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#21
General Tormek Questions / Re: Noob Looking for Recommend...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - October 17, 2025, 07:03:33 AMQuote from: j_a_wolfe on October 17, 2025, 03:59:01 AMadd the square edge jig if it seems like I need it.You will need the SE jig for chisels and plane irons.
#22
General Tormek Questions / Re: Noob Looking for Recommend...
Last post by j_a_wolfe - October 17, 2025, 03:59:01 AMThanks to all for the recommendations. I went to a dealer near me (shout out to Tim, the owner of the McFeely's in Aurora) and he put me in touch with the right SME. I went with the T-8 system. I added a diamond wheel since I have a few HSS tools. I added the Woodturners kit and both sizes of centering knife jigs. I may add the square edge jig if it seems like I need it.
Thanx,
Jim
Thanx,
Jim
#23
General Tormek Questions / Re: Noob Looking for Recommend...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - October 16, 2025, 11:52:26 PMI started with a T7 second hand a started buying the kits. I then upgraded to the T8 anniversary edition and passed the T7 onto my son who is an avid woodworker.
My recommendation would be to buy the standard (not the custom) since that is the best value for money. It includes the SE-77 square edge jig, leather honing wheel, and the SG stone wheel. You can buy the custom but you will need to add whatever wheels and jigs you want.
As for extras I bought the three diamond wheels, the woodturners kit and the hand tool kit. The scissors jig, and the axe jig have been upgraded and the new number is HTK-1006 which covers knives, axes, short tools (some carving tools) and scissors. The wood turners kit, TNT-808 covers your most common turning tools and adds a couple of extra shaped honing wheels. I would also add the new knife angle setting jig, KS-123 sine it makes easy work of setting angles.
I also bought the Drill sharpening (DS-22) and the planer blade (SVH-320) attachments since I have a 15" floor planer with HSS blades and I do a lot of odd jobs and the drill bit attachment saves me a load of money on new HSS drills.
I need to add a note on wheels since this is important for the newcomer. The SG wheel is almuminium oxide and suitable for carbon steel, which includes most kitchen knives, chisels and plane irons. If you have any of the newer high end chisels or plane irons or turning tools which are HSS or specialty alloy steels such as PMV-11 then you will glaze the wheel. Some high end knives, such as some of the new Japanese knives are also too hard (MOHS) for the SG wheel. The SG wheel is not as hard (MOHS) as the steels you are trying to sharpen. My planer blades will not sharpen on the SG either since they are HSS (trust me - I tried). Not strictly true but it is a lot of work, takes a long time and you have to re0dress the stone every 30 seconds or so. At this stage you can take two routes. Buy the Tormek diamond wheels or go for CBN. There are some shops who supply CBN wheels but they are also quite expensive. Alternatively there are sellers on AliExpress who supply CBN wheels quite a lot cheaper, so long as you ensure that the description includes Tormek T7 or T8. I bought an 80G for less than 1/3 the price of the equivalent from a local supplier. In terms of performance and use the Diamond and CBN are pretty much identical on the Tormek sharpeners.
Finally I suggest that you watch all of the Tormek Innovation You Tube sharpening classes. They are a fount of information and will help you decide which accessories you want. Finally, don't get rid of your bench stones. You will find that they still have a use. Indeed I amusing mine constantly for flattening chisel backs, odd tools and refining the off plane iron or chisel edge.
My recommendation would be to buy the standard (not the custom) since that is the best value for money. It includes the SE-77 square edge jig, leather honing wheel, and the SG stone wheel. You can buy the custom but you will need to add whatever wheels and jigs you want.
As for extras I bought the three diamond wheels, the woodturners kit and the hand tool kit. The scissors jig, and the axe jig have been upgraded and the new number is HTK-1006 which covers knives, axes, short tools (some carving tools) and scissors. The wood turners kit, TNT-808 covers your most common turning tools and adds a couple of extra shaped honing wheels. I would also add the new knife angle setting jig, KS-123 sine it makes easy work of setting angles.
I also bought the Drill sharpening (DS-22) and the planer blade (SVH-320) attachments since I have a 15" floor planer with HSS blades and I do a lot of odd jobs and the drill bit attachment saves me a load of money on new HSS drills.
I need to add a note on wheels since this is important for the newcomer. The SG wheel is almuminium oxide and suitable for carbon steel, which includes most kitchen knives, chisels and plane irons. If you have any of the newer high end chisels or plane irons or turning tools which are HSS or specialty alloy steels such as PMV-11 then you will glaze the wheel. Some high end knives, such as some of the new Japanese knives are also too hard (MOHS) for the SG wheel. The SG wheel is not as hard (MOHS) as the steels you are trying to sharpen. My planer blades will not sharpen on the SG either since they are HSS (trust me - I tried). Not strictly true but it is a lot of work, takes a long time and you have to re0dress the stone every 30 seconds or so. At this stage you can take two routes. Buy the Tormek diamond wheels or go for CBN. There are some shops who supply CBN wheels but they are also quite expensive. Alternatively there are sellers on AliExpress who supply CBN wheels quite a lot cheaper, so long as you ensure that the description includes Tormek T7 or T8. I bought an 80G for less than 1/3 the price of the equivalent from a local supplier. In terms of performance and use the Diamond and CBN are pretty much identical on the Tormek sharpeners.
