one of our best Tormek resources is now removed

[Ken S]

Jeff's Blog on the sharptoolsusa  website was one of our best sources of Tormek information. Sadly, Advanced Machinery, owners of sharptoolsusa, have redesigned their website, including omitting the sharptoolsusa web pages.

I respect Advanced Machinery's right to run its own business. However, I am frustrated they they have apparently chosen to delete one of our best resources without replacing it with something of at least equal value. I regret that I did not have the foresight to print out Jeff's Blog.

Later I have emailed Advanced machinery with my concerns. I will post further developments.

Ken

[brettgrant99]

Can they be pulled up on the Wayback machine.  www.archive.org

Brett

[Ken S]

Brett,

I am not able to find it there. Have you found it there? If so, would you please post a closer link.

Thanks,

Ken

[brettgrant99]

I can't look while at my day job, but I will take a gander this evening.

Brett

[brettgrant99]

Is this this what you were looking for?

Brett

[Ken S]

Excellent work, Brett! That's exactly what I want. I have saved it to favorites and will print it out for reference. I recommend it highly for serious Tormekers.

Ken

[RichColvin]

Can it be added to the Tormek site ?  Who owns the copyright?

[brettgrant99]

I don't know about copyrights, but it is basically archived for all eternity, you just have to know where to look.  I believe that it is possible for the owner to ask for it to be removed, but I don't really see that happening.  I would guess that without an agreement, it belongs to Affinity Tool Advanced Machinery, and not to Jeff, but I am not a lawyer, so don't quote me on that.

[Ken S]

Affinity Tool is the US importer (agent) for Tormek. It is also a retail dealer. It is a different company than Advanced Machinery, the company which purchased Sharptoolsusa from Jeff Farris. Fortunately Advanced Machinery still retains the parts service from Sharptoolsusa. The arts finder pages made locating parts easy.

I would suggest forum members owning or contemplating purchasing an older Tormek at least save the link Brett posted to a bookmark. I will be printing them for reference (replying to forum topics).

Sadly, the blog covers only four years. It ends in 2012, around the time that Sharptoolsusa was sold. It would be a much more useful source if it covered the entire history of the Tormek, as would the news archive on tormek.com.

I would not be so annoyed if the new owners had kept the blog current or had replaced it with their own file. Unfortunately, Sharptoolsusa was, to the best of my knowledge, the only Tormek dealer which was almost exclusively Tormek. One of the reasons Jeff had such a depth of experience with Tormek was that Tormek was almost Sharptoolsusa's only product.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

Besides the fact it is from 2012 at the latest, it also deals more with the S2000 and the T-7.  More the former then the later. (what his video's presented)
Didn't they quit linking to his video's some time ago?
While this may be good reference information for someone, it does compete with the new Tormek's, that will be arriving soon.

[Ken S]

SADW,

Your points are well taken. I am looking at his issue strictly from a forum standpoint. However, I believe among the actively posting members of the forum, "the weapon of choice" for many is the T2000. The main reason for this is financial. Given the choice between investing in a new T7 or T8 or using the T2000 paid for long ago, to poorly borrow a phrase from Isaac Newton, " a body at rest will remain at rest".

I certainly understand this. And, the choice is not purely financial. My grandfather's 1891 vintage Stanley Bailey jack plane is no match for a new Lie-Nielsen. However, I have tuned it properly and it performs quite respectably. And, Tom Lie-Nielsen is no doubt a fine fellow, but he is not my grandfather.

Yes, the blog information is outdated from a new product standpoint. However, Sparptoolsusa and its owner, Advanced Machinery are also the principle parts supplier in the US. I understand the marketing preference to feature "the latest and greatest". With Jeff's videos, yes they use much older equipment. I certainly understand Advanced Machinery prefering not to showcase older products. My complaint is that the older videos and written material are gradually being removed and not replaced. No one has continued the blog with updates. Tormek has made substantial improvements since 2012.

