Messages

On a quick search, there are some vertical machines including a quickstarter campaign, to make a home unit one could put their boots in and do real quick.  With the Tormek, trying to come up with a jig to hold the boot in place would be a pita.  I would think if someone were going to try to do a skate, with its low angle, they would be better off to try to do it by hand, maybe with Herm's jig.

Then if one gets good, they need to put the my Hockey mom can beat up your Soccer mom sticker on the family Zamboni.

For as small the difference you all are talking, I think the real world factor would be the heat (during sharpening) that affected the blades temper at its edge and causing it not to hold the edge as long.

I think you mentioned the T4 as a backup or portable machine for carrying around, if your doing it for a living.  If that is the case then one would already be invested into it. (money not a factor)
Then things like the cleaver discussion, where you would like a little more height, or  there was another thread asking about splitting a stone, for some really curved small tool, might work better with the smaller stone on the larger unit. (if I remember it was some sort of gutting knife)

Cleavers and height being mentioned, and with its long life, I could see a possible benefit for the use of the SJ200 over the 250 on the T7 (not to mention the cost difference). Use with Herms jig for repeated small tools or low angle knife touchup.

The hole in the stone is the same, but the width is not, so how would you secure it against the nut that keeps it in place?
Also I think its diameter, is getting close to what is end of use on the Tormek (there is a thread on that aspect, somewhere).
I once asked about going the other direction, as I had the older, chipped stone, that the prior owner had damaged getting it off a rusty shaft.

Edit:  you would have to use a bunch of washers to build up to your stone or some kind of spacer: http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=2095.0  The T7 shaft is longer, but I don't know if it is only via the stone side.  If the spacing on the leather wheel side was the same, and it was only the stone side, you could use a T3/4 shaft.  Ken who has both might chime in on that.

I found I spilled the most upon learning how to fill the trough.  (fill too fast, or fill and don't let the stone absorb before adding more)
The next for me was when picking it up to turn it (have a nerve in my back that sometimes bothers me).  I pinched it many years ago and it has never quite been the same.
Then is the lowering to remove it.

I learned/improved my technique on the first one (still not 100%, depends on the mouth of the container I pour from).  Picked up the swivel to eliminate the second.
The third, I have been thinking about either putting a sponge or towel in the trough, before I drop it down, to cut some of the water, so less chance of spillage.

I've read recommendations to have an envelope with ones passwords on it in case one passes (so family can manage online presence/digital estate).  Several countered that it should be a txt file, on an encrypted drive with a password that the next of kin knows (in case stolen).
The common thing that I see on those discussions, is someone keeps a list of passwords, in an encrypted form, so they can access everything, just in case, and they tend to keep it in a webmail based account, so it is accessible from anywhere, but must be decrypted to use.

As I hit respond, Grepper responded.
http://tormek.com/international/en/accessories/other-accessories/pa-70-honing-compound/

So besides the MSDS, the page above still recommends a light oil.

Give us a reminder if you hear about it before us (going off to check if there is a sign up for info site).

You should have filmed it.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of us have known at least one person who worked for the shipping companies.  I've known several, and have stories from a box of human heads falling off the conveyor belt, breaking open and one rolling out, to cocaine spilling out, to a driver whose stated goal, is to be the worst employee in the entire union, and keep his job.
I think the jigs are safe to ship, though.

Used CAN be had for a deal, but that doesn't mean they are all deals.  For starters, it isn't a tool I would look for used, online.  I would want it local, like mine was.  The gentleman I bought mine from, was the second owner, as he was given it by his friend, for selling his shop for him, when he was terminal.  After some back and forth, via email (I wasn't the only one contacting him, but I was the only local one), I thought I was given the run around and said I had his asking price in hand and he had my phone number.  He offered me both other interested parties and said one offered twice what I paid, in case I wanted to resell, because he didn't want to mess with shipping and that whole mess..
Since then, I've seen two go quick for around twice what I paid.
Can they be had used, yes.  Is it worth it?  In the end, I think your probably better off knowing someone that has one, so you can know for sure, before buying one.

Unfortunately, I see more salemen that think it is about convincing your pockets to be empty, then learning an showing if/how the product can fit the need.
Good to know that they still demo it.  It hasn't been at my woodworking show in a while.  And my local Woodcraft, advertise a class demoing it, and didn't (turned into a general sharpening class, focusing on waterstones).  I wasn't happy (went there just for it).
But your initial thing sounds like a question asking for opinions, rather then just a statement that you wish to expand on.   If it were the later, you might wish to phrase it different in the future, if the former, I expect there are always going to be differences of opinions, in part, based on our experiences (bias).  In that case, I hope others chime in.

Guess for one, it depends on what turns up in ones search. Nothing beats practice though.
I don't know that Tormek is demo'd anymore at shows (how I first found out about it, around 2004, when Jeff was presenting).  So I would think more likely they are going to know someone that has one, either in person, or via a forum around some sort of hobby (woodworking, knifemaking, etc).  That would lead them to find out who was bought from.
When it comes to Youtube, I think Jeff's video's are still towards the top of the search. (I did a search and three are the top three of four and the fact they show different tools, makes me think one would click his name and see them all)  Normally, one would watch what they want to sharpen and then other things they might be interested in.
I am not sure one trusts any video's.  You generally are skeptical (trying to sell you something) and are using them for idea's (learn what to try or not).  When you have an item, then you start to trust as your experience goes up or you can see how something is put together.  This goes from using the Tormek to what a friend asked me (bought something that was missing instructions), how to assemble/use a magnetic bicycle trainer.
The Tormek friends video's, I just see as "cute marketing" video's.  I would rather see more how to video's, for things such as the FAQ on this site, about serrated knives, recommended heights one should use it at, etc, and less fluff.

I would think you would want it down further, so any escaping magnetism, wouldn't work on the pores of the stone (wouldn't have to use the grader as quick).  I figure it would only be a small difference though.
Doesn't the T-7 water tray fit the T-4?  I am surprised they didn't put a magnet spot on it, but that would just be one more not included accessory.  That said, I think I would still consider for those old trays or newer T-4 trays, the old magnet in a (screw sized) ziplock bag trick.  When you pull the bag from the water, you open it and remove the magnet over the trash can, and the shavings fall in.

This is getting me to the drawing board.  I missed some stainless tables a while ago by an hour.  Today I was talking with a friend who is selling some restaurant equipment and asked him if he had a small table.  He said no but he had something I might want.  He had some piece that mounted to the side of some kind of equipment, that is a 20" square stainless table with three sides having a backsplash.  (looks like a larger, flat, tractor seat)
Going to have to design a little cabinet now.

Thanks