Finally I suggest that you watch all of the Tormek Innovation You Tube sharpening classes. They are a fount of information and will help you decide which accessories you want. Finally, don't get rid of your bench stones. You will find that they still have a use. Indeed I amusing mine constantly for flattening chisel backs, odd tools and refining the off plane iron or chisel edge.
#24
General Tormek Questions / Re: Noob Looking for Recommend...
Last post by John_B - October 16, 2025, 08:45:51 PMI second Ken's recommendation. When I bought my T8 years ago I also bought the hand tool kit. I see the new kit also has the angle setting jig included which I find invaluable. Don't buy extra wheels until you identify a real need. I am still lusting for the diamond wheels but have not bought them yet.
#25
General Tormek Questions / Re: flattening side of t-7 gri...
Last post by tgbto - October 16, 2025, 03:34:31 PMFrom a theoretical standpoint, using the MB-100/102 with a coarse (then fine) diamond plate clamped in the straight-edge jig with a robust backing (such as a plane blade) could work.
From a practical standpoint, I doubt it will be easy to make it square to the top surface. Maybe use a laser as a guide...
From a practical standpoint, I doubt it will be easy to make it square to the top surface. Maybe use a laser as a guide...
#26
General Tormek Questions / Re: flattening side of t-7 gri...
Last post by John Hancock Sr - October 16, 2025, 07:40:57 AMI flatten on stones, not the Tormek. There was a question in one of the videos re using the stone wheel side. The answer was don't. The Diamond wheels on the other hand are designed so that you can use the side.
#27
General Tormek Questions / Re: Noob Looking for Recommend...
Last post by Ken S - October 16, 2025, 06:02:58 AMWelcome tothe forum, Jim. I would suggest the Original T8. The included SG-250 and leather honing wheel are "the weapons of choice" for almost all of your sharpening list, being a second, but very usable choice for high speed steel turning tools. Study the Tormek online training classes. You will find that the experienced Tormek training staff all prefer the SG-250.
Do not become enamored with the 50 warranty of the black edition model. The machine itself is identical with the blue Original T8. Tormek is ontinually innovating. You will not be using today's Tormek fifty years from now any more than you will be driving today's auto fifty years in the future. Today's Tormek will probably still be working then; however, fifty years of innovation will make it obsolete.
Don't handicap your progress with more than one grinding wheel.Masterthe SG-250 first.
Start with chisels and plane irons. A 3/4" chisel can teach you a lot, and the jig comes included with the Original T8.
Keep us posted.
Ken
Do not become enamored with the 50 warranty of the black edition model. The machine itself is identical with the blue Original T8. Tormek is ontinually innovating. You will not be using today's Tormek fifty years from now any more than you will be driving today's auto fifty years in the future. Today's Tormek will probably still be working then; however, fifty years of innovation will make it obsolete.
Don't handicap your progress with more than one grinding wheel.Masterthe SG-250 first.
Start with chisels and plane irons. A 3/4" chisel can teach you a lot, and the jig comes included with the Original T8.
Keep us posted.
Ken
#28
General Tormek Questions / Noob Looking for Recommendatio...
Last post by j_a_wolfe - October 16, 2025, 12:08:29 AMI've decided to take a second mortgage and join the club. I think I like the T-8 Custom version but I'm not very bright and get distracted by shiny things. I will use this thing to sharpen wood shop tools i.e. planes, chisels, wood lathe gouges and chisels. I'd also like to be able to sharpen knives from expensive kitchen knives down to my trusty, rusty Swiss Army knife. Does anyone have recommendations as to the base unit and the apprpriate fixtures and attachments I might want to consider?
Thanx,
Jim
Thanx,
Jim
#29
General Tormek Questions / Re: flattening side of t-7 gri...
Last post by RickKrung - October 15, 2025, 06:58:22 PMPlease post links to those earlier discussions.
#30
General Tormek Questions / flattening side of t-7 grindin...
Last post by jetwoodshop - October 14, 2025, 11:47:51 PMgreetings:
i am looking for advice on methods to flatten the side of my t-7 grinding wheel. flattening backs of tools has made the side of the grinding wheel uneven.
in earlier posts i read reports of an older version of the truing and dressing tool being modified to dress the side of the grinding wheel. i currently have a tt-50 truing and dressing tool and am hesitant to drill a hole with the same diameter as the tool support as suggested with the older tool. knobs on the truing tool will not clear the wheel to allow the diamond bit to access the entire face of the side of the grinding wheel.
another old post suggested using the dressing block to flatten the side of the wheel. while this does have some flattening effect, it's not enough to get a uniform flat surface perpendicular to the tool support.
any other ideas out there?
thanks,
-james
i am looking for advice on methods to flatten the side of my t-7 grinding wheel. flattening backs of tools has made the side of the grinding wheel uneven.
in earlier posts i read reports of an older version of the truing and dressing tool being modified to dress the side of the grinding wheel. i currently have a tt-50 truing and dressing tool and am hesitant to drill a hole with the same diameter as the tool support as suggested with the older tool. knobs on the truing tool will not clear the wheel to allow the diamond bit to access the entire face of the side of the grinding wheel.
another old post suggested using the dressing block to flatten the side of the wheel. while this does have some flattening effect, it's not enough to get a uniform flat surface perpendicular to the tool support.
any other ideas out there?
thanks,
-james