Messages

For those of you who are considering purchasing Forstner bits:  Do yourself a favor and look at the high speed steel bits sold by Lee Valley.  They should hold their keen edges for a very long time.

Also, a note to Rob:  As I recall, you are a turner.  You could turn tapered blocks, similar to replacement socket chisel handles, to mate with the inner taper of your Forstner bits.  Use diamond paste.  That should restore your Forstner bits to their former glory.  (Keep the blocks for future touchups.  Store them in a sealer plastic bag to help preserve the diamond paste.)

Ken   

Herman, I applaud your Yankee ingenuity.  With embarrassment, I must admit I chose a less noble path when I needed another adjustment nut. Instead of Yankee ingenuity, I chose to use Yankee dollars.  I ordered a replacement part from sharptoolsusa.  (from the sharptoolsusa website>Tormek>replacement parts>T7)

66   US-105N Adjusting nut with scale for Universal Support   1   $ 7.00

While it was not the course of least cost, the nice people in Missouri gave me excellent service, even though I used Yankee dollars.

Ken

ps You are certainly picking up steam.  You have blasted through senior member, and I look forward to you becoming the first hero member from Texas!

Jeff,

This forum reminds me of the sleepy little Ohio towns after fracking was discovered.  From time to time I look at the "more statistics".  Recently it seems like a tsunami has hit the stats.  Like you, I think this is exciting. 

I am one of the prime grumblers about the lack of good training materials. The videosvyou have done are quite good, but don't completely quench our thirst for knowledge.  I realize we are handicapped by living in an age when when the most complex mysteries are solved within an hour filled with commercial messages.  IMHO, the most effective training material should also be the simplest and most easily accessed. 

I have found the search engine only partially useful.  I think a more effective solution would be having a couple posts made like the welcome posts.  I would suggest one for Frequently Asked Questions and another for Less Frequently Asked Questions.  Things like grinding squarely, using the stone grader, and lifting the knife handle to form the tip bevel would be under FAQ.  Things like thinning the bolster on a knife, or cambering a plane blade might be under LFAQ. (Turning tools, Planer blades and maybe hand tools should have FAQ and LFAQ, also.)

My suggestion would be  to address specific issues in regular posts first.  Then, the relevant posts would be edited and combined into a clear answer.  (A nice touch would be to list the poster's name with the post.) 

I would suggest you, as forum administrator, be the one with permission to access, edit, and add to the issues. In addition to being the moderator, you have the respect of the forum as both an honest spokesman and someone who has spent a lot of time in the trenches. With "copy, paste" from good posts, the work involved should be minimum.

By having the FAQ and LFAQ posts appear below the welcome posts, they would be quickly and easily accessed by both members and the curious who are investigating whether or not to invest in a Tormek.  If I was looking, I would print them for my reference.  I could see them as being of great value in getting new members up to speed with avoiding most of the pot holes. 

Welcome to the brave new world........Oz may never be the same.

Ken

Rob, glad you like the book.  I regard Leonard Lee highly.  I think he has written a good book, and the accompanying VHS, now DVD, has both good information and good dry humor. IMHO, everyone on the forum should have copies of both Leonard Lee's book and Ron Hock's book in the personal library.

Jeff, since getting your computer working again, do you have the feeling you are not in Kansas (Missouri) any more.  The forum has a plethora of full and senior members, and they are busy posting....suggesting more work for you! It reminds me of Tevya'a line in Fiddler on the Roof, "I know we're the chosen people, but can't you choose someone else once in a while?"

Ken

Yes, Rob, I bought the drill jig.  I agree, Herman, as long as we keep sharpening them, drill bits, high speed or otherwise, will continue to do their jobs.

I do have and use other bits than the household small ones for screws and anchors.

I bought the drill jig at a woodworking show my local dealer hosted.  It was 20% off.  I like tormek and I really like bargains.  Looking at the price of individual replacement drill bits, it may actually pay for itself over the long haul.

Ken

How politically incorrect for a Texan!  Herman, I'm shocked.

Ken

I think "creative" would fit better than "cheap".  Clever, Herman.

Ken

Somewhere I have a set of small chrome vanadium drill bits I purchased at K Mart about forty years ago.  They were inexpensive and designed for occasional wood use.  They were a lower cost option than high speed steel.

This week I purchased a set of Irwin "black anodized" bits.  They are supposedly good for "thin" metal.  I doubt they are high speed steel.  They should suffice for my intended use of predrilling wood and drywall for screws.
Ken

I have wondered about who began this forum and that person's intentions for it.

