BGM-100, before and beyond

[Ken S]

Over the years, I have developed a fascination with the development of the Tormek and sharpening techniques. One of the most interesting areas is the development of the universal support bar and ways of securing it.

Originally, the usb was vertical only. Early on, someone at Tormek devised a method of incorporating a second set of sleeves to hold the usb horizontally. These sleeves were an integral part of a plate which was mounted to the top of the Tormek. This plate was also sold as an accessory to add horizontal capability to older Tormeks. It was cataloged at the XB-100. The original XB-100 had one locking screw. An improved version has two locking screws.

At some point, someone successfully tried mounting an XB-100 to the baseboard of a dry grinder, using blocks of wood to position and orient the block. This allowed the use of Tormek jigs and accessories with high speed dry grinders.

I have found the basic Tormek sufficient for my personal sharpening.  I have felt no need to supplement it with my dry grinder. However, my curious side is eager to explore the posdibilities of mounting the usb in different positions and orientations. Today this is done in several ways. The use of wooden blocks is still a viable option, as shown in the recently posted photo by wootz. The BGM-100 adds metal adjustable brackets to the XB-100, allowing more flexibility in positioning and the use of either horizontal orientation.

The current trend is to allow flexibility with both axes. The Vertical Front Base manufactured by wootz (Knife Grinders) allows both horizontal and vertical adjustment.

Tormek's new Multi Base-100 allows the axis to pivot, although at this point this is primarily for grinding on the side of their new diamond wheels.

A less explored, but potentially very versatile option is converting the Oneway Wolverine  type of jig to work with the Tormek jigs.

While I do find the new posibilites fascinating, my turning tool reshaping is very occasional and limited. So far, I have reshaped two tools. Looking ahead, that number might increase to four or five. Yes, the high speed dry grinder may reshape a tool in under a minute, and the Tormek may require several minutes for the same task. I have the time, and do not want to invest in a dry grinder with higher heat and dust.

I do remain open to new possibilities.

Ken

[jeffs55]

It is still high speed compared to the Tormek but Rikon makes what they call a low speed grinder that is supposed to run at 1750 RPM. I have one and it is good for metal removal and runs so quietly that my wife standing beside it in a dimly lit garage asked if it was  running. I use it for lawn mower blades, something that would take forever on the Tormek. I am sure 1750 RPM would burn metal but it is considerably slower than the typical grinder. I got mine from Rockler as shown but they come up for sale pretty often for $99 delivered. https://www.rockler.com/rikon-80-805-8-slow-speed-bench-grinder?sid=V9146?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgOzdBRDlARIsAJ6_HNkK_cpFCzlHDrQm-gFx2H0ajFIeASHZ8xMMbse0OtMJzgIiJf5H9bkaAklwEALw_wcB

[Ken S]

Good reply, Jeff. If I had had an eight inch, 1750 RPM grinder like yours several years ago, I might think very differently. Unfortunately, I bought into the woodworking writers´chorus chant that 3450 RPM six inch grinders were tool burners and created very deep hollow grinds. In my most honest moments of reflection, I now know that the real problem was operator lack of experience. Yes, the high RPM is more prone to burning tools, however, using a proper grinding wheel (coarse and friable) dressed with a center crown to grind cooler, can lessen or eliminate that problem with careful use.

At this stage of my life, I am trying to cut back, not add to, my tools. Twenty five years ago, I might have purchased a larger grinder. I have not used my 45 year old, but still working fine, Craftsman half horse power 3450 RPM grinder in many years. I now have all the BGM parts to convert it. I have a 46 grit Norton 3X wheel for rough work. I don´t sharpen lawn mower blades, however, it will certainly cut down the time I need to reshape a gouge or skew.

