Hello and first problems....

[Ken S]

I was  thinking it was "Bob"' however, Bob might be your uncle.

Ken

[Hatchcanyon]

Hello from a newbie.
Hi from Italy, I bought a tormek t7 for my woodturning tools last week. Yesterday I spent 6 hours to grind my "destroyed" oval skew chisel grinded in the past with wrong machines.  After that it was difficult to have a sharp edge of the chisel because even if I was using the stone grader to rebuild the abrasive qualities, the wheel didn't grind the steel of the tip. I'm doing something wrong? Someone could help me?

Hello Stefano,

I'm a newbie too, had the same problem last month.

My wife started turning and we wanted to get sharp tools overall. The oval skew chisel was a pain in the ass. The first millimeter worked well, lateron the advance slowed down to nearly nothing.

I think that comes of two reasons. First most turning tools are HSS today second the surface area grinded at once is quite large with this type of tool. Pressing harder helps to some amount but is not the real solution, one can't even press hard enough. Preparing the stone is also not sufficient on a SG stone.

The best result I got by switching to the SB stone which is far more aggressive on HSS steel. It reduced grinding time substantial, estimated by a factor of ten.

Rolf

[Ken S]

 
It works, it works it works!!!!
Thanks to all your answers!!!
Today I have redressed the stone with the TT-50 and grinded al my chisel very fast!!!

It is important to read through the topic. The Tormek is no different than any other grinding material in that the abrasive material must be properly prepared to work well.

One of the basic skills which should be mastered when first learning to use the Tormek is effectively using the TT-50 truing tool. It should be the first tool to touch your new grinding wheel. Good grinding practice, wet or dry, anyone's grinder, is to true the wheel. Do this slowly and carefully, taking very fine cuts. The first cut should contact the wheel ever so slightly and only at the high spot. the cutting depth should be only a fraction of one number on the microadjust. Proceed very slowly with fine cuts, less than one microadjust number,gradually removing more of the high areas.

Part of the skill you are learning is watching the effect on the wheel and listening to the cutting. When you finally make a pass which cuts continually both circumferentially and the entire width of the wheel, you are true and the wheel is ready to use.

Another part of the necessary skill is the correct mindset. The grinding wheel is like brakeshoes on your car. Both do a lot of work as they wear out. Both are longterm consumable items. By the time when you will eventually need to replace your grinding wheel, you will have benefitted from many many very sharp tools. If you have a sharpening business, your income will have much more than covered the cost of a new wheel.

I once ran a test where I placed a metal lathe bit in my square edge jig and ground on it for five minutes. I do not know the alloy of the bit. I assume it was high speed M2 steel at the very least. After just five minutes I had ground a very noticeable amount of the bit.

Keep your grinding wheel in top condition. Maintain it very regularly. Do not wait until your skew chisel is like a comatose butter knife to sharpen it. Be positive and patient. Enjoy your Tormek.

Ken

ps If you are purchasing a T4, the TT-50 truing tool should be purchased at the same time, or at least before and jigs.

[Ken S]

Do a google search for "sharpening skew chisels with the Tormek". You will find a you tube lasting 8:39. It was down for Tormek by Jeff Farris and does an excellent job of covering the proper technique for skew chisel sharpening.

Anyone who turns and uses a Tormek for sharpening really should have the Woodturner's Instruction Box (TNT300). The Box contains the book "Sharpening Woodturning Tools the Tormek Way" by Torgny Jansson and the DVD "The Tormek TNT Sharpening System for Woodturners by Jeff Farris. I consider both essential for Tormek woodturners. In addition to sharpening information, the DVD includes sections on using all of the woodturning tools.

Ken