Another SE-77 square edge jig question

[justonething]

Long time lurker but first time poster.
I have a tormek T7 and I like using it. I also bought myself the SE-77 as an add on and I enjoy using it too.
I do a lot of plane irons and chisels - I like planes and I own a lot of them and I use them extensively in my projects. I am also a woodworking teacher at a community centre where they run an introductory woodworking class. I found that all my students get hooked on planing all by themselves as soon as I give them a real sharp plane and they will be off making shavings in no time, almost mesmerized by the ease and beauty of what they are creating and the sound planing creates. With Tormek, I create a sharp edge quickly and consistently.
I can get an iron or a chisel sharp in less than 5 mins - from the time that I take the iron out of plane to the time I start planing again and I credit Tormek for most of that. While I enjoy using the SE-77, especially with the micro adjusters,I wasn't keen on using the jig the "tormek way" to get camber on my iron - to line up the centre of the iron to the centre line in the jig and tapping it here and there until you get it square in my jig. It's too time consuming when I am doing it every hour. So I've been cambering by putting more pressure on the corners of the iron as I move the iron across the surface of the SG-250 wheel.
This is until I decided to make a iron setting jig to locate the iron correctly in the jig. This jig consists of a properly jointed 43 x 19 length of timber, with a number of rebates cut to the exact sizes of the irons that I usually sharpen. One of rebates is skewed for my marking knife but the rest are square to the edge. To setup the plane iron is relatively simple, place the iron inside the correct rebated slot and then slide the SE-77 jig over the iron until it is sitting on the straight edge of my set up jig. Line up the centre line of the SE-77 with the centre line of the rebate. Slide the movable fastening knob as close as you can to the iron and tighten both knobs slowly. This whole process should only take less than a minute as long as rebate fits the irons nicely (neither too tight or too loose). The fine tuning of adjuster knobs on the SE-77 is sometimes necessary to make out any minute skew that might be there. Though the skew might not be noticeable but it will increase the amount of material to be removed and hence the time it takes. I use a permanent marker to coat the bevel and manually rotate the grindstone with the SE-77 in its proper position. The height of universal support arm is usually about right but every now and then I need to make a small adjustment there also. I adjust the knobs on the SE-77 jig so that the area with the mark gone on the bevel is right at the centre of the iron. I then back off both knobs by the same amount for cambering purposes and then switch on the machine.
It takes a couple of minutes longer (5 to 7 minutes in total) but I have more control of the camber I get from the iron.
The problem I have with this method is that I have irons with different sizes and different manufacturers of the same # irons have widths that are slightly different, or different enough to not be a nice fit in one of my rebates. I end up with a lot of rebates. I just think it must be a common problem for a lot of us and there might be a better solution than mine out there somewhere.

[Ken S]

Paul,

Welcome to the forum. You are a sharpener after my own heart. Although I have been spending a lot of time with knife sharpening and CBN wheels, I am really an old chisel and plane guy.

I really like the flexibility of the new SE-77 square edge jig. However, this flexibility comes with a price. The older SE-76 jig was locked into square, for better or worse. The new jig is adjustable, and,as such, can be square or out of square. Also, to use the new camber feature, the blade must be centered as opposed to resting against the square registration fence.

I use a different set up technique than the orthodox Tormek method. It is "biblical", but not the standard chisel and plane method. I use the Tormek TTS-100 turning tool setter. The closer hole gives me a consistent, repeatable Distance between the support bar and the grinding wheel. Tormek's patented two spinning wheels automatically compensate for wheel wear.

Tormek uses three Protrusion slots to set the Protrusion of the turning tool from the jig. In the old days, Tormek used a simple wooden stop block, which also works fine. I placed a blank piece of white labelmaker tape in one of the slots and drew lines for the Protrusion for different bevel angles.

With this method, once the first tool is properly set, subsequent tools are automatically correctly set with no measurement or adjustment. By keeping your Distance and Protrusion consistent, you can make one simple wooden stop block for all your plane blades and chisels with the same bevel angle.

With the SE-77, you will need to be able to register the jig in the middle. Having stops on either side should make alignment automatic. If the edge block is carefully squared, your blades should be square. If you carefully scribe lines 7/8", 1" and 1 3/16" on each side of the center line, you will have guide lines for 1 3/4", 2", and 2 3/8" blade widths, the three most common Stanley widths. Add more lines as needed for block planes, etc. Color coding helps. For the odd blade which does not fit, eyeballing is remarkably accurate.

You are essentially making your stop block into a centering rule.

I applaud you for sharing the magic of handplaning. A well tuned, very sharp plane making a very thin crisp shaving truly is a wonder to behold.

Keep up the goid work and do keep us posted!

Ken