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I bought the same sanding sponge from Amazon and I seem to remember I got free shipping.  Either the order was big enough with other stuff or I am a prime member.  I like that because I don't even have to get out of the house.  Just sharing - maybe I can save you some effort. 

I don't derive any benefits from Amazon - any other mail order would be about the same. 

I would just measure it with a wooden ruler.  I've done it.  Even when mounted you can eyeball it pretty well.

Dear Ken,

I thought of using other wheels on the Tormek.  I don't have a lot of shop experience so could you help me out. 

I understand standard grinding wheels have 5/8 inch holes.  How well do they fit on the 12 mm Tormek shaft?  Do I have to buy an adaptor?

Thanks and Kind Regards,

Rhino

I have one of those seasonal affective disorder light boxes - the brightest one I can find.  10,000 lux at 30 inches.  I take it with me everywhere around the house.  In the "workshop" I got two sockets.  I put socket splitters on them and screw on 4 60 watts fluorescent bulbs.  Each of the bulbs is supposed to be equal to a 300 watt light bulb.

The most wonderful addition is an oversized giant leather recliner and a laptop computer.  I am not in a hurry.  I watch a movie on the internet while working and take a nap here and there.  Take pictures of the project as I go along.

I do smaller projects now.  Like restoring old fountain pens.  The tormek is amazingly useful for fashioning and shaping small metal pieces like nibs, springs and things like that.  Of course, the nib tips only sees 12000 grit sandpaper but I found I can also grind a fine nib into an italic nib on the tormek.  I am talking about $20 nibs, $5 nibs.  Not $500 nibs on the tormek. 

I am not retired.  Still holding down a demanding job.

Scissors are some of the most poorly made things that I have ever sharpened.  The blades don't have the same angle.  The same blade has different angles and most of them are not made with hardened material.  Any sharpening will improve them.  While the Tormek is not good for removing large amounts of materials, I have removed lots of material from abused scissors without difficulties.

I find sometimes they are more like the old paper cutters.  On blade has a 90 degree angle and one blade has more of a cutting angle.

On the other hand, taking an old pair of scissors that has been abused and bringing them back to functional shape, even better than new, is very satisfying.  I have taken so much material off of abused scissors that the tip would no longer close.  I have to grind the tip down too. 

Thank you so much for explaining it.

I have never owned a dry grinder.  They are selling many low speed, like half speed ones.  Is there any value in these 1/2 speed grinders?

I second the impact wrench impact hammer idea based on my experience below.

I can use the impact wrench to drive screws that were so soft, the philips head on the screw would have stripped if I tried to screw it in with a regular driver.  However, using an impact wrench, I was able to screw it in and out of wood like a knife through butter and not a mark on the philips head screw.  Things worked so well that after another job using square head screws, I found the screw driver bit actually bent.  But all the screws went in fine. The impact wrench works so well, I have to constantly remind myself not to allow it to go too far and strip the nuts and bolts.  And it is really easy on the hands, I don't really feel I need to counteract the torque generated by the impacts.

So my guess is that some WD40 for a few days, followed by an impact hammering device (palm nailer about $40 at home depot) may be able to loosen it.  Of course, it requires you to also have an air compressor.

Just a thought.  Never actually done it.  But I am impressed by all those impacting tool.

Depending on how much you enjoy sharpening.  If you like it, get a T7.  If it is just a means to get your tools back into shape so you can do what you really want to do and something other than sharpening, a T3 would be fine.

As other have stated, the price difference is not a lot considering T7s come with extras like stone grader and diamond dresser.

I sharpen more than I actually build things.   So I have a T7.

I laugh whenever I see a motor rated at 5 hp on 120v.  1 horsepower is something like 750 watts.  At best, a motor using house wiring is a little better than 2 hp and this will assume 100% efficiency.  Any name plate saying otherwise is being deceptive and probably measuring instantaneous power if you stop the motor cold turkey

my diamond truing tool does not vibrate at all going across the stone when I did a minimal trimming of the stone.  Minimal trimming for me still means taking something off 360 degrees around.  Have you tried taking a lighter cut or a deeper cut to cut down on vibration or maybe your system is not aligned.  Just a thought.

I think there is some sort of misalignment if the truing tool is giving you problems.  If tightening everything still gives you the problem, is there still time to replace the machine under warranty?

I have the latest version of the water tray from my T7 bought around 2008 or 2009.  The magnet is on the outside.  I don't sharpen much but whenever I do there is a whole bunch of metal filings in the inside corresponding to where the magnet is on the outside.  I just wipe it with a piece of paper and toss it in the trash.  I leave the stone dry between use but the residual wetness plus iron shavings on the stone still cause rust spots.  They are easily removed with the diamond truing tool if they really bother me.

I do it on the family room with a dropcloth over the coffee table.  Grind a bit.  Watch some tv.  Drink a beer.  Grind some more.  For me, I like to take my time, and enjoy myself.

Emptying out the water regularly and removing the metal filings from the magnet helps as the iron/steel particles continue to rust in the water reservoir.