Annual maintenance

[Bill Solberg]

My T-7 gets light use. Is the annual maintenance really important and anything I should take care about in doing so? Also, how often and what tool is good to remove product from the leather honing wheel?

[Herman Trivilino]

Be careful about leaving water in the tray as the grindstone will wick it up into the mainshaft.

I would keep it covered to keep the dust off of it.

If you don't over oil the leather honing wheel there shouldn't be a build up of material.  You can scrape it off with any tool such as a putty knife or the back of a knife, anything with a straight edge that's not sharp.  I do it with it spinning.

[Bill Solberg]

Thanks, Herman. I'll start by looking at the shaft. I am concerned that I might screw up the wheel/shaft alignment. Bill

[Elden]

I am starting to notice extra noise (getting close to a slight squeal) while the Tormek is running with or without a load. It is still there when the motor is picked up off the drive wheel so that the motor only is spinning. Am I looking at bearings eventually? How big of a job will it be?

[Mike Fairleigh]

The bearings normally discussed here are the nylon ones between the main shaft and the frame.  If your motor is squealing all by itself, that would be a reason for concern I would think.

[Elden]

Yes it's the motor. The noise it is making not what I would call a squeal yet. I am afraid that is where it is headed, however.

[Herman Trivilino]

Thanks, Herman. I'll start by looking at the shaft. I am concerned that I might screw up the wheel/shaft alignment. Bill

Removing the grindstone and main shaft to grease the bearings is a routine maintainence task.  It shouldn't cause alignment problems but there has been some discussion of a slight side-to-side wobble that can be fixed by rotating the washer behind the grindstone relative to the main shaft.  You could mark them to make sure they're reassembled in the same orientation but it's never been an issue for me.

[Herman Trivilino]

Yes it's the motor. The noise it is making not what I would call a squeal yet. I am afraid that is where it is headed, however.

SharpToolsUSA lists the motor as part 0024 T-7 Motor incl. bushings & dist. spring.  The cost is over $300 and they show no sub-assembly parts.

I'm not sure if it contains any user serviceable parts within, but you never know.  Maybe those bushing could be lubricated.

Jeff should know.

[Jeff Farris]

The motor is not a serviceable item. But trouble is rare. How old is the machine? Is it still under warranty?

[Herman Trivilino]

Mine is a 2002 and I think Elden's is older.  If I recall correctly from looking at his pictures it has the switch on top.

[Elden]

Yes, it is beyond warranty. It is the old square frame model, switch on top, and no serial number.

[Herman Trivilino]

Are there any vents in the motor housing that could be blown out with compressed air?  Any visible fasteners like screws in the housing?

[Elden]

Thanks to the Tormek Users Group, post #6593 and its replies, there are replacement bearings available for the Tormek Motor.

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/6002ZZ

$14.95 for 10 bearings from VXB.com

Now to make sure I can get my motor opened up and the bearings indeed are the same. Sounds worth a try! I have been into other motors before and hope this is no more difficult.

[Elden]

Herman, with it being around water, I doubt it will have vents. I plan to find out.

[Herman Trivilino]

Mine has vents and screws.  I see what looks like a blower fan housing.  That fan could be squeaking and maybe the bearings on the motor shaft are just fine.