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#1
General Tormek Questions / Re: SVA-170 Axe Jig is retirin...
Last post by Ken S - Yesterday at 10:39:44 PM
Tgbto,

I respect your thoughts as an experienced. However, with the AX-40, I don't see where any of us have enough actual work time with it to offer more than initial impressions. I will look forward to reading your thoughts after hours of use. I will also anticipate your thoughts on flat grinding with the AX-40.

Ken
#2
General Tormek Questions / Re: SVA-170 Axe Jig is retirin...
Last post by tgbto - Yesterday at 03:03:51 PM
This looks like a fine piece of hardware.

Still, I am as ever skeptical of the convexing ability of the dual-stop mechanism. For small bevels, I don't think it matters, but on large bevels such as axes or hatchets ?!? Removing the marker further up is no guarantee of convexity, and with the time spent grinding the edge in the first place, Sebastian for sure did not significantly change the geometry of the bevel.

If the material is hard it will take forever, and if the material is soft the result will be quite random.

I'm not even sure the result is guaranteed to be convex : To convex it properly in such a fashion, one would have to master the time spent at each angle and therefore at every point in between the stops. By going up/down/up/down, shlak/shlak/shlak/shlak, who says the end result is not something akin to the attached drawing ? Probably compounded with a less homogeneous finish along the edge axis...

Dimensions are obviously not to scale to increase curvatures, but I don't see a physical reason why it wouldn't end up like so. Or even something that remains concave, although to a lesser extent than when sharpening the edge only.

IMO, if convexity matters, a belt sander is the way to go.
#3
General Tormek Questions / Re: Back in the Shop (sort of)...
Last post by Ken S - September 19, 2024, 04:10:18 PM
Rick,

I'm glad you are back in your new shop!

Ken
#4
Knife Sharpening / Re: Small ceramic folder
Last post by Beaker - September 19, 2024, 06:23:20 AM
Nice sharpening job!  Very even bevels.  Thanks for sharing the excellent photos.
#5
General Tormek Questions / Back in the Shop (sort of) and...
Last post by RickKrung - September 19, 2024, 06:18:28 AM
I have recently moved, downsizing my shop space from a 2-car garage to 1-car, but also taking over one of two bedrooms as a workroom.  I've been so burned out from the move that it has taken me a while to get started again with my hobbies/projects. But tonight, I broke the barrier of getting back in to things. 

But, my daughter had presented me with an interesting tool, a folding hatchet that needed sharpening.  I suppose I could have used the axe jig (old one) but, maybe due to its odd shape (narrowness), I didn't even think of it. 

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I did try to figure out if one of the knife jigs would work, but...  nope. So, I decide to do it psuedo-free hand, but braced on the USB to maintain position and angle, cradling the back of the hatchet head even with the USB with the palm of my hand and fingers. 

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After establishing the bevel angle using the black marker method, I did check to see what the angle was, using the new angle setting too.  I had not ever used it yet.  Think I like it.  Grinding angle and honing angles. 

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Turned out pretty good.  This hatchet has two hollow ground bevels, the large visible one and the actual cutting bevel, which is what I ground/honed.  We'll have to see how well it works. 

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#6
General Tormek Questions / Re: SVA-170 Axe Jig is retirin...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - September 19, 2024, 04:18:24 AM
Mine is on order!
#7
General Tormek Questions / Re: New Tormek user + some que...
Last post by RickKrung - September 19, 2024, 02:12:05 AM
Quote from: cheater on September 18, 2024, 10:12:16 PMHi all,
I recently got a T8 Black with the coarse diamond wheel that's included as standard (DC-250).

