Simple way to increase Tormek RPM by 40%

[wootz]

The working prototype:



Sleeve 1.5mm thick

Inner diameter 11mm
Outer diameter 14mm

Length:
Tormek-7  28mm
Tormek-8  32mm

One Threaded hole M4
Socket set screw M4
Set screw length: Totmek-8 max 4mm; Tormek-7 - any.

Allen key 2mm

My coarse wheel Tormek now runs overclocked to 130 RPM.

... before you ask, we are too busy at the moment to make them for others, maybe in January next year. Check with your local steelworks shop if they can make one for you.

I see on YouTube variations of this approach to speed up Tormek RPM:

Using epoxy (12 years of knife sharpening on the same T-7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzqyIMPMQhQ&t=118

Using cloth tape (in German)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kfVllwWjzI

Using cloth tape and an elastic tube (in German)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DiHBg8c9r4&t=920s

[cbwx34]

Put blue painters tape on mine... been almost 6 months now?  Still works great.



(Thought I posted this somewhere... here's what I posted on FB)...

I tried this when KnifeGrinders came out with his "speed it up" video... since I didn't have anything around to try like he showed...

https://youtu.be/6qY_HqzqXsM

However, both duct tape (the tape like you used) and electrical tape failed for me. Worked short term but for some reason, after a while, the tape started to slide around.

Blue painters tape was my solution... has held up now for over a couple of months without issue. (See pic).

Also, no need to make it so complicated. I just threaded the tape on by hand, rotating the drive wheel (by manually turning the stone), and letting the tape feed on. The drive wheel compresses the tape as it goes on, and you can easily see when to stop. No need to remove the drive wheel for this or measure anything... it's pretty easy to tell when to stop, just leave some room for the motor to move. Takes about a minute. (Keep it Simple...).

Definitely makes a difference!!

[Scotty]

Late to the party.
I have a T4 (which was a gift that started me on the way to knife sharpening rehab).
The T4 appears to have a different drive wheel set up.
I am looking to try some upgrades, to include a felt wheel (instead of the stock leather wheel) to run at the lower speed than a buffer.
Or-to add a second wheel using the contour wheel shaft.
Any one have experience with upgrading a T4?
If it comes to it, I could get a T8, but I have a healthy investment in T4 wheels,
Would they work on a T8?
Thanks

[Ken S]

Scotty,

You will run out of money before you run out of ways to upgrade your T4. You can upgrade many things on your T4. Whether or not you really need these will depend on your needs and desires.

Starting with the felt buffer wheel, I use an eight inch felt wheel with my T4. I debated whether to purchase a hard or rock hard density. I made the wrong choice and went with the hard grade. Go with rock hard. Think outside the box. I mount mine on the grinding wheel side of the shaft. EZYlock makes it quick and easy to change wheels.

Think you are limited to the SG and SJ-200, which are all most of us need? Think again. If you have money which you really must spend, here are some suggestions:

Tormek sells two diamond wheels which fit the T4, the DWC-200 and DWF-200. These cut very well, although Tormek recommends only recommends using them dry. The DWC-200 cuts noticeably faster than the SG-200.

D-Way Tools sells CBN wheels which can be used wet with an anti corrosion additive like Honerite Gold. You will need one of the steel reducing bushings from D-Way. These bushings can be used with either the T4 or T8. They also work with felt or Norton 3X wheels and make a very nice replacement spacer if you have misplaced the one which came with your Tormek.

Norton 3X wheels in 80 and 46 grit put the Turbo into your T4. At only $50US each, they offer a lot of firepower for not much money. They require some mounting bushing modification (not a big deal).

All of the Tormek jigs and accessories, including the Work Station, are compatible with the T4. So is the KG VFB. You can easily grow your $400 T4 into a $3000 sharpening system.

Or, you can go far just using the Tormek (which includes the T4) as intended.

Ken

ps The T4 wheels work with the T8 as well as a T8 wheel worn to 200mm, however, they work better as designed with a T4.

[Scotty]

Thanks.
Super informative.
I saw a mod where a chap from NZ adapted his profiled leather wheel shaft to run a second stone wheel.
I am going to try the same to run the rock hard felt wheel that is inbound.
I actually have 2 CBN (600 & 1000) that I modified to fit the T4.
I plan on running them with a Honerite solution.
Apparently the felt wheel should be run on a Tormek speed machine as the slow speed buffer/grinders (2100rpm) are OK for paper wheels but too fast for felt.
I have been looking at a T2 for farmers market sharpening events as it seem to be a Jack of All Trades kind of machine.
I probably over think this whole thing and am prone to keep looking for a better way.

[Scotty]

Any one had any luck with increasing the speed on a T4?

