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How awesome doing a test run.  I have worked several BBQ cooking contests. 

I have found too that customers like there items separated.  As you I keep separate baskets.  I wasn't doing the second control of providing a ticket or other item.  Great idea.  I have a 3d printer and will make some knife plastic thingys or something to keep each basket to each customers.  Great idea!!!!!!

I was super nervous my first BBQ.  Second and third I was able to focus more on my process and the customer, where now, I have it down pretty well.  ANd yes I have found even in broad daylight, a desk lamp always helps!!!!

At the BBQ events these are often 10-14 hour days of all day sharpening.  Your table is too low.  By the end of the day you won't be able to move!!!!  Ok I am not 20 either.

But I found a higher pedestal workstand/bench allows me to raise the Tormek higher and I can sharpen much better longers. 

A friend of mine made me a two piece unit.  So I can take it apart and move to shows and events.  The top pieces is basically a square box with two drawers for gigs and other ready sharpening supplies.

The bottom piece is two drawers as well, but at the very bottom a pull out plat form to stand upon.  This raises my my who working plate form keeping my tools away from curious little hands!!!!

The two pieces sit on top of one another and are secured together by four fast latches so I can quickly take my work station out of truck and fit two pieces together with all my gigs tools and other STUFF in my two piece work bench storage cabinet!!!

I also built in a small battery (think motorcycle battery) attached to a small inverter 400watt and a dual usb charger.  So I can charge my phone, have music and it is what powers my lap.  I can keep my phone charge, run music and run the lamp as needed all day without needing to recharge my battery.  I used a deep cycle marine battery.  I remove it from the unit during transportation due to weight.  In addition (Remember the nerd part) i also attached inside a solar regulator so that I can charge my battery during the day while in use.   I will have to admit, other than playing with testing and showing off, I have never needed to use the solar panels. 

But what I can do, if I have no power, I can attached an additional larger 12 volt battery to my station and run my tormek pretty much all day.  I have done this more than once.  Much quieter than a generator!!!! 

And since I am often at a remote cooking competition I even have a very small generator I got from Harbor Freight.  It is loud but it was cheap.  Never needed it in real life.  Just gotta have a backup!!!

Nice work!!

J

I can assist with Greek.  My girl is greek.  So....

Great work, Joseph!

Your Tormeks get quite a workout. I would add one comment about your T4 "working as hard as a T4 could". I believe the thirty minute duty cycle is an artificial limitation relating to the T3. The all plastic housing of the T3 retained heat and caused some melting problems from overheating. The T4, a major redesign, corrected the overheating problem. The machined zinc top acts as a radiator and safely disperses the heat. As you know, the machined zinc top was later incorporated into the T8. In my experience, this operator needs a rest long before the T4!

The Tormek can be a much more capable machine than is advertised. The marketing is for new beginners. The new purchaser needs to reach a certain level quickly and easily and quickly. In today's immediate gratification world, most people are not interested in a course of self study. A serious Tormek user has a machine which is very versatile.

If you read the first topic "bolted" to the top of this section, the tips and techniques topic, you will find my thoughts on learning the Tormek. I did not intent to become lengthy, however, the length has produced many more ideas. I prefer to work with chisels, as they are simpler, only one straight brvel, and easy to see. By having several identical tools, you can learn about the effects of things like different grinding pressures. You can, and should, do the same thing with knives.

Find a well lit, comfortable place to set up when you do not have time constraints. Spend some relaxed time really learning your leather honing wheel. You may end up still preferring your present method, which is fine. Your preference will be a better informed choice, based on competency in both methods. It will also give you the skill of being able to switch methods when circumstances change.

If you will allow me a shameless plug, do a member search for Rich Colvin. Rich's signature contains a link to the online Sharpener's Handbook he has assembled. Rich has included an article I wrote about the kenjig, originally called the Knife Setting Tool. This method is easy to learn. You can make the jig in a minute from one small piece of cardboard (or plywood for the deluxe method). There is nothing to buy. It will automate setting the knife jigs for different sizes of knives. With complete accuracy, you can shave time off of the set up of every knife. Try it.

Must dash.  Keep posting!

Ken

Ken,

As a coder by trade I am really research orientated.  Before I purchased this, I had already been through ALL the wonderful references you mentioned above. 

As far as your articles above.  I can't say enough how helpful they were and are!  I believe the online Sharpener's Handbook was one of the first references I found when I ventured into this. 

My first BBQ Event I worked my T-4 pretty much for 11 hours.  I sharpened over 100 knives that day.  What an amazing machine. 

I am awaiting my Japanese Water Stone to arrive now. 

Ken thank you!

Joseph

Ken what an awesome reply!

I have been working BBQ Cook Off events.  I have been using two tormeks.  What an incredible machine.  Two weeks ago at an event the t-8 ran pretty much for 11 hours NON-Stop and my T-4 worked as hard as a T-4 could!!

I too have found that different pressures with the grading stone will produce I believe an even finer grit.  I use the stone hard at first.  Gives me that course.  Then I re-do it with the course grit but with less pressure. 
Third step will be to use the fine grit with more pressure and a fourth time with light pressure but longer! 

Thank you for confirming my thoughts about achieving multiple grits using the stone with different pressures and length of time.

I have been a wicked edge user for a long time.  But with the Water Stone...I don't use it as often.  The Tormek with the Water stone gives me all the options. 

I have to admit I haven't really mastered the leather wheen.  I will do a rough debur with the wheel then go to some manual strophs I have made using a finer and finer strophing spray.

I get a wonderfully sharp knife in usually less than 10 minutes.  As I get more experienced my times go down and quality goes up!!

Thank you again for the great reply.

Joseph

Is it possible to put the Japanese Wheel in place of the of the leather wheel.  Keeping the 225/1000 wheel on the right side?

J