Jet Wetstone Grinder questions

[Richardhw]

Carl, does yours grind at an angle as well?

 

[Richardhw]

That fine Mr Charlesworth helpfully suggests

(a) once you've decided on the correct height for the rest, cut a block of mdf etc as a wheel/rest spacer, so the rest can always be repositioned at same height above wheel.
(b) forget the rest leg-screw adjuster, set grinding angle by adjusting amount blade projects from guide, and
(c) lock and NEVER move the rest between wheel true-ings for rest won't go back exactly the same, no matter how carefully you try!

In short moving the rest will require subsequent use of the diamond device if you expect 90 deg accuracy. None of this is a problem for carvers etc for whom the grinder is really designed. Applies to all Tormek style wet grinders.

I'm sure this is quite correct however for me it is just not practical to do this and I can live quite happily with "near enough" (runs for cover).
The problem is that the angle of the grind is quite pronounced and I don't believe that it could be as far out as it is just by moving the hieght of the rest.
If the wheel is trued to the rest the angle can't change much unless something else is not in alignment and just to confirm this the angle of the grind was out no matter what the height of the rest :?

 

[Carl]

Hi Richardhw.

The first time I used it was to sharpen a block plane blade, it was square but since sharpening the blade it has gone out of square, I moved the tool rest down to the grinding stone till it was about 1/8" from the stone and the gap was equal, but when removing the stiaght edge jig from the bar I noticed that one of the black plastic centres that slide onto the bar was to big which meant there was a lot of play so I assume thats why the blade was ground out of square.

Carl

 

[Richardhw]

Yes I know what you mean, the plastic guides should be a snug fit I would have thought. I think both mine are a little on the large side (for my liking)but I still don't think it would be enough to cause the angle I was getting.
This is my first proper sharpening machine and i'm very impressed with it overall but would like to get to the bottom of this angle problem.

Can't check any of this at the moment as I'm on holiday in not so sunny Cornwall :roll:

 

[punkrockdad]

I have one that also grinds out of square.

Fit for purpose? £30+ for the diamond tool to make it work correctly?

mmm... That diamond tool used to be included in the package. See the Axminster 07 catalogue.

 

[Richardhw]

I should say that I have not trued the wheel, excuse is that I didn't know you had to ! that is untill I saw the dvd that came with the grinder. I will order one and try again but the wheel had the note on it as has been said previously trued at the factory.
Question still is, does trueing the wheel eliminate the out of square grinding or is it the jig at fault?
Anyone actually done a before and after on this?

 

[gasmansteve]

Hi Paul
I`ve been thinking about a new grinder and like the Tormek but can`t quite get my head round £169 plus the woodturners kit for £150 and wondered what/if you have tried the gouge jig for the Jet grinder. I am thinking about the fingernail profile for the bowl and spindle gouges and the £15 for the Jet jig seems a better bet if it can do the fingernail grind?.
Cheers
Steve

 

[newt]

I found my jig was not parallel to the wheel after I had dressed with the diamond. I placed a piece of mild steel plate in the jig that was square, touched it on the stone and assessed the error, I then moved the plate in the jig until it was a square grind. I then measured how much error there was on the shoulders that the blade rests against and removed a small amount with a file until I had a satisfactory result. Having said all that, it is no big deal to move the blade in the jig until the grind is square, its just a bit annoying, it does hold the blade quite securely. I guess as the plastic bushes wear that will cause an error, I am going to turn up some brass replacements. The Tormak jig is looks to be a more accurate product. I also believe that the rest does not remain parallel as you adjust the height as mentioned in this thread so it may be that you need to check for square each time it is adjusted. This is not a precision tool, but it does the job for me. One final point when I regrind I do mark the original hollow grind ( which was square) with a black marker and then check by moving the stone by hand that there is full width contact, thus ensuring a square regrind. Sorry for the long reply.

 

[Carl]

Hi Richardhw

I got incontact with Axminster about the staight edge jig for the Jet Wetstone Grinder and told them of the problem with one of the black nylon bushes which slide onto the horizontal bar, the person I emailed sent me two replacement nylon bushes I have know fitted them and reground my block plane blade checked the cutting edge which is know square.

Regards Carl.

 

[Richardhw]

sounds like thats the first thing to do then
Cheers

 

[johnnyb]

exactly the same with mine unfortuneatly. how i corrected it was to file small amounts from the aluminium locating lugs of the straight edge jig until the edge ground square. (the lugs that the plane blade rests on) worked on mine. tightening the blade clamp evenly also helps alot as does truing the stone. even if the arm is paralel with the blade, if the blade is not carried square across the stone it will not grind true.

 

[ivan]

Any wetstone grinder, (even the Tormek!!) requires the new wheel to be trued before work - no make will work properly 'straight out of the box'. That applies to dry grinders too. The wheels are refractory products - baked like a house brick - and all will distort a bit in the kiln, and so need truing up before work, so that the shaft is in the exact centre, and the surface in line with the rest. If that doesn't work, the jig needs attention or exchange from the supplier.

 

[Richardhw]

OK. so I had a diamond truing tool sent to me this morning, excellent service as usual from Axminster, set to truing the wheel then tried to grind a plane iron and guess what! no change, still grinds out of square which isn't a suprise to me but you have to try these things.
It's now repackaged and will be going back tomorrow and I look forward to the Tormek 2006 which should be delivered tomorrow (with truing device ).
The guy I spoke to at axminster did say the bars are the same diameter. so the jigs should work with either machine I believe

 

[gidon]

Ivan - the Tormek wheel comes trued to the machine. Well it did on mine and I've not heard any reports of them not. I think there would have been some very unhappy customers if it didn't considering the Truing Tool is only included with the new T7.
Having said that you'll need the truing device very quickly any way so although it's nice to have it working out of the box it's a worthwhile if not vital accessory.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Richardhw]

The wheel on the jet has a note on it "Trued at the factory for your convienience" so I didn't expect to improve on it

 

[Carl]

I was in the process of sending for the truing tool for the Jet I don't think I will bother, Richardhw will they accept it back after you have used it, I was thinking of getting the Tormek 1206 as the others are out of my budget.

Carl

 

[Richardhw]

carl, yes they took mine back I had it about a month and it was used. it only went back this morning (friday) but I don't envisage any problems after speaking to axminster.
I was happy with the sharpening results from the jet but not the out of true grinding, I don't think its a bad machine if you can live with the adjusting ( I don't want to).
Had chance to have a little play with the Tormek 2000 this evening and its just in a different league, works as it should straight out of the box and so much less messy it's hard to believe it's the same kind of system 8)
Glad I tried the jet just to see how much better the tormek is :!:

 

[Carl]

Richardhw how is it going with the tormek.

 

[Richardhw]

it's just a pleasure to use, I keep looking for things to sharpen :roll: and I can't fault it.
One thing I can say is that I found the Jet dvd more use to myself being a complete beginer with these than the Tormek one, I think it is assumed you have some prior knowledge which I don't
Having said that, the Tormek handbook has to be seen to be believed. don't expect to get through it in an evening I've read much shorter novels :shock:

 

[LarryS.]

So I ordered the Tormek truing jig to try and sort out my Jet grinder. Unsurprisingly I had the same result as richardhw. So on tuesday I'll be ringing Axminster to send back :

the grinder
the knife jig I bought with it
the tormek diamond truing jig (which now is a waste of money).

Was hoping it would work as packing it all up and posting it is a real pain, plus for the money I was chuffed with it (until it didn't work !)

Can't say I am unhappy with axminster, but Jet have gone down in my estimations a bit.