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Messages - puffin

#1
General Tormek Questions / Re: Motor wobble
September 09, 2018, 02:05:12 AM
I have the same machine, with the same cracked drive wheel that I replaced with a zinc one. The motor still wobbled a bit, which I solved by truing the drive wheel rubber ring (sanding it until it was circular relative to the axis of rotation).

I did it by removing the leather wheel leaving only the drive wheel, inserting the USB backwards in the horizontal position to be able to get close to the drive wheel, setting/locking it a little under the thickness of the sandpaper away from the drive wheel (using paper shims set against the high spot on the wheel), then wrapping some 50-grit sandpaper around the usb and sliding it towards the wheel. I set it ever closer until the sanding noise was constant, and the motor stopped moving. You can also use the USB in the regular position and wrap the sandpaper around the lip of the scissor jig platform.

I used my old rubber ring on the new zinc wheel, keeping the one that came with it intact just in case.

It worked well. The motor is now static when the unit is running and the CBN wheels are more stable (I couldn't compensate for the wobble by using the truing tool on them).

I did the same thing with the leather wheel (this time with the USB inserted normally) because I found mine too wobbly. It now runs smooth and after some use, eliminated the bump at the seam.

These tweaks are more nitpicking than anything and don't make a big difference in actual use. They are also not use cases anticipated by Tormek and I if you choose to do the same I would be careful to sand only a little at a time to not put too much stress on the horizontal support. Also be sure to mark the position of the leather wheel relative to the drive wheel (which of the 3 holes each "pin" inserts into), and the drive wheel relative to the shaft in case you have to disassemble your machine. These all affect the centering.
#2
Quote from: kwakster on April 22, 2018, 07:57:18 PMThis is my own current working prototype of Herman's knife rest with a piece of Torlock attached to it.
It already works quite well, but i still have 2 possible modifications i want to try out.
Looks good, with easier locking compared to mine. Seems like it can be made without sacrificing the function of the tool rest/scissors jig by keeping 2/3 of the Torlock on them intact (or just make 3 of them with a single SVD-110). I too am curious about those modifications.
#3
Quote from: Ken S on April 20, 2018, 01:35:43 PMYour use of linear shaft support is clever. I would guess that your 40mm width would work quite acceptably with the larger 50mm width Tormek grinding wheels.
I appreciate you weighing in!

Quote from: Ken S on April 20, 2018, 01:35:43 PM
I think it is regrettable that Tormek has not chosen to manufacture a small platform jig. Tormek already owns the patent for the Torlock. As you have already encountered, preventing a shaft from slipping with a round hole is problematic. The Torlock accomplishes this quite nicely with its wedged locking design. Less torque produces a tighter lock.
True. It does seem that only Tormek could make the ideal version of the platform since they own that patent.

Quote from: Ken S on April 20, 2018, 01:35:43 PMThe original purpose of the small platform jig was to sharpen very small knives. Herman has demonstrated that its utility extends beyond that. I have long believed that the next step in its evolution will be interchangeable platforms. Such platforms, especially when combined with the new diamond wheels, will make shaping and sharpening metal lathe tool bits practical. I believe the primary limitation for the small platform jig is our level of imagination.
I mainly sharpen knives, chisels and scissors so I haven't had much use for a platform yet, but that could change. It could be used with the leather honing wheel for a quicker setup since I'd only need to mark the USB position for common angles, but again I'm more comfortable with the regular knife jig. I can remove burrs freehand just fine, but for actual polishing with the leather wheel I get better results using the jigs (which is why I replaced the knob with a bolt on the knife jig to clear the USB, another tip I got from here).

Quote from: Ken S on April 20, 2018, 01:35:43 PMKeep imaginng! You have good thinking.
That's kind of you to say!

Quote from: Ken S on April 20, 2018, 01:35:43 PMBy the way, the next time you are in a good hardware store, look at the assortment of threaded plastic knobs. The Tormek locking knobs use M6 thread, roughly the metric equivalent of the common 1/4 x 20 thread. I have a collection of different shaped locking knobs. The standard Tormek round knobs work in all cases, however, I believe other shapes sometimes work better, especially with arthritic hands. Tormek is an excellent product. I think Tormek plus imagination may be better.
You're right that other knobs could be better-suited to apply more force. I tried the knob from the SVS-38 but a wrench is quicker and more comfortable. The aluminium in the linear shaft support is quite rigid and resists tightening, but if one were to remove a bit of metal from where is bends maybe the M6 Tormek locking knobs would work fine.


Quote from: cbwx34 on April 20, 2018, 03:15:20 PMThanks for posting your version of the modified collar for the knife jig.  Looks good!  Your version of the platform jig looks well made also.  I'll have to look thru the info you provided.  (Someday I'll make one...).  :o

Thanks again!  I like seeing other versions of these ideas.
Glad you like it despite its appearance! As you can see I'm no machinist.
#4
Thank you to everyone who contributes to this thread (and forum). It is a wealth of information.

I made my own version of Herman's support for a total of $4.05 shipped (not counting the two m5 bolts and the m6 bolt) with Aliexpress parts, to avoid having to disassemble it every time I wanted to use the scissor jig.

-SK12 linear shaft support: $1.37 shipped
-Aluminium alloy plate 5mmx40mm, length 100mm: $ 2.68 shipped

I use a 40mm wide plate to match my CBN wheels. It may work fine with the 50mm Tormek wheels but I've never tried it.

The existing screw on the linear shaft support is small and weak, so I removed it and drilled/tapped an M6 thread so I could use an M6 bolt. The aluminium plate was tapped to fit two m5 bolts corresponding to the holes on the linear shaft support. If you don't have a tap set, you can find decent HSS ones for ~$5 shipped.  I filed the lip of the aluminium plate and a little bit off of the corner of the linear shaft support (towards the tormek USB) to be able to go down to a sharpening angle of 10 degrees on 250mm wheels, mainly for scandi grinds. I also scored the inside of the 12mm hole with a file to make it more grippy.

The support is rock solid and performs well. Tightening it to the Tormek bar takes a little too much force to be able to use an m6 knob such as those found on the Tormek jigs so it's inferior to Herman's support in that aspect. This could be remedied by sawing two slots on each side of the linear shaft support where it bends to clamp the tormek USB, but I don't mind using a wrench.

To be honest I don't use it much because I'm more comfortable with the regular knife jig, with a modified collar similar to those found in this thread. I mainly lift the handle to compensate for curvature (mimicking the technique Jeff Farris shows in his videos) though I like the single pivot point when I need to do small adjustments. I get good results (for me) even on small curved knives but I understand professional knife sharpeners may have different standards than I do regarding the knife point profile.

The modified collar I use is just a piece of U-shape extruded aluminium bent into a triangle for the pivot, and epoxied to a 12mm drill depth stop. Originally I was going to make something less ugly, using a "SHF12 12mm horizontal linear shaft support" (~$2 shipped on AliExpress) and a piece of T-shape extruded aluminium epoxied to it for the pivot. The prototype I made works well enough and I never bothered. The only improvement I'll make is to eventually stick two folded pieces of PTFE where the USB rubs against it, instead of the clear tape I currently use.