Ken

[RickKrung]

It is still high speed compared to the Tormek but Rikon makes what they call a low speed grinder that is supposed to run at 1750 RPM. I have one and it is good for metal removal and runs so quietly that my wife standing beside it in a dimly lit garage asked if it was running. I use it for lawn mower blades, something that would take forever on the Tormek. I am sure 1750 RPM would burn metal but it is considerably slower than the typical grinder. I got mine from Rockler as shown but they come up for sale pretty often for $99 delivered. https://www.rockler.com/rikon-80-805-8-slow-speed-bench-grinder?sid=V9146?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgOzdBRDlARIsAJ6_HNkK_cpFCzlHDrQm-gFx2H0ajFIeASHZ8xMMbse0OtMJzgIiJf5H9bkaAklwEALw_wcB

Jeff,

The Rikon 8" "slow speed" bench grinder has been creeping into our conversations, starting with your first mention of it in Dec. 2017 and again in Apr. 2018.  That may be were I got the idea and I bought one, I think in May.  Since getting it set up recently with BGMs and an FVB (Frontal Vertical Base, ala Wootz), I have used it to sharpen knives, machetes, drill bits and most recently plane blades.  If I had any wood turning/carving tools to sharpen, I'd definitely be using it for them as well, the prime Tormek purposes of the BGM. 

Despite its "slower" speed, as has been pointed out, it is still quite fast relative to the water-cooled Tormek and is still prone to overheating our tools.  It is fast becoming a significant part of my sharpening repertoire. 

Rick

[GKC]

While I have now added a T-8, I am one of those who began with BGM-100's and dry grinding.  I have mentioned in another post that I have a BGM-100 mounted with a Veil belt grinder; I have mixed views on that. On the belt grinder I find the BGM-100 to be great with the tool rest but not great with the knife jigs. 

The BGM-100s I have on my bench grinder are much more versatile.  I note that the slow speed (1725 rpm) Rikon bench grinder has been mentioned by Jeff, who linked to the 1/2 hp version.  I think that slow speed grinders are the way to go.  I have the 1 hp Rikon 1725 rpm version, which is more expensive of course, but I mention it because the current trend is to CBN wheels, which are heavy and benefit from being spun by the more powerful motor on the beefier bearings of the 1hp version.  With slow speed grinders and CBN wheels I have yet to overheat a tool.

For me, this is the ideal setup for Tormek jigs: BGM-100s mounted in front of a slow speed dry grinder with (nice cool) CBN wheels for tool shaping, and the Tormek wet grinder for final shaping and finishing.  Having started with the Tormek jigs on dry abrasives and only recently added the T-8, I am moving in the opposite direction of some of the others posting on this topic, but I find both to be essential.  I think that is because I am basically impatient: I really do like to be able to get the metal off with the dry wheels and then to do the finesse work on the wet wheel.  I find that having the same jigs for both phases of the work is a great setup.

I will be interested to see if the diamond wheels (presumably especially the coarse wheel) on the T-8 will displace some of the need for dry grinding.  The supply shortage has made the Tormek diamond wheels unavailable to me in Canada, so I will have to wait to see on that front.

Gord

[Ken S]

Gord,

You present an interesting point of view. One of the values of this forum is exposure to other ways of working. You present a very logical case for using both your dry grinder with BGM-100 and your Tormek. You are using both optimally.

I do think the two coarse diamond wheels (DC-250 and the lesser known (DWC-200) narrow but do not close the gap between Tormek and dry grinders. I will write more about that in the next few days.

Ken

[GKC]

Thanks Ken, I certainly am interested in which, if any, diamond stones to get.  Dry grinding is getting cooler and more controlled, and wet grinding is getting faster and remains the most controlled.

I have turning friends who just use CBN wheels and wonder why I have added the Tormek to my equipment.   In their view, CBN wheels have removed the problems with dry grinding (heat and dust) and give the speed of dry grinding with the safety of wet grinding.  But I do like the addition of Tormek wet grinding to my regime.  Ideally (but as you say, not likely) the diamond wheels could displace most dry grinding.

Perhaps Tormek can feel the CBN wheels on dry grinders breathing down their neck.  Tormek moving more into the knife sharpening market will help here (not realistic even on CBN dry grinders), and this might explain the marketing of the T-4 for hunting knives.  This should also provide them with some impetus to expand the knife sharpening capabilities of the Tormek system.

All good developments for us.

Gord

[RichColvin]

Gord,

One thing that gets ignored by many turners is that the Tormek sharpens more than just the typical turning tools.  In  my turning, I also use drill bits, and in my post-turning embellishments, I often use carving tools or my Ornamental Lathe (with its fly cutters).

And my wife loves that I can sharpen her scissors and rotary cutters.

All this with a single tool.

Kind regards,
Rich