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Looks like all Tormek dealers are including a free rotating base with T8 bundles until end of the year.

For those with only one machine, the rotating base is a very useful accessory!

Now that the Tormek machinery history video is out, I wonder if Rich should add that to his amazing Sharpening Handbook? We've had people come here and ask about older models.

That was an entertaining video. I wonder if the gold-plated T-7 makes sharper edges, since the weight of the gold could help dampen the machine vibrations? 

A Stumpy Nubs YouTube video says Tormek used two kinds of plastic to reduce friction.

If you do take it apart, be aware of the spring for the grey handle. Ask me how I know... (still haven't found it)

There is a logical reason why Tormek chose to use the squarish thread. After the height is adjusted with the EZYlock, the squarish thread provides a better bearing surface for the locking screw in the sleeve. Using a standard V thread would have been cheaper to manufacture, but could have been problematic in the long run.

Ken

I have both bars, and agree with Ken. In addition, there could be less error when clamped. For the mentioned German support bar, my calipers measure 11.75 mm diameter. The Tormek squarish threads measures 11.98mm. In addition, Tormek uses a solid rod for the other leg, which measures 12.00 mm. The solid leg with no threads also gives better (front to back) bearing surface for the locking screw in the sleeve.

Having said that, I find the German bars having better welds.

I've tried it. Be very careful!

First, it depends on the steel. Some knives are made of steel with emphasis on toughness (i.e., Henckels. Wusthof). They take to bending back fairly well. But forget trying to straighten out a bent Shun! (Actually, I've never seen one; they just break off).

Second, I tried putting the end in a vise - too easy to apply too much pressure. Now I just tap on it with a hammer on the anvil part of my bench vise. Much safer.

Here's my setup that I have been working on for a while. This is for sharpening scissors outside/at a fabric store (the Twice As Sharp, or "TAS" scissors sharpener), or sharpening garden tools outside/at a garden store in the spring (Viel S-5 1" x 42" belt sander with the scissors jig).

From the ground up:

- Tanos SYS-RB Cart
- Homemade Power Station in a Tanos / Festool M187 Systainer3
- Viel S-5 in M237 Systainer3
- TAS in M237 Systainer3
- Festool CTL-SYS dust extractor

In the picture, I have removed the top part of the CTL-SYS (the hose and power cord storage). This results in a working surface height of about 37.5 inches / 95 cm.

The CTL-SYS hose is 27mm diameter, I just shove it into the square hole at the back of the TAS. It seems to work fine (the square-to-round adapters from TAS are $67 USD!!)

As it is the unit does not need an external power source. I covered my homemade power station here:
https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=4784.0

While costly, the stack looks professional, is tax deductible, and Systainers have a high resale value.

I was at Canada's Tormek distributor today (Big Bear Tools). Looks like they're all stocked up in case there's a zombie apocalypse.

Repelling zombies could require sharp objects.

Tormeks sharpen dull objects.

Never mind... 😀

[How Long Will It Run?]

How Long Will It Run?

A Tormek uses 200 Watts of power; the Rikon buffer uses 300 Watts.  It takes me about 7 minutes to sharpen a knife, of which actual machine "on" time is probably 5 minutes. 5/60 x 250W (average) = 20.8 Watts/knife.

Trials confirm this - a knife takes roughly 20 Watts.

At a farmer's market a lot of time is spent interfacing with customers, so in reality only 6 knives/hour, or 120 Watt-hours.

A 4-hour market then uses 4 x 120 = 480 W-h.

My battery is 840 W-h. However, I only charge it to 80% capacity and try not to discharge it below 20% (it triples the battery life). Therefore, 840 W-h x .6 = 504 W-h of usable energy.

In conclusion, the 840 W-h battery has enough capacity for a 4-hour market.

Closeup and inside pics:

Total cost was $900 CAD / $ 727 USD / $627 Euros (using a half-price used battery) Battery capacity is 840 Watt-Hours; 120 VAC power output is 1,500 Watts. It weighs 8.3 kg / 16 lbs 6 oz.

More pics and deeper description at my post on FOG (Festool Owners' Group) forum: https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/festool-and-tanos-systainers/a-diy-1-500-watt-systainer-power-station/

The 6' back table is for a Viel S-5 at one end, and a Twice As Sharp scissors sharpener at the other end. In the middle is this Tanos / Festool Systainer stack:

Top: Toolbox M137: holds Tormek jigs, tape, knife sleeves
Middle: 3-drawers: holds tools, abrasives, lubricants, sharpness tester, etc.
Bottom: the DIY power station

I built a 1,500 Watt power station for sharpening at farmers' market and other places with no power.

All my equipment fits into Tanos / Festool Systainers. Therefore, I wanted my power station to be inside a Systainer too!

Festool just introduced their SYS-PowerStation, but 1) it's not in North America yet, 2) It's 2,610 Euros / $3,750 CAD / $3,030 USD, 3) I don't need that much power, since a Tormek only uses 200 Watts, a Twice-As-Sharp scissors sharpener uses 375 Watts, and my Rikon buffer, 300 Watts (and I hardly use more than one machine on at a time).

Rick, I just ran into the same scissors yesterday. Managed to carefully pry off both caps to reveal a non-adjustable pivot with no screwdriver slot of any kind.

Beyond strictly Tormek are:

1) Belt sander, particularly if variable speed and can be slowed really low,
3) Slow speed bench grinder (~1750 rpm) (Rikon in my case) with the matrix grinding stone (don't know what it is called),
4) CBN, either on a bench grinder and/or the 10" on the T7/8s.  (8"ers are available for T4s).

I have all four.  Controlling head, particularly right at the apex is difficult with the slow speed grinder.  Traditional grinding wheel adapted to a Tormek machine works pretty good and preserves the water-based grinding process.  Variable speed belt grinder is great also.  It took special adjustments to the speed pots on the circuit board to achieve the really slow speed, but that could compromise the warranty.  It also too special setups to be able to use the Tormek jigs and platforms, so the belt grinder option may take some additional work to get it up and going.  I have only recently started using CBN, on both the slow speed bench grinder (80 grit) and a 10" one at 180 grit (Woodturners Wonders) on my T8.  I liked both for their grinding action, but do not like the grinding grit/dust from the bench grinder.  I follow the CBN with the Tormek diamond wheels and SJ wheel, depending on what objective. 



Rick

The Tormek is a very safe machine, but it is SLOW. I've modified three of mine to run at around 154 rpm, but for a farmer's market, it's still too slow. Vadim at KnifeGrinders now has a coolant which allows grinding on a half-speed grinder without overheating the blade. 1,750 rpm versus 110 rpm is almost 16 times faster! Here's his video sharpening 22 knives in an hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ-1bFgsyRs

Results and conclusions of his 10 -video series on overheating are summarized in 29 pages here: http://knifegrinders.com.au/SET/Heat_in_Sharpening.pdf

In short, using his coolant on a half-speed grinder with a stone wheel offers speed,, at low cost, and without overheating. (He emphasizes he still uses Tormeks for high-end knives and folders).

I'm using the coolant on my Twice As Sharp scissors sharpener (3,400 rpm, 5" diameter, 120 grit) and it does help prevent overheating the tip of small scissors. I'm also using it on my stock Viel S-5 belt sander with an 1,750 rpm motor and a 6" drive pulley.

Some Tormek retailers have started selling the new Tormek 200mm diamond wheels - do an internet search. Still not available in Canada though 😠.