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jeff, an update..my work this week end took me to spindle and bowl gouges so i had my first chance to use the new tm100 setting device for them. i have been setting up the tormek by using sharpie coloring and the tm100 system changed the settings slightly but the ability to set up quickly on both the grinding and polishing wheels is impressive.

i also roughed up the grinding wheel using the edges of the grader stone and that works as well. i did find a norton grading stone that appears to be made of the same material as the tormek grader at a farm&fleet store. it appears to be close to the tormek rough side but maybe not quite as rough. it will work on my conventional grinding wheels.

i will attempt the skews soon with a much roughed up tormek stone. thanks for your help. i have a few other thoughts on the skew attachments i'll save for a later date.

jeff, thanks for the reply. i will mess around some more with the settings to see if i can use the toolrest placement feature that i would prefer to use rather than my usual sharpie marking/trial and error method. dave was right when he said tormek could sell an 80 grit wheel as aftermarket.

the fine side of the grader is cupped and worn but not slick looking.  but the coarse side really looks slick in spots. it has been used a lot as i've had this system for a long time. they're not that expensive so i may just replace it. what is the material that side is made of? a norton flattening plate would probably not touch it and they're more expensive than a new grader.

i've just received the same jigs as dave and attempted to sharpen my 5/8" lacer skew last night. first of all, tormek makes mention of lacer somewhere in their literature so they should know he recommends the bevel width be 1.5 times the skew thickness. that converts to about a 39 deg included angle. so when i set up the jig according to the instructions i get the 30 deg built into the jig. that's a lot of grinding on the heel portion of the lacer skew...i gave up.  

adjusted the distance from the tool rest to the wheel and went for the existing 39 deg angle already in the tool. but i really wanted to take advantage of the built in spacing in the tm100...i'm disappointed.

next problem the wheel grader stone is slick with use...never noticed how poorly it graded the wheel until last night when i wanted a really aggressive grinder to get close to the finished profile.
QUESTION:  is there any good way to freshen up the grading stone??? the fine side is good, is just the coarse side that's filled in with something. i can use the edges but i'd like to freshen this stone up.