Messages

Darren,

There are a few of us on this forum who will gladly help you get started. However, if you want more than just the general, one size sort of fits all answers, you should give us some background information. 

Ken

Welcome, Darren.

You don't say anything about your tool background.  Based on no info, I would recommend you start simply.  Chisels or knives are good starting tools.  Become fluent with one tool and gradually add.  Build your structure on a solid foundation.

Big Bear Tools are nice people to deal with, especially if you are Canadian and don't have to pay international shipping.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Ken

Steve,

I use a nice old Disston straight handle dovetail saw which is probably a hundred years old.  I have no complaints with it.  If I was going to purchase a saw today, I would probably get the regular (15 or 14 tooth) Lie-Nielsen or Lee Valley.  If you plan to do a lot of dovetails with thin boards (1/2" or less) the 20 tooth saw might be useful.  I would start with the standard 15 tooth saw.  I have seen the Lee Valley saw.  It's very nice.  I tend to be more of a traditionalist, so I would lean toward the Lie-Nielsen.  Although I like my present straight handle saw, I would probably get a pistol grip handle.

There are other premium saws available as well.  Lie-Nielsen offers a saw sharpening service for its saws, although I wonder how often a sixty year old hobbyist would need the service.

Ken

ps Ernie Conover has written an excellent dovetail book.

Good for you, Jeff.  You have solved your problem.  What I meant by the grinding a half inch was to grind just a little bit from the long side of the skew.  At that point, you can place your square on the part you have just ground and see if it is square (or more accurately, becoming square).

Having the ability to grind square edges gives you a giant step forward, as does developing your troubleshooting skills.

Do keep posting.

Ken

Jeff,

No, you didn't ruin your blade; with the efficiency of the Tormek, you just put about three not so good sharpenings on the blade!  It'a all part of the learning process.  (I have a wide paring chisel beautifully sharpened and honed to a mirror polish with oil stones.  No micro bevel, the whole bevel is like a mirror.  The problem is the edge isn't square!....Welcome to the club.)

Make sure your plane blade is parallel.  You can do this with your combination square by measuring both ends carefully.  The readings should be the same.

Once that is established, I suggest you carefully and slowly grind the blade edge square.  (Have you dressed your wheel with the diamond dresser?)  
Grind a little off the long side of the edge.  About half an inch will give you an idea with your square if you are grinding properly. If so, continue until the edge is square.

This should become a valuable learning experience in your sharpening education.  Remember, things like plane blades, chisels, and grinding wheels are "consumables".  (hopefully not too quickly)

Don't give up, and keep us posted.

Ken

Jeff,

I would trust a Starrett square before I would trust most new planes.  Try checking your blade from both sides with your square.

Ken

Fred,

Try this.

http://www.sharptoolsusa.com/index.php?target=part&partsProdID=193&catID=6

Ken

Steve,

I just read Chris Schwarz's blog on the Popular Woodworking site.  Just for possible future reference, there is a guy making replacement handles for the Lee Valley bevel up planes.  some people like the feel of the LV plane handles, some don't.  Hopefully you will.  LV certainly makes some fine and innovative planes.  I hope you enjoy yours.  Keep us posted.

Ken

peter,

The real treat with the dry grinder is using the diamond dresser with a Norton 3X 46 grit wheel.  As we say up over,  it's a real "go getter".

Ken

Peter,

Your down under tool looks a lot like my up over tool.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=55075&cat=1,43072,43080&ap=1

Yes, "Works a treat  "

Ken

This past Saturday I spent a day in Holmes County, Ohio.  One of my favorite haunts is Keim Lumber in Charm.  Keim caters to local contractors and small shops in the area, which has significant a Amish and Mennonite population.  (Among other things they sell air powered routers.)

In their dealer display I saw a T3 for the first time. I was impressed with the smaller model.  I certainly don't regret purchasing my T7.  I like the larger diameter grinding wheel, the heavier duty motor and the metal housing.

However, for someone needing a wet grinder with space and weight constraints on on a very tight budget, the T3 looked like a good choice.  It would provide the Tormek "burn free" wet grinding; the much more comfortable grinding for older hands; and the Tormek quality and versatility in a smaller, lighter and less expensive package for home use.

Without the constraints, I would certainly opt for the T7.  In a more constrained environment I would favor the T3 over other choices.

Ken

Well noted, Peter.  Most of us, myself included, often neglect due diligence researching of past posts before posting.

So, give us some follow up.  How do you now maintain your grinding wheels? 

Ken

ps Please continue to post; the forum works better with more participation.

David,

I have not tried the TT-50 with my dry grinder.  (My dry grinder is a venerable Sears 6" high speed model. I used it recently to remove decades of mushrooming from a splitting wedge.  The three something Norton 46 grit wheel did a fine job of removing a lot of metal quickly, and heating the shop!)

My concern with using the TT-50 is the speed of your grinder.  Even at 1750 RPM, it is almost twenty times faster than a Tormek. I have used the TT-50 with my Tormek stone with good results.  It does look a little "bouncy" for use at higher speeds.  In fairness, it was not designed for high speed work.  It might work.  If you try it, you might end up needing to replace it.  I wouldn't try it.

I would try using simple measuring tools to check for squareness and flatness.  A small machinist's square will tell the tale if your wheel is dressed square.  Use it from both sides of the wheel to double check.

Once squareness is established, you should be able to place the square along the universal support bar and see if it is square to the side of the wheel.

An alternate method is to use either inside calipers of feeler gages to check parallelness between the bar and the edge of the wheel.Check along different points of the edge of the wheel.  The caliper of gage should have the same feel on the left as on the right.  Using inside calipers lets you check the bar at the working distance.  Using a piece of wood as a feeler gage is probably accurate enough.

I don't have the obsession with speed that some Tormek users do.  Watching Jeff's video where he shaped a turning tool in the Tormek didn't seem to take all that long.  I would lean toward just using the tormek on a day which was not busy.  It I didn't have my Tormek, the BGM-100 would be a fine choice.

Keep us posted.

Ken

I thought I would wait until your basic question was answered before interjecting this.  Brian Burns has written a very good short book about double bevel sharpening.  Brian is a guitar maker, who has to work with wood subject to a lot of tearout.  He has developed (not invented, he traces the idea back to 1825) some fine sharpening techniques using double bevels (the second bevel being on the back of the blade).

His book discusses bevel angles for planer and jointer blades, including how to determine the angles.  his website is: lessonsinlutherie.com

The book is about fourteen dollars, including postage.  Brian is good about answering emails.

I believe you would find his book a useful reference.  A recent article in Fine Woodworking referred to Brian's book, but merely scratched the surface.  The book has a lot of good information.

Ken

You are more than welcome, Robin.  I'm glad you followed through on your project.

Ken