the accuracy of the app ...

I have a Laser Protractor from Catra. I use it to check some knives and runs perfectly. Sometimes I can appreciate between 0.3 to 0.5 degrees of difference but I think that the problem is the accuracy of positioning of the Universal Support (in low-end knives in low-end knives I do not give importance to half a degree .)
Most of the time I used to check original angle in order to maintain it, and I've never seen anything weird.

Is important to check the diameter of the grinding wheel; I think that this can would be a cause of errors.

Regards

[Erivan]

Hi to all community members,
I am currently designing and working on my own home-made FVB, based on all the wise advice I got (so far) from the community.
(Sorry, Wootz, would have loved to buy from you, but all in all, considering i'm living in the EU, the bottom line figure was...well...)
Here is a picture of my "raw material" : 1 Tormek XB100, some hardwood, and 2 threaded rods with the nuts that go with them. (sorry the rods are already soldered to the nuts, I forgot to take a picture before they were).
I'm planning to drill 12mm holes in one slice of the hardwood, then place the rods inside and carve some place for the bolts in another slice of hardwood, both pieces of hardwood being exactly the size of XB100.
Then glue/bolt both pieces and attach XB100.
I will update you when progressing.
Cheers.

[Ken S]

I purchased a FVB from Wootz. The price is a combination of good design, quality machining, and shipping. (In my case, from Australia to the US.) The price is substantial, but so is the product. The FVB will give you trooper service as long as your Tormek. The price also reflects low volume. The VFB is not mass produced.

When considering the price, be sure to convert it into your local currency. A strong US dollar lessened the blow for me.

Wootz has been very generous in sharing information about making your own VFB. His research has benefitted the whole sharpening community, from those who strive for the perfect edge to those who just want their farmers market sharpening to be a cut above. (Nothing negative implied.)

Thanks, Wootz.

Ken

[Erivan]

I couldn't agree more, Ken.

Wootz seems to me a as a very generous person, willing to share his knowledge for everyone to enjoy and improve.

I am really thankful, as the design I'm working on is (mainly) inspired by what he did.

Thanks Wootz !

I purchased a FVB from Wootz. The price is a combination of good design, quality machining, and shipping. (In my case, from Australia to the US.) The price is substantial, but so is the product. The FVB will give you trooper service as long as your Tormek. The price also reflects low volume. The VFB is not mass produced.

When considering the price, be sure to convert it into your local currency. A strong US dollar lessened the blow for me.

Wootz has been very generous in sharing information about making your own VFB. His research has benefitted the whole sharpening community, from those who strive for the perfect edge to those who just want their farmers market sharpening to be a cut above. (Nothing negative implied.)

Thanks, Wootz.

Ken

[Erivan]

I don't have much time these days to work on this project (have to go to work to earn our food  )

Still, what I did this evening was to grind (grit 80) the soldered nuts that became heads of the "bolts"

To be followed...

Hi to all community members,
I am currently designing and working on my own home-made FVB, based on all the wise advice I got (so far) from the community.
(Sorry, Wootz, would have loved to buy from you, but all in all, considering i'm living in the EU, the bottom line figure was...well...)
Here is a picture of my "raw material" : 1 Tormek XB100, some hardwood, and 2 threaded rods with the nuts that go with them. (sorry the rods are already soldered to the nuts, I forgot to take a picture before they were).
I'm planning to drill 12mm holes in one slice of the hardwood, then place the rods inside and carve some place for the bolts in another slice of hardwood, both pieces of hardwood being exactly the size of XB100.
Then glue/bolt both pieces and attach XB100.
I will update you when progressing.
Cheers.

[Erivan]

I finally took some time to complete the job.

Here are some pictures of how I did build my own version of the FVB.

Thanks to all of you for bringing in the ideas and pictures that inspired me !

[Erivan]

And I forgot to mention : I already tested it and it works just fine !

The sharpness I could reach using it is much better than what I could do free hand, no doubt about it.

Thanks again to all of you for this wonderful idea.

[PaGorg]

Does the Universal Support have the need to go all the way down when the FVB is in the inserted position?
My home made FVB is so shallow the Universal Support hits the Tormek housing about half way down.

[RickKrung]

It may partially depend on how it is built.  But, I think what you describe occurs with mine also.  The "legs" of the USB that extend below the FVB run into the body of the T8 case.  Because all of the usage I make of it, the USB is low enough that those legs will always hit the case, so that is the closest the USB can get to the grindstone/honing wheel.  That has never been a problem, as when the USB is in that close, it is closer than I've needed for anything.  Typically, with knives, my USB is well away or if in close like that, it is higher to make the projection of the jig work.


That said, I had thought of making the bar that mounts the 12mm legs more narrow, but even that would not change that the legs of the USB sticking down would still hit the case, so it would not help to get the USB any closer.  Actually, on looking at my photo, it appears the rectangular tubing that I used hits the case before or about the same time at the USB legs, so no amount of narrowing of it would do not good. 

Rick

[PaGorg]

Thank you for your answer, Rick.
You're correct, it's the same thing that happends to yours, the legs runs into the body of the Tormek. I guess if it ever becomes a problem I could allways mount a stop collar or a nut to give the FVB a stopping point before the legs hit the body.