A few questions:
...snip...
4. Is it fine to use this wheel for grinding/shaping rather than only sharpening? Again I don't run a metal shop but sometimes (rarely) I have something that needs grinding down a bit. So for example, today, I bought some skeleton keys for the doors in my flat since the keys were missing. The new keys would go in the lock but when turning would grind to a halt. Took the locks apart, lubricated them, made sure nothing's grinding, turned the key with the lock taken apart to see if there are any obstructions. Nothing, smooth operation. Reinstalled the lock and the same problem occurred. Turns out the dimension on the lower left that's supposed to be 8.5, on my keys was 10mm. Went down and ground them down and now they're perfect. It was a casting error, looks like the cast was worn.

Yes, you can and obviously you did, but personally, I wouldn't do this.  I think a better solution would be to buy a traditional grinding wheel, preferably 10" dia. but 8" works also and fit it with a bushing and flange washers and run it in the water bath just like standard Tormek grinding wheels.  It will grind those projects faster and better than the DC diamond and there won't be any risk of wear or damage to the DC. 

VERY cost effective, under $100 for a wheel and not much for PVC pipe and washers.  Ken S. did this with just that, a drilled out piece of PVC pipe and flange washers.  I machined a stainless steel bushing and aluminum flange washers.  You can true that traditional grinding wheel just like any other true-able wheel, although you probably don't have a Truing Tool.

I did this before I had any diamond wheel (or CBN) because I wasn't happy with how slowly the SG or SB grinding wheels removed metal on edges needed a lot.  Worked great.   

Norton 3X, 64 grit, 8" dia., 1" wide mounted on a T8.
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10" dia, no-name, 1" wide, unknown grit, also mounted on T8
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Machined bushing and flange washers. 
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Video of truing the 10" grinding wheel. 

#8
Knife Sharpening / Re: My favorite knifes shapeni...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - September 19, 2024, 12:50:47 AM
Quote from: iSharpen on September 17, 2024, 12:28:21 PMAs for wrapping kangaroo tails around wheels I made a prototype. I wrapped one around an old CBN wheel that had failed.

I got a couple of 3D printed honing wheels and used veg tanned (from DS Horne) (I keep a coupe of half hides of various thicknesses for leather projects) I think 1.5 - 2 mm, and some contact. I used a quality contact that I used for leatherwork and that works a treat. I skived the ends of the strip with a taper of about 10mm and made sure the overlap was front to back so that it would not tent to lift with the rotation. Any slight hump left I cleaned up; with the skiving knife and a sanding drum on the Dremel.

With the 3D print use 100% infill around the pins otherwise they will break off.

I have been using the first one now for months with no issues and the second is the spare.
#9
General Tormek Questions / Re: SVA-170 Axe Jig is retirin...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - September 19, 2024, 12:38:05 AM
Nice to see some familiar names mentioned from the chat.
#10
General Tormek Questions / Re: New Tormek user + some que...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - September 19, 2024, 12:36:57 AM
There is a YouTube channel called Tormek Innovation and they have many useful videos that go through using the Tormek and contain a lot of useful tips.

Quote from: cheater on September 18, 2024, 10:12:16 PMIs it fine to re-use the distilled water

Yes. However you don't need to use distilled water. Any water is fine. As for reuse - again re-use is perfectly fine. I decant mine into a bottle and I simply wash away the dregs in the bottom after using the magnet and scraper to clear out the shavings.

Quote from: cheater on September 18, 2024, 10:12:16 PMHow do you tip out the water?
There is a knob on the back that you can use to wind the water tray down. When it is fully down you can slide the tray out since it clears the wheel.

Quote from: cheater on September 18, 2024, 10:12:16 PMThe wheel is currently stuck on - I can't undo the thumb screw
Facing the front of the machine grasp the honing wheel with your left and and the grinding wheel with your right push the grinding wheel away from you (it has a left hand thread) at which stage it should come loose.

You should remove the wheel from the machine between use. It can become stuck if left on for too long. Avoid loosening the wheel by rotating the knurled knob.

Quote from: cheater on September 18, 2024, 10:12:16 PMIs it fine to use this wheel for grinding/shaping rather than only sharpening?
So long as you are not too aggressive. Be very gentle. Softer materials can clog the wheel so be aware of that.