TS-740 Sharpening Station

[rkg82tg]

Greetings all,

I want to install screw-in caster wheels for the TS-740 Sharpening Station I'm planning to buy, but I haven't found any spec for this on the Tormek web site.

Does anyone know what the required thread size is?

[Ken S]

Welcome to the forum, Richard.

Surprisingly, the thread size is non metric, 5/8" x 11 tpi. Fortunately, it is a standard thread size in the non metric part of the world. It may be the only non metric thread used by Tormek.
The traditional advice from Tormek is to prefer immobile feet to prevent the stand from moving during operation. That's probably why castors weren't part of the instructions.

A few ideas from my personal experience: For several years, I happily used the standard issue feet. The few times I needed to move my work station, I used the appliance dolly I have (a great help for a senior citizen working alone).
On a whim, I purchased a Bora adjustable mobile base. Installing it was not exactly plug and play, and it does increase the size of the footprint. Except for those things, it works well.
When I bought my work station, it only came with two wheel hooks. (It may now come with four, I'm not sure.) The hooks are available as spare parts. I added two more. Here is a link showing the part number:

https://advanced-machinery.myshopify.com/products/stone-hook-for-tormek-ts-740-sharpening-station-and-cabinet

The steel cabinet makes a great surface for the magnets of the Anglemaster and the TTS-100.
Keep us posted.

Ken

[RickKrung]

An alternative to an adjustable mobile base, which increases the footprint, while a bit over to top perhaps and definitely expensive, there is an alternative of "removable" casters.  I'm using these on a heavy duty workbench which will be moved only rarely, but would be a royal pain to move without casters. 

Woodcrafters is where I got this set, but they are available elsewhere.  To make them removable, one needs the Quick Release Adapter Set also. 

Rick

[rkg82tg]

Thanks for your replies and suggestions.

Having considered the points you bring up, I think I would want both the existing fixed feet and castors, the latter preferably mounted beneath the stand so that they are out of the way.

The way I see it, in theory, the fixed feet could be raised until the castors bear the load, and once the stand rolled into position, could be lowered again until the load shifts back to the fixed feet.

I'll know soon enough as I've ordered the stand and it should be arriving before the end of the week. My local dealer confirmed that there are indeed four wheel hooks included.

[RickKrung]

I don't know what a "wheel hook" is, presumably some sort of mounting hole? 

I think it could be difficult to mount wheels and fixed feet in a way that each will be near enough to the corners to provide adequate support that won't be tippy in one or the other functions.  You might consider locking casters, such as shown in the images below, which would serve both functions simultaneously. 

If you were to try to use fixed feet that could be raised and lowered, I would likely use machinery leveling feet, as below.  Slow, but I don't know of a good raise-able/lower-able alternative.  That is what is so nice about the removable casters, as in my post above.  Quick and totally out of the way once removed. 

Good luck,

Rick

[rkg82tg]

Attached is a photo of the solution I ended up with to add four casters.

First, I cut and tightly fitted four wood backing blocks from corner to corner between the flange and the base plate of the station.

I then drilled five holes per caster into the flange, and screwed the angled base plate of the caster into the backing block with five long wood screws.

Although I could have used bolts,  the screws appear to be more than adequate.

P.S. The wheel hook has nothing to do with the casters. It's an accessory for the station that is fixed to it's side in one of several precut square holes. It allows you to hang spare grinding wheels on the side.

[AKMike]

I put leveling casters like these on my midi lathe, since I don't have a permanent spot for it. They are pricy, but work well, and with four rubber feet on the floor they keep things from moving better than a wheel lock. Various mounting options are available.

https://www.casterdepot.com/casters/leveling-casters

Mike

[highpower]

I'll know soon enough as I've ordered the stand and it should be arriving before the end of the week. My local dealer confirmed that there are indeed four wheel hooks included.

Can you confirm if you actually received four of the wheel pegs (hooks) or not? I just ordered a TS-740 myself and was under the impression that it only comes with two pegs. I considered ordering two more but decided not to in case they actually do come with four now.

[John_B]

For my work surface I use a repurposed microwave cart with wheels. I placed each wheel on an indoor/outdoor backed carpet square and this is enough to prevent movement during use. I think if your cart moves you are pushing too hard or have poor body position. Before the carpet mine did not really move but I saw no reason to remove the carpet once it was there.