Tormec sharpening system

[stevebuk]

hi
i want to buy the 8" version of this product in order to keep my skew chisel at the right angle, and scary sharp.
Does anyone have this system, and would anyone recomend it, or something around the same price that is good and foolproof to use..
cheers
steve

 

[CHJ]

One hell of an expensive way to keep a skew chisel at the correct angle Steve, by the way what is the correct angle?

Of the ones I have, everyone is at a different angle to suit the way I use each and I find a basic tool rest and a diamond stone for touch up and a quick dab on the buffing wheel keeps them very sharp.

 

[PowerTool]

Same here - don't bother with the grinder for skews;I find diamond stones easier to use and give better results.

Andrew

 

[stevebuk]

One hell of an expensive way to keep a skew chisel at the correct angle Steve, by the way what is the correct angle?

hmm dont know what the angle is myself, already ruined one skew by grinding the wrong angle onto it, i now have to hold the handle so far out, it cuts aggressively.
The tormek has a jig that sets the correct angle (using their angle finder) so you can sharpen relaxed and confident you will get a great result.. :lol:

i make a great advert dont i... but i agree that it is a very expensive way to sharpen tools.

 

[CHJ]

,,,,The tormek has a jig that sets the correct angle (using their angle finder) so you can sharpen relaxed and confident you will get a great result.. ...

The Tormek SVS-50 Jig & TTS-100 Setter allow you to clamp a skew chisel* and set an Edge angle of 30deg & a Skew of 20deg.

If your skew chisel is HSS and a different angle to that suggested by Tormek expect to spend an hour or so bringing it to the Tormek suggested angle.

If you move the Jig to a different angle for other tools be prepared to have to do micro adjustments with a felt tip pen contact test to get the angle Exactly the same as the last time you used it.

* If you have an oval skew with one edge ground flat the Jig works, if however you have one with both edges sharp then it will not locate and clamp it true without Jig modification.

If you have curved Skews then the generated form is still down to operator and the Jig merely aids in keeping the tool located at a fixed projection and the same position relative to the stone.

 

[Hans]

Hi Steve,

I use a Tormek 10" for most turning tools. I don't know what SVS-50 Chas uses, but mine will allow you to grind angles on skews from 10° to 40°. Curved skews are no problem at all.
I think the Tormek an excellent but costly system for grinding turning tools.

I seldom use the SVS-50 to grind my skews. Wide skews are mostly ground freehand (or with an end stop) on the side of the wheel, for the mini skew I use a standard dry grinder.
Before I had the Tormek I used diamond stones like Andrew, works fine.

Hans

Article on SVS-50 at Woodworker.com

 

[TEP]

My skews, round or straight edge, are brought to shape on a dry grinder, Then for the foreseeable future kept sharp on a oil stone. I do have a leather honing wheel (MDF and leather sheet with jewellers rouge) but tend to only use that on carving tools.

I don't decry the Tormec sharpening system, but I don't think you can get any benefit using it to sharpen turning tools. As against a dry grinding system with a couple of home made jigs. Unless of course you have a couple of hundred quid to chuck around, then why not.

What people need IMO is someone to take them through the sharpening of their tools. As IME even using a jig to sharpen, you still need to know how to use the jig to get the result you want. Then the worst part of the whole thing is you need to know the shape of the grind you are looking for on any tool.

Again I say it is best if you can find someone to take you under their wing so to speak, and show you the ropes. Often it is the only way to save yourself a lot of heartache, and steel.

Happy grinding!

 

[CHJ]

..... I don't know what SVS-50 Chas uses, but mine will allow you to grind angles on skews from 10° to 40°. ...

Hi Hans, a little misunderstanding there, I was quoting the Tormek guide preferred settings in answer to the 'correct' angle comments, indeed you can set whatever useable angle you desire.

In deed, the Tormek is a good tool and I wish I could justify the purchase of one for the ease with which it is possible to true up plane blades etc. For my DIY and farm carpentry they are usable straight off the stone.

But having inspected the mechanics and reading of the problems that occur on some models/editions I personally think it is overpriced.

I don't think Turning Gouges and Hand tool blades would make good companions on a Tormek from my limited experience of having to dress the stone flat after a few gouge sharpening sessions to true a plane blade up.

 

[Paul.J]

CHJ wrote

I don't think Turning Gouges and Hand tool blades would make good companions on a Tormek from my limited experience of having to dress the stone flat after a few gouge sharpening sessions to true a plane blade up.

