New T-4 , Disappointment

[schipperke]

So I get the machine setup and talk about noisy.  I spent couple hours trying to diagnose.  Took off the leather wheel, roughened the drive wheel just a bit appears good. Removed the stone shaft, looks good and put a bit more lithium at the bushings.  Problem appears to be when the stone is installed.  It makes a terrible racket, but if I jab at the stone with my palm a few times it will then run quiet.   The thing will though soon go back to the noise, I can palm the stone (not stopping it, just applying quick pressure a few times) and noise will stop.  If I'm lucky and noise does not return during use, it always reappears if I stop then restart. 

I removed stone and put on the spacer and stropped some things, the noise did not appear when doing this, so I think it's related to stone installed problem.

Any advice?

[Ken S]

Contact support. (support@tormek.se) I think your problem is either related to the Tormek or the user (nothing personal). Support can help you with either. I do not mean to sound brusk or disinterested, however, support has the experience and the clout. If support thinks your Tormek is the problem, they can have you return your Tormek to your national agent or to the factory at no cost to you for prompt repair. In extreme cases, I do not doubt that support would send you a new unit. If the problem is operator error or inexperience, support can help you work through it.

Over ten years with the forum, I have found that support is almost always the quickest and best solution. Please post your results from working with support.

Ken

Please note: I do not speak for Tormek. My opinion is based on forum reading of successful cases over the last ten years.

[schipperke]

If it is operator error I'm going to feel ignorant.  Listen when prodded to get quiet, a ticking noise.  Once I get it quiet any use starts the noise right back up.

https://youtu.be/pP7mbx3PH54

[Ken S]

Excellent video, Shipperke. It certainly shows your noise. Part of the joy of using a Tormek comes from its quiet running. Yours obviously missed the mark.

Ken

[jeffs55]

Is the water trough properly attached, jiggle it and see what happens. Jiggle means to tap it or bump it several times and see if it "falls" into a groove.

[MikeK]

I used a friend's T7 two weeks ago, and his makes a similar annoying buzzing sound.  In his case it was the water tray.  The fix was a small bungee cord attached to the lip of the tray with the other end attached under the table.  The bungee cord put just enough force on the water tray to completely remove the vibration and noise.  This was not the ideal solution, but was a suitable work around that eliminated having to return the unit to the store (about a four hour round trip).

[schipperke]

Makes the noise w/o tray or angle tool attached, yep I looked for an answer.  Memory creeping back, I used bench lathes for 20+ years.  Now I recall why I instinctively tried to stop the noise like I did.  I'm guessing (could be wrong) a motor bearing is spun.  When you jab at it, it may set the bearing for a moment.  Trouble is it is not a fix. This thing is brand new, very disappointed.  I'm gonna guess it's a Chinese motor. Hell of a lot of money to be broken out of the box.

Another thing I tried while noise is present was holding by handle and orienting the machine slightly in various angles, no change which again leads me to thinking it's the motor.

The noise in the video doesn't hold a candle to hearing it live, loud.

[MikeK]

Hell of a lot of money to be broken out of the box.

I agree and would take Ken's advice about contacting Tormek customer support.  If you bought it at a brick and mortar store, I would not hesitate to take it back.

[schipperke]

That's the problem, was shipped half way across the country.  The margins on these things for Tormek must be incredible, or we're paying a hell of a tariff.  Hoping Tormek will make good, I don't fault the retailer. 

[Jan]

Several years ago I was analysing some motor issue. In my T7 machine there is a good quality Austrian motor produced by ATB Spielberg GmbH. I was assured that the motors are tested in Sweden before expedition. In your T4 machine there is probably a similar motor only with smaller power.

The annoying sound of your T4 is a typical resonance of some component. Please try to tighten the locking screws of the sleeves for the universal support bar. Eventually check if the capacitor is firmly attached to the motor.

Good luck.

Jan

[jeffs55]

That's the problem, was shipped half way across the country You're not in Belgium are you? Halfway across the country is like the next town over in the US.

[Ken S]

Back in 2014, when the T4 was first introduced, there was a bunch of negative chatter about the supposed thirty minute limit. I happened to meet with the head of Tormek Support and a representative of Affinity Tool, the US importer. I asked them point blank what would happen if I burned out a motor in a T4  6 1/2 years into the seven year warranty. They both stated quite plainly that support would email me a shipping label (no cost to the customer); the unit would be examined and repaired or replaced either by the importer or Sweden; and then promptly returned to me In the case of the six year unit, bushings or anything else internal would be brought back to like new. The only thing which would not be replaced was normal wear on the grinding wheel.

If you feel more comfortable with another new unit, tell them. Tormek wants you to be a satisfied customer.

I have two requests for you: Please post the results of working with support. I believe your results will be quite satisfactory. However, I will not delete honest comments whether satisfied or dissatisfied. The second request is to add the post problem sound of your Tormek to your video.

Ken

[schipperke]

Several years ago I was analysing some motor issue. In my T7 machine there is a good quality Austrian motor produced by ATB Spielberg GmbH. I was assured that the motors are tested in Sweden before expedition. In your T4 machine there is probably a similar motor only with smaller power.

The annoying sound of your T4 is a typical resonance of some component. Please try to tighten the locking screws of the sleeves for the universal support bar. Eventually check if the capacitor is firmly attached to the motor.

Good luck.

Jan

The thought of something inside vibrating was in my mind as well.  The noise is apparent with everything removed, all thumb screws, trough, angle tool etc.  I checked security of capacitor and it is solid.  Ran w/o the plastic bottom plate too, thats not the problem either.

That's the problem, was shipped half way across the country You're not in Belgium are you? Halfway across the country is like the next town over in the US.

North Dakota to Maryland right at the Swamp..   Did the dog fool you? 

[Roger M.]

You're definitely not alone.
My T-4 ... also brand new (from Lee Valley), makes exactly the same noise.

The noise "goes away" when I press a knife to the wheel, but always returns when I lift the knife away.

This is really unacceptable, so begins the process of returning it.

**EDIT** ... returning it for replacement that is - I think the machine is fine, I just can't stand the noise

[schipperke]

You're definitely not alone.
My T-4 ... also brand new (from Lee Valley), makes exactly the same noise.

The noise "goes away" when I press a knife to the wheel, but always returns when I lift the knife away.

This is really unacceptable, so begins the process of returning it.

**EDIT** ... returning it for replacement that is - I think the machine is fine, I just can't stand the noise

I've tried a few more start ups in vein.  If anything, actually louder and applying light or moderate pressure to wheel is no help.  I don't believe in coincidences either, I bet there is a bad run of these.