I have only been a member since 2009. At that time, no one had posted the fifty posts in order to qualify as a junior member.  Of those actively posting at that time, only Herman and I are still active.  The most active posts only had around twenty postings.

After a very cursory glance, it would appear the forum may have begun in 2003.  (That's when Jeff's data should his membership began.)  I am curious as to how much Tormek AB in Sweden has been involved in either the startup or ongoing direction of the forum.  I would also be interested in learning the founding expectation "parameters" for the forum.

I have not seen any posts from anyone directly associated with Tormek AB.  I have received two emails from an official in the company in Sweden.  I had posted a comment critical (in  a constructive way) of what I believed was a lack of video training aids.  For the record, I still feel that lack remains.

The founders apparently did not envision having photos included with posts.  While this may have been more difficult in 2003, I have not seen any effort put forth by the forum administration to facilitate posting photographs.

I have continued my grumbling about the lack of good training material in several private intraforum emails.  I believe Tormek AB is missing a very good opportunity to increase sales by leaving so many users lacking confidence.  I think it would be a fine addition to this forum to include solid training materials presented in an organized way which would not necessitate the iffy search protocols.

My impish side thought we should offer this help in at least two languages.  I would call them "fish and chips" and "Big Mac".  We are, after all, "two nations divided by a common language".  Including local terms together with explanation would add spice to the learning.

I have doubts as to who would take charge of such a project.  While we have some enthusiastic helpers, in my opinion, the only person on this forum with the breadth and depth of Tormek knowledge and field experience is Jeff.  Such a project might involve a lot more time than administering a forum.  To do the project well should involve photos, illustrations, and video. 

Perhaps a good start would be an article about setting up the Tormek and sharpening a chisel.  A second article might be sharpening and maintaining knives.

Because of the nature of the forum, the project could start small and evolve.

I welcome your thoughts.

Ken

I feel like a wimp.  After working in an unheated northern Ohio garage for almost twenty years, I moved south (to mid Ohio) and a heated basement shop.

A standard idea in photographic darkrooms is a film drying cabinet heated by a 25 watt lightbulb.  I would think a wooden box with a small lightbulb inside would be adequate to keep enough water warm enough for a Tormek.  25 watt would be a starting point......maybe 40 in Michigan and other parts of the arctic.

Don't give up, Sargent Preston, the Yukon needs you.

Ken

Welcome, John.  I second the good advice from Mike and Rob.  Find a good chisel and practice on it. Don't spare the Sharpie marker. Don't hesitate to sharpen and dullen it several times.  This will help give you a feel for the Tormek.  Don't be in any hurry.  Give yourself the chance to listen and feel the changes.  Practice until you can sharpen this chisel consistently.  This will give you a base to build on.

I used the dresser with a light pass on my Tormek when I first set it up.  I believe this is considered good practice with any grinder and wheel to synchronize them.  Make the pass very light.  You should be able to hear and feel when the dresser is cutting against the entire circumference of the stone. if you need a second pass, do so.  Keep them light.

Bypass these initial learning steps at your peril!  Going slow is the quickest way to become proficient.

Keep us posted.  Good grinding.

Ken

Rob,  two full time grandchildren and a move.....

Did the rest of you receive the emails from sharptoolsusa and advanced machinery today advertising the Multitool?  .....Great timing; maybe someone does read this forum.

Ken

When I purchased my first Tormek in 2009, the knife jig was the first accessory I added.  When  first looked at it, I noticed the sloppy casting and was not impressed.  I tried it with one of my knives with so so results, and put it away. I went back to my preferred method of using a 1000 grit waterstone.

Recently I have been thinking I should give the knife jig another chance.  I may have not properly factored in the possibility of operator inexperience.

Today was that second chance.  Either the jig improved with hibernation or my skills may have grown.  Within a very short time four of my favorite kitchen knives are now paper cutting sharp. I am impressed.  I took out my trusty six inch mill file and smoothed up the casting.  (Maybe my jig was made on a Friday or another less than optimum time.)  The sloppy casting is now forgotten.

If anyone in Sweden is reading this, not cleaning up the casting does not leave a positive first impression.  Fortunately examining the EZYlock shaft was much more impressive.

Ken

Herman, I seem to remember an old carpenter saying, "A good framer is worth two trimmers."

I think some of can remember when that hot shot kid decided to make square wheels round!

Ken