I am not saying that Tormek or its dealer network do not offer support services. We have the forum and support in Sweden (support@tormek.se). What we do not have is a series of videos geared to teaching the topics covered in Jeff's videos. We do have an excellent and thorough DVD. Steve Bottorff's Sharpening School is designed to offer the viewer an experience comparable to the class he offered before retiring.

We need a comprehensive video based on the viewer using the Tormek. I enjoy the Tormek Friends videos. They give a good answer to why use the Tormek. We need something focused on how to use the Tormek. The handbook written by Torgny Jansson is outstanding, however, it was written in an era when people learned primarily from books and magazines. There are still some old curmudgeons like me who value books, but we learn today from electronic screens. The new Tormeker usually does not know enough initially to even know all the questions, let alone the answers.

Video and blogs have the potential to be very powerful learning tools. They can also be powerful sales tools. So many of the traditional alternatives scarcely exist any more or are difficult to access. I was fortunate enough to have attended many fine classes at the Conover Workshop in Parkman, Ohio. Ernie Conover is an excellent instructor. The problem with classes is logistics. I happen to live in Ohio. Attending the classes involved an hour long drive each way everyday. Ernie has also done several videos, which I recommend highly.

The reality of classes is that for the total cost, one could purchase a formidable video library of excellent instruction by top experts.

Woodworking shows offer interested persons a chance to actually see a Tormek. Especially if one is lucky enough to go at a slow time, shows offer some good one on one question opportunity. The shows also offer some classes, usually taught by big name experts. The show I worked offered a sharpening class with Ernie Conover and a bandsaw class with Mark Duginske. Classes were forty five minutes long. If I had not been demonstrating, I would not have missed either. Incidentally, Mark has made two made two fine videos which capture the flavor of the two classes I had with him twenty years ago.

I have suggested doing classes at woodworking shows to Affinity Tool, Tormek's US agent.

Videos have two powerful advantages over classes. The first is the ability to review and watch a video many times. Using my comment that beginners often do not know the questions to ask, those of us who have asked many questions can reference a video as new questions emerge. SADW, how many tomes have you watched Jeff's videos? I have not kept track. I am sure my number is at least ten and probably twenty. I have probably watched Steve's much more recent DVD at least ten times, at least parts of it to answer specific questions.

The second video advantage is cost effectiveness. This cost of producing a professional quality video in house, assuming hiring a video crew, should be minimal compared with the cost of paying demonstrators and/or seminar instructors. If the video is freely accessable on the company website, the audience is global. A potential Tormek customer who has learned enough about the Tormek to realize he is capable of using it skillfully will be more prone to actually purchase a Tormek and accessories.

To quickly sum up,yes, I am annoyed to see good sources of Tormek information become less easily accessable, especially when more updated sources have not been already produced to replace them.

Ken

ps I have emailed Advanced Machinery with my concern, and am awaiting an answer. I will keep you posted.

[SharpenADullWitt]

Personally, I think there is another party you should also contact.
Jeff is no longer associated with Sharptoolsusa, and Tormek's link, brings up a 404, so Sweden need to be made aware of that.  I would almost expect there was some contract issue, and that is why Affinity has the agent status, but not the repair parts status.  Since they are the agent however, I think they should be the ones now doing current video's on the product. (certainly not saying anything bad about Advanced Machinery/Sharpeningtoolsusa, but personal opinion is educating buyers, would help increase Affinity's position)
That would show they know their products and are not just a faceless megacorp, just there to take your money.
Another viewpoint.

[Ken S]

SADW,

I agree that the online resources for finding and purchasing spare parts seem lame. I have no experience with finding parts outside the US.

To the best of my knowledge, Tormek AB in Sweden makes no retail sales. The sales network is set up with national agents and through the national agent to the authorized dealers. In the US, almost all repair and warranty work is done by the agent, Affinity Tools of Troy, Michigan. Parts are available retail through Affinity, although they do not seem to do this as a primary service.

At one time, when Jeff was the owner of Sharptoolsusa, they handled repairs and parts as well as doing demos at shows. I believe they were also the US agent. I would guess that when Advanced Machinery purchased Sharptoolsusa, they inherited the parts department.

