Messages

I probably don't but I've been sharpening 12" blades for years on it and have decided that coming to rest on the stop is not that important.  The cantilever design that Tormek uses flexes too much in my opinion to make the stop worthwhile.  I instead resort to holding the blade (and the jig it's secured to) up to a straight edge.  If it's straight and it's sharp I'm done.

Like I say, 12" and smaller.  If you're sharpening a longer blade that requires you to slide the blade down jig then I'm not sure.  I've only sharpened one set of 25" blades and just eyeballed it.
Why your stone is glazing I have no opinion on that.  Mine just doesn't seem to glaze over that often.  I've been using the same stone that came with the machine and I bought in the mid 90's!  Maybe it's a magic stone.

For the past 18 years I have had a 12" combo jointer/planer.  And for all those years I've put a back bevel on the blades to control chipping out.  Although the knowledge was around before him, I first read about it from a booklet Brian Burns put out.  I don't ever look at grain direction while jointing or planing, it's that effective at curbing it.
http://www.lessonsinlutherie.com/doublebevelsharpening.html

Just last week I bought a new 25" planer, ran about 10' of wood through it and decided the blades needed a back bevel on them.  When I pull out the first blade I was surprised at how short they were as far as depth goes.  When I put the blade on the Tormek, I couldn't get the angle I wanted without having the jig hit the grinding wheel.  It was close though.
So what I did was insert a piece of metal in the jig to move the blade further out.  In this photo that piece of metal is indicated by the arrow.  If you're questioning that middle screw knob on the jig.  It's f'ed up.  Can't get it to move one way or the other.
I really wanted to push the blade out a bit more but didn't really have enough ledge to accomplish that.


I put on a small bevel across the full width of the 25" blade by moving it through the jig in three passes.  Used my eye to judge when to stop the grinding process.


The whole process from three blades out to three blades back into the machine was maybe a couple hours.


Pleased with the whole process.

I've been using Micro Mesh sandpaper on my Audi headlights for years..taking it up to 12,000 grit almost makes them look new.  It's my observation though the clearness of the lens doesn't last very long before they start to yellow and go cloudy.  A new headlight goes for  years before starting to look yellow, once you start to polish them then they yellow faster and faster.
Your mileage may vary

The new one sure looks like my old one.  I didn't spot anything different.

Jeff,
I want to say thank you for being so kind and sending me the correct length of USB.   I can't believe I've been using the Tormek for 15-16 years with a too short bar and swearing at every time.
Paul
ps.  The old one was slightly misshapen to boot and never slid in and out of the holders easily.  This one slides like skates on a frozen pond.

Don't know about everybody else but the Tormek is by no means the only way I sharpen things.  This seems only big enough for the Tormek and if you compliment your sharpening with other routines then you're going to need additional horizontal space right off the bat.

Is there a thread already showing sharpening areas and how people organize them?

Tre cool. Thanks.
Paul

Very nice overall post.  Thanks and nice looking jig.

7 and 5/8"
Yours is bigger than mine! 

If memory serves me correctly, I purchased it at one of those traveling woodworking shows with the manufacturer booths and people hawking the tools.
Circa 1996 San Mateo, California

nothing to say here

By the way, the eighteenth amendment which started prohibition allowed the use of alcohol for religious purposes.  This loophole was much abused!

Most of my photography business has been in the wine industry so I know a few of the wineries I have worked for only stayed in business because during prohibition they were allowed to make wine for the religions that use that in their rituals.

I guess I'm beating a dead horse here but it doesn't matter horizontal or vertical, the design is flawed.  One more inch of USB would have solved the problem. 

Herman,
I do not use the jig in this position.  I only shot it this way to illustrate the design failings.  I've been using the Tormek since oh.. about 1996 and feel I'm pretty checked out on the ins and outs of it.

First off, I understand my Tormek is an older model and there may or may not be design changes that make my post unnecessary for those who have either upgraded or bought newer.
I still maintain there were design lapses.
Pic one. Vertical position.  This is fine, the stop allows for the enough movement to go and start on the left side of the stone.
Pic two.  Either the support bar is too short or the jig is poorly designed as the stop can not go off the right side of the stone without the jig coming off the bar.
And since we, or at least I am, speaking on incomplete or lazy design.  One would think the positioning brackets for both vertical and horizontal attitudes relative to the stone be the same.  They are not because the handle gets in the way. 
Again, I'm only talking about my machine and the way it was when I bought it in the late 1990's