Messages

Hi, Ern.  That makes two votes for the Norton 3X 46 grit wheel and none against.  In politicspin, that would be a mandate from the people.

In the back of my mind, I have been wondering how that wheel would work with the Tormek.  I realize that it is designed for a much higher grinding speed, and that it would require some adapting to the Tormek due to the one inch width.  I have not tried mine, as it is for a six inch diameter grinder. I have seen a much earlier post where someone used a regular wheel, however, I have not read where anyone has tried a 46 grit wheel.

Ken

Bill,

Make sure you have the correct motor for your electric power.  Fifty and sixty cycle motors may or may not be interchangeable. 

The handbook (at the back) does not list separate motors for different current.  I would suggest getting a clarification from Tormek.

Ken

Interesting problem, Adam.  I wonder if your jig might have a high spot.  If so, a few well placed strikes with a file should correct the problem.

I know; for $1200 you shouldn't need to use a file.  If I had bought the unit used, that;s what I would do.  Since you bought it new, I would suggest bringing the jig and your feeler gages to the dealer and comparing it with other SE-76 jigs.  If that isn't practical you still have your file or shims.

I have an older Veritas jig.  It works well, although your newer model works much better. 

I have no clue as to why the design grabs at such a thick point.  I do know that this forum is read by the factory people in Sweden.  Perhaps they might post the engineering spec for the grab thickness.

Hoping to hear more,

Ken

If, and it's a very big if, I owned a $900 knife, I would be extremely picky about who sharpened it and how it was sharpened.  I would probably sharpen it myself, unless I knew a bona fide sharpening master.  And, I would sharpen it very slowly by hand.

I also don't think I would use such a knife for everyday chores.

In fairness to the Tormek, I believe these rare knives are outside of the design parameters of the machine.  Probably man made water stones are outside, also.

Ken

Hi, Adam.  Welcome to the forum.  You post an interesting question.  I checked my SE-76 holding jig with some feeler gages.  Something around .060 starts to hold when clamped down.  I suspect the original Swedish metric objective was 1.5mm.

The blade of one of my old Stanley block planes measures .075 and clamps easily.  In an ideal world  your blade should as well. Given that premium replacement blades like the Hock blades are noticeably thicker, the problem may actually be that your iron is too thin.

For $1200, one might think the shims might have been included........

Ken

The shape of the Tormek wheel could certainly be modified to match the curve of nail clippers. The slower speed and wet surface of the Tormek machine would eliminate burning the edge of the clippers.  I would use the Torlock flat platform to maintain a constant bevel angle.

If all clippers had a standard size radius, the process would be a snap.  Trying to sharpen different size clippers would be a nightmare.

I have had very good success with a method for sharpening my serrated bread knife.  The scallops have a similar radius to nail clippers.  I bought a piece of 1/4" dowel and some self adhesive very fine sandpaper.  )I bought the micro sandpaper from Lee Valley.  It is 3M brand and listed under sharpening supplies.)

You might need several different diameters of dowel to accommodate different size clippers.

Cut a slice of the sandpaper to about the circumference of the clipper.  Remove the backer material and attach the sandpaper to the dowel.  Use it as a file on the bevel edges.

You should make up several short dowels to accommodate three different grits of the micro abrasive paper. 

You will also need to make up a "square dowel" with fine grit to remove the burr and polish the back bevel of the edges.

My eight inch Henckel bread knife has 28 scallop serrations.  Once I had the dowel wrapped and ready, the actual sharpening took about fifteen minutes.  I did not hurry.  I would guess a set of nail clippers could easily be sharpened this way in less than five minutes, even by a slow guy like me.  With a little practice (and a spare dowel all prepared), your time should be considerably less.

I don''t believe you will become wealthy sharpening clippers.  However, at a dollar or two, it seems a good way to build a customer base.  The required capital is minimal, and the entire kit would fit in a pocket of pencil box.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Ken

I guess no one here uses drawbore pins.  Drawbore pins are used in mortise and tenon construction.  Holes are drilled for wooden pegs through the mortise board.  The tenon board is drilled with the hole intentionally set a little tight (generally a sixteenth or a bit more).  The tenon is inserted and a tapered steel rod is pushed through to force the holes to line up.  This pulls the joint together very tightly.  No glue is actually necessary for assembly, although these joints are often still glued.  The joint is very strong, and will not fail when the glue does.

Ken

There is no specific Tormek jig for very small jigs. However, Ionut  and I have both made suggestions for modified jigs on this forum.  Ionut actually made a unit and posted photographs.  Another option would be carefully hand holding the tool resting on the universal support bar.  Have your grindstone graded fine and use a light and patient touch or you will end up with a microknife.

Search the member list for us and bring up the older postings.  There were several.  I don't remember the exact time frame, but it was most of a year ago.

Ken

One of my photographic instructors published a quarterly newsletter.  In one issue he detailed the construction of his new darkroom.  Years later, I wrote to him asking what he had or might wish to change in his darkroom.  In the last newsletter he answered the question with some of the tweaks he had made or wished could be made over the years.

Most good ideas yield to improvements with use.  It's too bad Norm doesn't include a sheet with "it seemed like a good idea at the time, however" and "Yes, this was a solid idea." thoughts.  Jeff, after much use, are there any tweaks you have made or wish you had made with your sharpening station?

Has the pull out stool been useful, or would a separate stool be more useful?

How about the height and size of the station itself?

Thanks,

Ken

Good thought, Herman.  However, (with the advantage of having Norm's measured drawing, I believe he may have thought that having backing boards over part of both the front and back might make the carcase more rigid and less prone to racking.  Or, he may have planned to use different areas of the top for different functions.  Both are just guesses.

I plan to put the heaviest things in the lower drawers to lower the center of gravity.  The heaviest accessories would be the SG-250 and SJ-250 grinding wheels.  (I presently have only the SG wheel, however, it seems prudent to allow space for at least one extra wheel.  Who knows what the Tormek engineers will offer in the future for extra wheels.  By using full extension slides for the drawers, the wheels could be placed for balance.

I would place the smaller (and lighter) accessories in the upper drawers.  i am thinking I would like to allow space in the bottom for the Tormek unit itself, should I ever want to store it for a longer term or move the cabinet.  In that case it would seem prudent to remove the wheel.

Ken

Jeff,

Thanks for the comments.  I had noticed the same thing about the drawer placement.  I like the idea of having them all in the same direction.  As I recall from your videos, you also chose not to mount the metal working vise on the top.  i can see the value of the dual function for the station, but I would prefer to keep the Tormek station unifunctional and simple.

Ken 

I finally purchased a DVD and measured shop drawing of Norm Abram's Sharpening Station for the Tormek.  It seems a well designed cabinet for the Tormek and accessories.  (Jeff, does it have enough drawer space for the new extra wheels?)

Watching Jeff's demonstration, I had forgotten that the angle master is supposed to contact the wheel at two points, not just on the rounded part.  As I may not be the only dummy to overlook this, I am posting it.

Ken

I'll add my vote for following through with each tool.  It's too easy to replace the tool back in the jig slightly differently.

Ken

Hey, mguitars, I actually used the Tormek leather honing wheel. In the past I probably would have used my Norton 8000 grit waterstone.  Presently, the biggest constraint with the leather wheel is operator inexperience.  That's why I'm leaving the jury out.  It wouldn't be fair to rate it poorly until I am very fluent with it.  My shop time is presently very limited.

Thanks for the question.

Ken

Good thought, Herman.

Ken