[Ken S]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the development of the Tormek AWT (Advanced Water Trough) nearly ten years ago. The lipis substantially larger than the older water trough. Surely this would almost eliminate the extra spillage issue from the speed boost.

I have not read about any results from Tormek testing to see if the increased speed caused any extra wear on the rubber drive wheel. That would be interesting.

Ken

[BeSharp]

The working prototype:



Sleeve 1.5mm thick

Inner diameter 11mm
Outer diameter 14mm

Length:
Tormek-7  28mm
Tormek-8  32mm

One Threaded hole M4
Socket set screw M4
Set screw length: Totmek-8 max 4mm; Tormek-7 - any.

Allen key 2mm

My coarse wheel Tormek now runs overclocked to 130 RPM.

... before you ask, we are too busy at the moment to make them for others, maybe in January next year. Check with your local steelworks shop if they can make one for you.

I see on YouTube variations of this approach to speed up Tormek RPM:

Using epoxy (12 years of knife sharpening on the same T-7)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzqyIMPMQhQ&t=118

Using cloth tape (in German)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kfVllwWjzI

Using cloth tape and an elastic tube (in German)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DiHBg8c9r4&t=920s

Looks like this speeder-upper is now available from Wootz. However, since Tormek does not endorse speeding up their machines, I can only say buy it to look at and not to use 😉.

[Ken S]

Any one had any luck with increasing the speed on a T4?

Scotty,
Do you realize that the T4 already runs at 120 rpm, as opposed to the 90 to 100 rpm of the larger models?

Josu,
I think it would be worth experimenting for you, especially considering your wheel diameter. I would try the short piece of water pipe I mentioned on page one. You should be able to find a short piece for free or at nominal cost. I also like CB's idea of the cloth tape. I think the KG adaptor is probably the best permanent solution, although either of these no or low cost solutions would let you decide if you wanted to proceed.

We have research to do with this. I don't know if the extra pressure on the rubber drive wheel would eventually cause premature wear or not. That could be easily monitored by removing the leather honing wheel for inspection.

The other possible issue would be water spillage. For almost forty years, Tormeks had smaller troughs. My first T7 originally had one of the smaller troughs. The design was essentially the same as the design used on the T4. Later T7s and all T8s use a water trough with a larger lip area. We need to do some testing to see how much water actually spills.

With the blue tape, the thickness can be controlled by varying the number of layers, much like the grit can be varied with the stone grader, the "600 grit" approximate middle grit.

Ken

[Ken S]

I decided that the best way to do research was to purchase one. I did so today. I will post my thoughts after it arrives and I have a chance to use it.

Ken

[petermik]

Hi all - I am brand new to this forum, but extremely impressed with all the great information and inspiration ;-)

I just increased the speed of my old Tormek SuperGrind 2000 from 91 rpm to 111 rpm by simply using the outer sleeve of a piece of electrical installation wire (what we here call 5x1.5 mm2). I realize that installation wire is probably different country-to-country, but at least this worked a charm for me here in Denmark. The sleeve fits very snugly over the Tormek drive shaft - no slipping whatsoever. A whopping cost of app. 10 cent 

peter

[Ken S]

Scotty,

You will run out of money before you run out of ways to upgrade your T4. You can upgrade many things on your T4. Whether or not you really need these will depend on your needs and desires.

Starting with the felt buffer wheel, I use an eight inch felt wheel with my T4. I debated whether to purchase a hard or rock hard density. I made the wrong choice and went with the hard grade. Go with rock hard. Think outside the box. I mount mine on the grinding wheel side of the shaft. EZYlock makes it quick and easy to change wheels.

Scotty, the speed increaser should also work with the T4.

Ken

Think you are limited to the SG and SJ-200, which are all most of us need? Think again. If you have money which you really must spend, here are some suggestions:

Tormek sells two diamond wheels which fit the T4, the DWC-200 and DWF-200. These cut very well, although Tormek recommends only recommends using them dry. The DWC-200 cuts noticeably faster than the SG-200.

D-Way Tools sells CBN wheels which can be used wet with an anti corrosion additive like Honerite Gold. You will need one of the steel reducing bushings from D-Way. These bushings can be used with either the T4 or T8. They also work with felt or Norton 3X wheels and make a very nice replacement spacer if you have misplaced the one which came with your Tormek.

Norton 3X wheels in 80 and 46 grit put the Turbo into your T4. At only $50US each, they offer a lot of firepower for not much money. They require some mounting bushing modification (not a big deal).

All of the Tormek jigs and accessories, including the Work Station, are compatible with the T4. So is the KG VFB. You can easily grow your $400 T4 into a $3000 sharpening system.

Or, you can go far just using the Tormek (which includes the T4) as intended.

Ken

ps The T4 wheels work with the T8 as well as a T8 wheel worn to 200mm, however, they work better as designed with a T4.