Steve.
After making my own sort ofTormek grinder on a wet stone from Wickes,using Tormek parts,i have to agree with Chas re-the truing up of the stone whilst sharpening gouges.The stone soon gets a deep groove in it no matter how you try to use the stone evenly.
i don't use a skew but when i tried i just used my oil stone to sharpen it.
Reverted back now to a 6" white stone grind for gouges and trued my wet stone up again for plane blades,chisels etc.

 

[stevebuk]

thanks guys
At the moment i only turn pens, in corian, PR and wood. I probably dont need an expensive kit like this, all i need is someone to show me how to sharpen my tools correctly, like TEP says.
As the chances of that are remote, i need the next best thing, which is a piece of machinery that will hold the chisel at the correct angle so i can get an edge.
I will probably try the diamond stone approach, also a leather strop, anybody reccomend a good place to start.

how do you use the rouge..

 

[CHJ]

....I will probably try the diamond stone approach, also a leather strop, anybody reccomend a good place to start.

how do you use the rouge..

Steve for your skew chisels any cheap diamond dressed steel plate will do, something in the order of 6" X 2" is most convenient but smaller will do, just needs a little more care to keep skew on stone.

For honing, a 6" diameter piece of MDF mounted on a suitable spindle, (a piece of 8mm studding will do.)

Dress the MDF with green abrasive soap from the likes of Ashley Isles to the disc edge and it will polish your skew to mirror finish in a few seconds. No need to go down as fine as rouge

SAFETY NOTE: Make sure that you always present the tool to the honing disc such that the disc surface is going away from you.

Will post some pics of simple setup you can use on your lathe Tuesday when I return home.

 

[TEP]

No need to go down as fine as rouge

I agree, BUT after a old hobby of carving leather (many moons ago) I had a half block of rouge left. SO rather than buy any more, (tight git!) I just use the rouge.

For turning tools I wouldn't even bother honing, apart from the skew, but the rouge is great on carving tools.

 

[jpt]

HI

This is my set up which I find very easy to use and as the rests etc were made from scrap pieces I had, free, which makes it even better.



The left hand tool rest is set for the angle I use on all my gouges, roughing, spindle and bowl. The right hand rest is set for scrapers and a sharp angle bowl gouge which is very good for cutting across the bottom of deep bowls.

On the outside of each wheel you will see a thin piece of wood this is the Reg Slack sharpening guide. This is cut to the shape of the wheel and attached to the side of the grinder using velcro. You then put the tool shaft on the rest and line up the bevel on the stone so it sits properly, with the machine off. You them put a mark on the wood at the same height as the tip of the tool. When you want to sharpen the tool you turn the grinder on, rest the shaft of the tool on the rest, line the tip of the tool up with the correct mark move it over onto the stone and sharpen, it is easier than it sounds. I use this for tools that have different bevel angles to the two set angles such as parting tools, skews etc.

I had a problem keeping a consistent angle on the skews so I came up with this modification.



Again very simple I use a skew angle of 75 degrees so I used a protractor and drew two line on the tool rest. Now when I sharpen a skew I rest the shaft on the bottom edge of the tool rest line up the side with the line, the tip with the mark on the left hand side and sharpen then turn over and do the other side. All in less time than it used to take me to setup the skew ready to sharpen the first side on the Tormek.



It works beautifully and you get a consistent angle quickly and easily, it works for square, oval and round shaft skews.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[CHJ]

For honing, a 6" diameter piece of MDF mounted on a suitable spindle, (a piece of 8mm studding will do.)

Dress the MDF with green abrasive soap from the likes of Ashley Isles to the disc edge and it will polish your skew to mirror finish in a few seconds. No need to go down as fine as rouge

SAFETY NOTE: Make sure that you always present the tool to the honing disc such that the disc surface is going away from you.

Will post some pics of simple setup you can use on your lathe Tuesday when I return home.

As promised the MDF discs I use.

It's a good idea to have a debris guard under the honing area to catch spun off abrasive. Mine is a simple tray with a location block underneath to fit between the bed rails.

The shaft on mine is steel tapped 8mm to take the studding but Aluminium or Brass would be just as serviceable, all quite easily drilled and tapped in a wood lathe chuck.

SAFETY WARNING: Always hone on the surface moving away from you, IE on a none reversible fixed head lathe on the 9-6 O'clock lower quadrant.

If you can reverse the lathe then honing on the top of the discs may be easier to see, alternate is to stand behind the lathe or swing the headstock to 90deg to access the rear of the discs on a non reversible lathe.