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#1
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Ken S - Yesterday at 11:24:20 PMHerman is our forum expert on frozen grinding wheels. I was a late comer and did not arrive until 2009, when the shaft on my T7 was the pre EZYlock straight stainless version. I did encounter the the extended dampness problem when I returned my SJ-250, which I thought had dried, to its cardboard box. The box was not ruined, however, it was worse for the wear. After trying several options, I decided on printing the 3D plan from Rich Colvin's Sharpening Handbook. They come in two sizes (250 mm and 200mm). They are non absorbant, joinable, and provide safe, ventilated storage.
Ken
Ken
#2
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Herman Trivilino - Yesterday at 03:16:31 PMThe grindstone stays wet, all the way to the center where it makes contact with the main shaft and the spacer. As the grindstone dries out it leaves behind a residue that acts like an adhesive. (Think about a paint brush that you cleaned and left to dry -- the bristles are temporarily stuck together until you bend them back a forth a few times.) This will make it harder to remove the grindstone for maintenance and may contribute to that problem where the EzyLock gets stuck.
#3
General Tormek Questions / Re: Removing the Grinding Whee...
Last post by John_B - September 21, 2026, 08:13:15 PMI think there are two different scenarios. As Ken mentioned moving your machine or transporting it in a vehicle and stationary use.
The weight on the shaft from the stone will over time damage the bearing surface albeit slowly as the vehicle hits bumps. It would be interesting to critically examine the bearings of a Tormek that is used in a mobile sharpening setup with the wheel never removed. I too tend to remove the wheel and install the spacer if I need to move it any distance. My bench has wheels so this does not come up too often.
After each use I don't think it is necessary to remove the wheel. It is important not to leave it sit in the water. I think many of us that use multiple wheels may take the last used wheel off when done. When I do this I often leave the SG-250 off until the next session. With old machines the shaft also tended to rust over time making it a good practice to remove the wheel and dry the shaft.
The weight on the shaft from the stone will over time damage the bearing surface albeit slowly as the vehicle hits bumps. It would be interesting to critically examine the bearings of a Tormek that is used in a mobile sharpening setup with the wheel never removed. I too tend to remove the wheel and install the spacer if I need to move it any distance. My bench has wheels so this does not come up too often.
After each use I don't think it is necessary to remove the wheel. It is important not to leave it sit in the water. I think many of us that use multiple wheels may take the last used wheel off when done. When I do this I often leave the SG-250 off until the next session. With old machines the shaft also tended to rust over time making it a good practice to remove the wheel and dry the shaft.
#4
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Dan - September 21, 2026, 05:08:36 PMOk, thanks for the answers.
On my T8, I always empty the water after a session but never remove the stone.
The shaft is Stainless and I (try to!) lubricate it every year. Not had any issue so far.
Yes, the stone stays wet/damp for days.
I suppose it also depends on the humidity levels of the workshop and local environment as well.
Danny
On my T8, I always empty the water after a session but never remove the stone.
The shaft is Stainless and I (try to!) lubricate it every year. Not had any issue so far.
Yes, the stone stays wet/damp for days.
I suppose it also depends on the humidity levels of the workshop and local environment as well.
Danny
#5
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Herman Trivilino - September 21, 2026, 04:16:49 PMThe reason I remove the grindstone between sessions is to prevent rust. The grindstone soaks up water and remains wet for hours if not days.
You can read about my adventures with a rusty main shaft here.
There may be other reasons, too.
You can read about my adventures with a rusty main shaft here.
There may be other reasons, too.
#6
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by tgbto - September 21, 2026, 10:56:41 AMI don't remove it. Every once in a while, I just turn it a bit so the EZYlock nut untightens a bit, and leave it there. Then retighten the nut with the label facing upward for the next session.
#7
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Dan - September 21, 2026, 10:02:26 AMQuote from: Herman Trivilino on September 20, 2026, 11:45:44 PM... Oh, and by the way, even though the SG is the only grindstone I ever use, I remove it after every session. Those of us who do this are also susceptible to this issue with the spacer coming off ...Herman,
Sorry to hijack this thread but this is what I was thinking of in my own thread from yesterday. Would you care to let me know why you remove the wheel after every session?
