What is this?

[Looking Sharp]

My friend was gifted a Tormek 2000 he says it is and it came with this in the box of goodies. I have never seen one of these and can't tell him what it's for.
Any ideas?

[Ken S]

Welcome to the forum, Chris.  You have part of an ADV-50, which was the ancestor of the TT-50 truing tool. Here is a link to a short video showing it in use. Sorry that the video is in German, however, it does show the tool in use.

https://youtu.be/m7NPP-33NnU

I believe your friend would find the newer TT-50 much easier to use. Your friend should register his Tormek on the Tormek website (www.tormek.com) There is no warranty remaining, however, by registering it he can download the online handbook, a valuable resource. The handbook is essentially unchanged since the SuperGrind.

Lucky friend!

Ken

[Looking Sharp]

Thanks Jen,
I will send him a link to both the video and the forum. I know it has helped me many times with questions and issues. I haven't even had to ask a question before now as it seems all the questions have been answered.

[RichColvin]

Chris,

I got the ADV-50 with my Tormek SuperGrind 2000 that I bought 15+ years ago.  It is not a good jig, and I subsequently didn't true my wheel as much as I should.  When Ken finally convinced me to purchase the TT-50, I realized why he advocated re-truing the wheel so often.  It is really easy with the TT-50 !!  (I have the older version of the TT-50, not the newer version which is even better.)

So, Ken now has my old ADV-50 in his Tormek museum.  That is where this thing belongs :  replace it as soon as you can with the TT-50.

Kind regards,
Rich

[Ken S]

I agree with Rich. The 2019version of the TT-50 is the same price as the older model. I suggest that if you are purchasing one that you get the 2019version. The improvement is subtle, but definite.
True often and lightly.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Is this the 2019 version?

https://www.amazon.com/Tormek-TT-50-Truing-Dressing-Tool/dp/B0013N6MFU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=tormek+tt-50&qid=1554654043&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

[Ken S]

Yes. Herman, you may remember when Ionut had a problem with his TT-50 diamond bouncing. Ionut corrected the problem with two electrical ties. The new design should prevent any bouncing. It is also made of cast/machined zinc.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

So, Ken now has my old ADV-50 in his Tormek museum.  That is where this thing belongs :  replace it as soon as you can with the TT-50.

That was the last straw for me. Bought the new TT-50 and used it today for the first time. It is a huge improvement over the ADV-50.

New owners of the T-4 might be able to make use of the museum piece. 

It really is necessary and economical to keep the grindstone true.

By the way, the diamond cluster seems interchangeable between the two jigs.

[Ken S]

Herman,

I'm pleased the new truing tool is working so well for you.

The diamonds are indeed interchangeable. In fact, there is a variation model TT-50U, the U meaning Upgrade, where the user would use his existing diamond from his older unit. I was told by Tormek that the U version would not be offered due to low sales demand. Tormek must have rethought this and decided to offer the U version with the 2019 version. Here is a listing for it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TORMEK-TT-50U-Diamond-Truing-DressingTool-UPGRADE-for-ADV50-WITHOUT-Diamond-/220518050863

The complete 2019 version of the TT-50 is presently priced at $93 US, the same price as the older version. Advanced sells the U version on its website for $65, plus shipping.

Frankly, I think the difference in versions is too small not to get the complete version. My suggestion would be to purchase the new 2019 complete version. If you happen to have a partially used diamond from the earlier accessory, I would save it as a possible backup.

Ken

[RichColvin]

Herman,

You will be ever so happy you made the jump !!


Ken,

I agree.

Kind regards,
Rich

[Ken S]

This seems a good time to revive my "Precious Grinding Wheel" sermon. Like most of us, I went through a long period of trying to preserve my precious Tormek grinding wheel. I gradually learned to think of my SG-250 like brake shoes, necessary, and designed to gradually be consumed over a long time. If we shy away from using the stone grader or diamond credit cards, we are missing much of the utility of the grinding wheel. The stone grader causes "almost no wear" on the grinding wheel.

I recall several occasions when the stealth untrue wheel gremlins snuck up on me. I began to see the wisdom in Jeff Farris' post that he always trued his grinding wheel before any major sharpening project. If we start with a freshly trued wheel, we are at 100% efficiency. As we use the wheel, this 100% gradually declines. Imagine an "average efficiency". If we retrue frequently and lightly, this average will be higher than if we allow the wheel to become very untrue and glazed. I do not believe that frequent, light retruing causes more wear than infrequent heavy retruing, and the Tormek performs much better. Retruing also dresses the wheel to maximum cutting coarseness.
The precious things are not the grinding wheels. Yes, like any large grinding wheels, Tormek grinding wheels are expensive. However, the real precious parts are what the sharp tools can help us produce, whether those are good food, toys, furniture, or whatever. The most precious parts are the people in our lives who benefit from these sharp edges.

Every Tormek, including all of the T4s, needs a good truing tool. This is just part of using abrasives, just like dry grinding wheels and (flattening) bench stones. (A major factor in the decline of interest in oilstones is because they were not kept trued and dressed. The problem is not the stones themselves.)

The TT-50 is an excellent tool for this task. To be honest, I get the same fine results with the older design. However, I can appreciate the superior design of the 2019 model. I will not scrap my original TT-50. Having both models, I would be certain that any new purchases would be the new 2019 model. A 2019 model should be the first accessory purchased for every T4.

Thus endeth the sermon.

Ken