I think we must realize that the woodworking business has become more concentrated. The Tormek dealers carry multiple brands. Look at any brick and mortar Tormek dealer. Tormek is one of thousands of items in the store.

Affinity Tool, the agent, is not a huge, faceless megacorporation. It is the family business of the Ursell family of Troy, Michigan. I have had the pleasure of meeting five members of the Affinity team. Four are Ursells and one is married to an Ursell. None resembles Darth Vader. In fact, one of our newer members contacted Affinity with pre purchase questions. He spoke directly with Mike Ursell, who is considered the company Tormek guru.

Look on the Affinity website. They do represent several companies. I would not consider them faceless or a huge megacorporation.

Because Tormek is sold worldwide, I believe the most efficient starting point for training material is Sweden. Tormek is a very small company. I would rather they stay small and independent rather than be swallowed up by a huge faceless megacorporation, a fate which has led to the decline of many of our former stalwart companies. If the price of that independence is a longer wait for more training materials, so be it. I can be patient; I just don't Sweden to forget that we are still waiting.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

SADW,

I agree that the online resources for finding and purchasing spare parts seem lame. I have no experience with finding parts outside the US.
Nor do I.

To the best of my knowledge, Tormek AB in Sweden makes no retail sales. The sales network is set up with national agents and through the national agent to the authorized dealers. In the US, almost all repair and warranty work is done by the agent, Affinity Tools of Troy, Michigan. Parts are available retail through Affinity, although they do not seem to do this as a primary service.
They do?? I saw no evidence of them selling parts on their site.  Tormek AB, attempts to line (404 now since the site change), to Sharptoolsusa for parts, not Affinity.

At one time, when Jeff was the owner of Sharptoolsusa, they handled repairs and parts as well as doing demos at shows. I believe they were also the US agent. I would guess that when Advanced Machinery purchased Sharptoolsusa, they inherited the parts department.

I think we must realize that the woodworking business has become more concentrated. The Tormek dealers carry multiple brands. Look at any brick and mortar Tormek dealer. Tormek is one of thousands of items in the store.

Affinity Tool, the agent, is not a huge, faceless megacorporation. It is the family business of the Ursell family of Troy, Michigan. I have had the pleasure of meeting five members of the Affinity team. Four are Ursells and one is married to an Ursell. None resembles Darth Vader. In fact, one of our newer members contacted Affinity with pre purchase questions. He spoke directly with Mike Ursell, who is considered the company Tormek guru.

Look on the Affinity website. They do represent several companies. I would not consider them faceless or a huge megacorporation.

Because Tormek is sold worldwide, I believe the most efficient starting point for training material is Sweden. Tormek is a very small company. I would rather they stay small and independent rather than be swallowed up by a huge faceless megacorporation, a fate which has led to the decline of many of our former stalwart companies. If the price of that independence is a longer wait for more training materials, so be it. I can be patient; I just don't Sweden to forget that we are still waiting.

Ken

I actually have looked at the Affinity website.  It definately played a part in why I went to Advanced Machinery when I ordered stuff.  There website is laid out, to try to push call us.  Some people are less phone people, or have hearing issues, where one would be going through TDD service.  Having dealt with both sides of the TDD service, that takes up a lot of time that electronic ordering simplifies.
This was try 2 (machine locked up before) and I lost my train of thought now.  Shots fired up the street, got to go.

[Ken S]

Sadw,

As usual, your posts make me think. As a Bell System installation repair technician, I had some experience with TDD services. The early machines to assist the deaf communicate over long distances were teletype machines. The telephone company donated older teletype machines. The Telephone Pioneers, the service group of older telephone workers, restored these machines to top condition. They were then given to deaf customers. The Ohio Bell Telephone Co, where I worked, had two staff specialists for the deaf. When I called one of them for a customer, I reached a new sound. I did not know that his teletype was telling my teletype to "talk".

It never occurred to me that online shopping would be a benefit for customers with hearing difficulties. Thanks, SADW, you have broading my thinking.

Ken

ps I will be passing your suggestions to Affinity. I think you have good ideas.