I only use the SG stone to but I never remove it. I would like to know why others do so.
Danny
#8
General Tormek Questions / Re: Let there be light (for th...
Last post by Herman Trivilino - September 21, 2026, 12:44:42 AMGood light is important at any age, but especially so as we age. Good light turns makes the Tormek so much easy to use, adjust, etc.
#9
General Tormek Questions / Let there be light (for the TS...
Last post by flyvert - September 21, 2026, 12:05:50 AMSharing a little invention I came up with today.
As my eyesight is fading, I need more light to see what I'm doing... especially at my T8.
The cheap IKEA LED light I got for my old SA-250 several years ago is still doing okay, but leaves a little to be desired. Especially since I apparently managed to time my upgrade with the release of the T-8 Black and a discount at the local store a couple of years ago...
So I went out and bought a new LED light at Clas Ohlson (a local Swedish department store. I guess Google, etc. will tell you what CO is...). On my way back to the car, I took a small detour through IKEA's lighting department. I came out with their Tertial desk lamp and a 5 W, 4000 K bulb (actually sold as a two-pack).
The CO light never even made it out of the box — the 5 W IKEA bulb had convinced me I needed more power. Scotty would have understood.
So, after an evening and a morning of thinking about it, I went back to the mall (if we can call what we have here in Sweden a mall...), returned the CO light and exchanged it for two super-strong magnets that amounted to close to 75% of the total cost. Then I went to Bauhaus and bought 1 m of 16 mm steel tube.
This is what it turned into after some cutting, drilling and mounting.
If anyone from the Tormek team happens to see this: why not add a mount for a lighting solution to the TS-740?
As my eyesight is fading, I need more light to see what I'm doing... especially at my T8.
The cheap IKEA LED light I got for my old SA-250 several years ago is still doing okay, but leaves a little to be desired. Especially since I apparently managed to time my upgrade with the release of the T-8 Black and a discount at the local store a couple of years ago...
So I went out and bought a new LED light at Clas Ohlson (a local Swedish department store. I guess Google, etc. will tell you what CO is...). On my way back to the car, I took a small detour through IKEA's lighting department. I came out with their Tertial desk lamp and a 5 W, 4000 K bulb (actually sold as a two-pack).
The CO light never even made it out of the box — the 5 W IKEA bulb had convinced me I needed more power. Scotty would have understood.
So, after an evening and a morning of thinking about it, I went back to the mall (if we can call what we have here in Sweden a mall...), returned the CO light and exchanged it for two super-strong magnets that amounted to close to 75% of the total cost. Then I went to Bauhaus and bought 1 m of 16 mm steel tube.
This is what it turned into after some cutting, drilling and mounting.
If anyone from the Tormek team happens to see this: why not add a mount for a lighting solution to the TS-740?
#10
General Tormek Questions / Re: Is there a way to prevent ...
Last post by Herman Trivilino - September 20, 2026, 11:45:44 PMQuote from: Ken S on August 26, 2026, 09:10:54 AMI have been closely following this forum since 2009. This posting is the first I have noticed on this issue in that time.
I've been using my Tormek since 2002 and have never experienced this problem.
QuoteAnyone who has experienced a frozen EXYlock (which includes me) would consider a sliding spacer as a minor nuisance. Noticing occasional frozen EZYlock posts over the years, I sent an email to support requesting advice. Support really went the extra mile. They ran tests and discovered that they could get the EZYlock to fail, IF there was no grease on the face of the spacer facing away from the grinding wheel. Putting a thin coating of grease on this face eliminated the failure. Problem solved.
Grease on the side of the spacer facing away from the grindstone would seem to help make the spacer stick to the machine instead of the grindstone, solving also that problem. I have never intentionally greased mine, but it seems it gets greasy from the grease intentionally placed on the main shaft. I will keep mine intentionally greased from now on because I also have experienced a frozen EzyLock a couple of times.
By the way, how did you free it? I used channel locks.
Oh, and by the way, even though the SG is the only grindstone I ever use, I remove it after every session. Those of us who do this are also susceptible to this issue with the spacer coming off.