Messages

Thanks.  Don't know if that really counts as "restoring" but it works!

[is]

Well, don't I feel stupid.  That is black leather.  Sand paper didn't really do the trick but the Tormek grading stone did an excellent job.  Once I got all of that old oil and gunk off of it it was no longer mushy and smoothed out just fine.  Then a little oil and honing paste and it was good to go!  Not quite a mirror finish but it's square, smooth and very sharp. Can't remember which grit I left it at so I'm thinking I should go back and use the grading stone on the fine side and hone it again.  Can't thank you guys enough.

No question.  Gonna sand and clean it before i do anything.

Thank you sir.  I will report back.  It is black through and through.  It sanded smooth the other night but that was when I thought it might be rubber. I used some acetone on a cloth to wipe it down. Silly me.  Now that I think on it it is not rubber.  I just hadn't seen leather that looked like that.  It is glued down and not stretchy. But when you peek under it it is black and saturated all the way through so the black ain't comin' off.

Maybe I could peel it off and stitch together and glue on a new leather strip?  I know, I'm being frugal.  (cheap)

However, I am now able to grind square.  It just isn't square when flush against the side of the jig but a little sharpie and finesse and all is good.  I may not get a mirror finish without the leather wheel but the honing card gets stuff plenty sharp after the grind.

Nope.  Just contact cement that stuck to the belt and not the wheel.

This one seems soft and black.  But it did feel like it was impregnated with oil.  Could be it's not rubber and just old mushy leather. I saw the EA-240 online and it does not look like what I have.

Andy,

is there a steel drive rod outside of your rubber wheel? If so, that is the rubber drive wheel which is inside of the leather honing wheel. If not, your rubber wheel might be an EA-240 deburring wheel. These were many around the time your machine was made. It provided a more abradive option to the leather wheel.
Ken

Not sure what you mean by a steel drive rod.  Don't laugh but here is a pic of my unsuccessful attempt at gluing a leather strap to it.  The arrow points to the rubber layer.  Doesn't look like the 240 wheels I see online.  Rubber not very hard and is easy to peel with a finger nail.

ps Out of cudiosity, what size is your skew?

pps Serial numbers for Tormeks were not used until later. Your search will get frustrating....

I have 3 skews to work with. 1. 1/2" Harbor Freight in it's original shape, 1. 1" HF that I have given the Lacer shape and grind and 3. A Benjamin's Best 3/4".  Haven't tried the 1/2" HF but have spent the last few days with the other 2.

The honing wheel on the Tormek is just rubber with no leather on it. (which may be why it was only $50.  A new wheel is $80.  First I'll try epoxying a DIY leather strap before I spend more on it than it cost me for the whole thing.  I have a high and a slow speed grinder which is what I used to fashion the Lacer skew.

I have a credit card type 600 grit diamond stone that I use for honing.

You are correct.  No # on the Tormek even though the web site says there should be on the 2000.

Thanks again for the reply and the link.  I've got some practicing to do.  I need to get my serial # from inside the 2000 to register it so I can get access to the things available.  I plan on starting with my old beat up tools before I work on my good chisels and plane irons.  Don't know if it's possible to sharpen that curved skew on the Tormek but I'm looking forward to eventually getting a square razor sharp mirror finish on my other stuff.

Here is a vid I found helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmCxDToHm6Y&index=66&list=PLScpPEstRJuxSs_ebynTAcx4LpSOfdSXt&t=0s which you have probably seen.

Excellent Ken.  Thanks.  I will register. I hate to be a pest but you addressed something that I am going to have to address. I got into this because everybody is telling me that I want to use a really sharp skew for pen turning vs the carbide I've been using as it yields a better finish. It seems that it does but I also I fashioned a curved Alan Lacer skew that I would like to try and sharpen.  Not sure if that is possible on the Tormek but if it is I'd like to figure out how to do it.  I have plenty of dull chisels too but for $50 on Craigslist the 2000 seemed like a worth while investment.



"Tool tuition".  Yes, I need to start paying that.

I recently became the proud owner of a 2000. After cleaning up, tuning up and truing up the unit I tried practicing on an old chisel.  The issue I had was one that research showed others have had also in that the beveled edge wasn't square when I was done. The Google search yielded a few suggestions like pushing harder on one side vs the other but the most relevant info I could find was from a 2011 post on Sawmill Creek that said:

The fix is easy and you do not need to make a special jig or return your Tormek.

According to Sharp Tools USA "...If it is out of square, you will have a "long point" and a "short point". Release the clamping pressure on the short point side's clamp by 1/8 turn and tighten the clamping pressure on the long point side's clamp by an equal amount. Grind for a few more moments and check again. Re-adjust as necessary..."

I use a red or black marker so I can see the grind better. Let me know if you still have problems.

Is this the suggested method for fixing this or is there a better way?


My other question is that since the unit was preowned the stone is naturally smaller than it's original diameter.  Am I correct that measuring across the diameter and getting 195mm vs 250mm diameter that I should set my gauge to 195 when establishing the desired bevel angle?  This model doesn't seem to have the reference marks for diameter like I saw on one video.