Clarification on Use of TTS-100 for use in Setting Grinding Angle to 25 Degrees

[jturner421]

Hello,

I have a T-4 and I am looking to create a repeatable process for grinding and honing my plane and chisel blades. Coming over from waterstones, I'm used to grinding a primary bevel and honing a secondary bevel. The Tormek way advocates primary bevels only.

I've read a number of posts describing the use of the TTS-100 to produce a 25 degree angle on chisels and plane blades.   As I understand it, the process goes something like this the first time:

• Set distance of UG to wheel using slot B of the TTS-100.  This sets a constant distance that can be repeated every time and replicates the spacer block method described on page 41 of edition 10.5 of the manual.
  
• Place the chisel or plane blade in the SE-77 jig. At this point the blade protrusion is still unknown.
• Using the AngleMaster WM-200, set to desired grinding angle and adjust protrusion of the chisel or plane blade. Mark the distance and the angle on a sticker inside of one of the slots in the TTS-100. Based on forum posts, this is fairly accurate for setting 25 and 30 degree angles.

For resharpening, set the protrusion of the tool to the measured mark in step 3 for the desired angle and use hole B to set the distance to the stone. I'm less concerned with hitting an exact angle as opposed to ensuring repeatability. 

One thing that is unclear to me is when resharpening and not changing the bevel angle, do I regrade the stone to 1000, touch up the bevel and hone on the leather wheel or must I regrind at 250, move to 1000 and then hone?  With waterstones, I can usually go 7-8 resharpenings, before regrinding the primary bevel.

Thanks,

Joel

[RichColvin]

Joel,

My guidance is here => http://sharpeninghandbook.info/Info-WoodBenchTools.html

And here => http://sharpeninghandbook.info/MicroBevels.html

Good luck,
Rich

[Ken S]

Joel,

I first posted the method you describe using the TTS-100. Using it the way you describe will give you very repeatable and accurate results. If you are sharpening chisels and plane blades for yourself (and have access to your Tormek) I would not use secondary bevels. Let your Tormek do the work. If you are sharpening for other people who will be doing their own touch ups, secondary bevels make sense, assuming that they know how to sharpen. They can easily add their own microbevels. (Many people are still thinking in bench stone mode, where microbevels were a good idea.)

Do you need to go back to 220 grit when you resharpen? I suggest you try it for yourself. Resharpen one chisel starting with your grinding wheel graded coarse. Sharpen a second chisel close in size starting with the grinding wheel graded finer. The 220 and 1000 numbers are just rough indicators, think of the, as more coarse and more fine.
Note now the two resharpenings go and how well the chisels cut. You will have developed the skill to answer your own question.

Keep us posted!

Ken