Messages

Hi Folks

Well my last post was 7 years ago. So I am a little rusty.
Actually had to go back on you tube! I had forgot how to use the Tormek.

Anyway I am back using it. Doesn't take long to get back into it.

One problem I am having. When I try and put a polished edge on a knife. It's catching on the water stone and it's a pain. And a bit scary.
So the wheel is coming to meet the edge. I tried turning the stone away from the edge like you would the leather strop. I have to move my guide to the front and the angles then totally change.

Any advice please

Thanks

Fraseman999

Once again Rob,

Thanks so much for your great advice.

I will not be giving up just yet!

I am going to work on the sharpness of the tools.

Spend some time with the Tormek.

Then I will take it slower. And follow your advice on thinner stock.

I am having trouble understanding keeping the bevel behind the cut.

Surely if the bevel isn't behind the cut then it won't cut.

Thanks again Rob

John

Disaster, disaster and more disaster!

I always thought the most dangerous machine in the workshop was a spindle moulder.

Not any more. Its a Lathe!

Ok, first off, its a Tormek website so i will give my opinion on the jigs. Fantastic, easy to use and with a little bit more practice its easy to use. 10/10. Although i said with some more practice. I can slice my chisels and plane blades all day long on paper. But im not quite there yet with the turning chisels. Maybe my eagerness to get them from the Tormek to the lathe was the problem.

And my apologies, i know its not a turning website, but there are a lot of knowledgable folks on here and i need help!

I had read that branches that are still wet are easier to turn. So i picked up a couple of 4inch diameter branches of Ash. They didnt need much work as they were pretty straight. Cut them to 2 foot long. Put them on the lathe and started to rough it with the roughing gouge. The machine was said slow to begin with. Then i had a dig in that was so hard it jammed my chisel between the wood and the rest. I kept trying, but although i have read two books and watched 3 videos, i am afraid i may need some practical help.

I tried the spindle gouge, just trying to smooth the stock, but i was not managing to smooth it. Were my tools not sharp enough? Was my angle not correct?
Then i tried to do some coves and i just kept getting dig in after dig in.

I suppose to begin with i was probably trying to take to big a cut. But then i tried just taking a tiny shaving. Need to look up my nearest turning club.

As usual any pointers appreciated.

Thanks

John

Hi Rob,

More great info thanks so much,

You are spot on with what comes in the kit. I take it then, until i bring the wings in, i cannot try bowls.

Everything is in place to have a go at sharpening tomorrow.

Probably not get a chance until tomorrow night.

Looking forward.

Will let you know how i get on.

Thanks

John

Hi Jeff,

yes, the dvd that goes with the book is very good but the book confirms everything.

Now my chisels should come tomorrow a 5 set Robert Sorby.

I have watched your dvd 5 times, yes 5 times!

I could do it in my sleep (not).

Now you Jeff are a true craftsman and an even better salesman. lol.

So i will be the first to come on here on friday or saturday and tell you if its as easy as you make it look.

My first thoughts are that i know how long it takes the Tormek to grind a badly damaged plane iron. And thats with the stone going the other way.

But as you explain, if i use setting 2 and dont expect to remove too much steel straight away, then maybe i will be ok. Cant wait.

Thanks again to Rob for the wonderful advice.

John

Big Thanks to Jeff.

What a great dvd sharpening and using woodturning tools.

John

Hi Rob,

Thanks again.

Not Essex, up in Scotland, plenty trees down up here. Husquavarna at the ready!

cheers

John

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Dick and Rob for great info.

Rob, its great to know i can post when i am stuck.

Well here is where i am at.

I have bought an axminster awvsl 1000. I was really annoyed yesterday as like so many companies now, they take your money and then tell you that your item has shipped minus a 1" 4 prong 2mt, that wont be in for six weeks. But when i told them i would send delivery back they found one!

So it was between this one and a record and what swung it was the adjustable speed and the work cymru boy does on you tube, he had this lathe until upgrading this year. Love his videos.

Got it built up today and when i ordered my set of Robert Sorby chisels from Peter Child the guy said is was a very good machine for the money. And it might be a bit premature but i think it is. But until my chisels come and my headstock on Friday, i am just reading up and watching dvds, i have just pulled Jeffs dvd out the Tormek box and i have a great book called Woodturning, a foundation course by Keith Rowley and a dvd from the same.

I must confess i watched Keiths dvd last night and it is excellent, however, there seems to be a lot to learn, holding angles, cutting points, chisel choice and thats without sharpening!

So it probably a good thing that i can't start now, as i tend to try and run before i can walk.

I will be staring off turning spindles. However, as the blackstone was out of stock, and the money was there, i ordered a patriot chuck today, so bowls as well when i get better.

I had a chuckle there Rob, my wife asked me what the hell i wanted a lathe for(as they do) and i replied, well i have a nice chainsaw and if i am driving along the road and i see a trunk i will put it in my boot. She said i would get into trouble if i cut a tree down. Think she missed the point! lol.

Anyway thanks for the wonderful advice, i am off to study.

John

Hi Folks,

Well i have not had my Tormek T7 for very long. Only really bought it for straight edge stuff. But i have decided to buy a cheap lathe and give it a go.

I have also bought the woodturning kit, which was nearly as much as the lathe!

Now the set of tools that i have purchased is a set of Robert Sorby has chisels. So i went online today to order the blackstone(my pet hate they take your order and tell you it wont be in for 6 weeks). It seems Tormek dont have any until that date. So tried many others and the story is the same.

So i will have to sharpen with the standard stone.

Can i still sharpen on the standard stone? Will it damage my stone? And any tips that anyone could give me starting out in turning would be appreciated.

Thanks

John

Fantastic Mike,

Great pics.

Great info

Thanks

John

Hi Folks,

Can anyone tell me what the best stone is for honing lie-nielson planes and chisels? I am told the blades are pretty hard. So would i be better with a blackstone?

The chisels are just their standard A2 not the carbon ones.

And that leads me to my next question what is the best stone for carbon steel?

Thanks

John

Thanks again to everyone for your replies.

Mats Wuolo from Tormek has said their tolerance side to side is -/+ 0.5mm so thats 1mm.

I put the straightedge jig on with a chisel, laid the chisel down the side of the stone and took a video. Its around 6mm wobble.

He has agreed after watching the video that it needs changing. Fedex will pick my old stone up tommorow.

The only moan i have is that i will be without one until i get my replacement. I thought they would have done a swap.

Anyway hopefully it will be resolved.

Cheers

John

Thanks again Ionut great information,

I got a response from Tormek today which i can't quite follow.

"Hello John,
Did you get a new washer with your japanese waterstone? (yes)
The problem is that the js-250 does not have the centre bushing.
It demands that the hole to be a bit larger than normal, in return
the washer is the main support for alignment instead of the hole on
the centre of the stone.
If you have the older stamped stainless steel washer it can be difficult
to get the stone to align correctly"

Can someone help me on this, yes it came with a new washer which was identical to the one already on the machine.

Now after some thought, could it be possible that the washer goes on the outside? Not according to the video it doesn't.

Help!

Thanks

John

Thanks for the excellent advice Ionut.

I am struggling with this stone. It still has a wobble so i can only assume the stone is faulty. I wonder if they will take it back after i have trued it.

Trueing it helped but it still has a wobble. When i first used it out of the box it had a massive wobble. I should have sent it back.

Thanks again

John

Thanks for the replies,

Ken it may not be what i want to hear, but you are spot on.

But then i found it out for myself after i had bought it!

And i just really wanted to let anyone else know before they spent £220.

I am sure i will still use it as with the new t7 i can change the stone over in 30 seconds.

Thanks

John