Tormek T4 or is it overkill for my needs?

[deanflyer]

Okay so read through a lot of posts on here and everyone seems to have a different opinion.

My needs are chisel sharpening only and something that is quick to use and fairly foolproof.

I can spend up to £500 and was looking at the Tormek T4. Oh and I know nothing about sharpening chisels!

 

[Yojevol]

I've had a Tormek for 20 years but it rarely gets used these days. A bench grinder and stone (water in my case) combo is a much quicker option. I only keep the Tormek for sharpening planer blades.
Brian

 

[Adam W.]

Okay so read through a lot of posts on here and everyone seems to have a different opinion.

My needs are chisel sharpening only and something that is quick to use and fairly foolproof.

I can spend up to £500 and was looking at the Tormek T4. Oh and I know nothing about sharpening chisels!

Do what you think is best, and are you really sure that you want a sharpening lesson?

 

[Jones]

Now the fun will start. Motorized systems like a Tormek are used for regrinding tools to shape them. I have one and use it once a year at most. For general sharpening a stone is used. I'd get a good fine diamond stone,budget £50.

 

[deanflyer]

What I want is sharp chisels so I'm not swearing when I slip and mess up a rebate!

I'm lucky that I can afford something like a Tormek but is it overkill for sharpening some blunt bevel edge chisels?

 

[Adam W.]

I've got one, I think it's a T8 bought on special offer a while back and I like it. I use it freehand and mostly for tools with a curved edge, though.

 

[Stuart Moffat]

Likewise, I wouldn’t want to give up my t4, but I also use my old record bench grinder about as much, mostly on garden tools, and use stones more than either grinder.

 

[deema]

There will be as many answers as there are members.
So, your aim should be to ultimately get to the point of being able to free hand sharpen your chisels. But, for most people who haven’t the benefit of a tutor, the question is how to get there. High speed bench grinders are one of the most dangerous bits of kit, very easy to use incorrectly and have a stone shatter. But, a very quick way of getting a blade ready for honing. for someone new I would not recommend them.

There are belt systems such as the Sorby or Axminister version, these are within your budget. They produce excellent results very quickly and have a wide versatility of what they can sharpen. Belts are expensive, but last a good time. Most turners have one. Excellent bits of kit, will sell well should you decide to move on.

There are numerous media for hand sharpening, probably using a jig initially to find out what a well sharpened chisel feels like. You can sharpen anything this way……but without a jig, needs practice and also a knowledge of what your trying to achieve. Probably the cheapest solution, and with say an inexpensive eclipse or similar type jig easy to sharpen chisels with.

The Tormak is an excellent system, it’s IMO impossible to injure yourself with it as it turns slowly. The jigs are excellent and can be used with high speed grinders or belts. The instructions and video are excellent sources of knowledge, but you can get this from many other places. They are ‘slow’ for shops trying to earn money off the tools, but for a hobbyist this isn’t an issue.

There are no right or wrong answers. The Tormek will serve you well, it will sell easily should you no longer want it, they are valued. It will get you excellent results to allow you to focus on learning how to use the tools. If woodwork becomes a passion chancers are it will spend more time in storage than use as you progress to other sharpening systems. If you don’t, it will be great to keep your tools sharp without having to learn any techniques.

 

[AnneTD]

I have just bought the Tormek T4 plus some jigs and love it. Some of my tools were in desperate need of a decent sharpening and this kit is excellent. Will still hand finish or use a stone to hand finish. I also bought the Axminster mini sander which you can use for sharpening also.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Spend £500 on a decent second hand lathe and stick some abrasive to a faceplate.

 

[mark w]

I've got a Jet 10" whetstone grinder on the for sale page.
Jet, Tormek, whichever brand you go for, a wet grinder is brilliant.

 

[MikeK]

Okay so read through a lot of posts on here and everyone seems to have a different opinion.

Few topics create as much controversy as sharpening. Some will describe the method that works for them, while others will tell you their way is the only way and any other method is rubbish and should be avoided. You have been warned!

My needs are chisel sharpening only and something that is quick to use and fairly foolproof.

I can spend up to £500 and was looking at the Tormek T4. Oh and I know nothing about sharpening chisels!

I have the T8 and use it for my kitchen knives, shears, as well as shop tools. Here are more resources to add to your knowledge base to help you decide if the Tormek will work for you.

https://www.tormek.com/forum/
https://www.youtube.com/c/TormekSharpening/

 

[Ollie78]

Tormeks are very slow and expensive, if you want one just buy a fake one at half the money. Or if you like wheel grinders a normal sspeed one is cheaper still.
Personally I have been using a worksharp 3000 for years but they don`t sell or support them in Europe now I have to use normal abrasive disks and cut a little hole on the centre, no big deal though. Have been vaguely considering a second hand Sorby pro edge.

I like to be able to quickly change the grit via a disk or belt for different stuff.

PS for just sharpening chisels, one coarse diamond plate and a couple of waterstones would be enough and only cost £150, you could get a honing guide too. Probably as fast as a tormek.

Ollie

 

[D_W]

What I want is sharp chisels so I'm not swearing when I slip and mess up a rebate!

I'm lucky that I can afford something like a Tormek but is it overkill for sharpening some blunt bevel edge chisels?

I'd personally prefer a high speed wheel grinder, but sometimes people don't. It'll be hard for you to know which you'd prefer without trying both. One thing the tormek does when used as a grinder is contain the dust, and most wheel grinders are just OK at that even if they have a dust hood.

Grant mentioned something at one point that I never thought about - sometimes people or insurers don't like power tools that spark. if you get one and grind tools with it, make sure you're not stingy freshening up the wheel. They run a decent speed when the wheel is freshly trued. When it's glazed over, not so much.

 

[--Tom--]

If you’re anywhere near Cardiff you could bring them over and try mine to see if you get on with it. Otherwise a lot of Axminster stores have them set up and would let you try before you buy.
The initial sharpen takes the longest but once done is easy enough to touch up

 

[TRITON]

Oh and I know nothing about sharpening chisels!

Well for Gods sake dont ask anyone. Fights will start breaking out.

As to owning the tormek, overkill is certainly is not. It will do as good a job as any cheaper type, but will last considerably longer and keep its price should you ever decide to sell it.

 

[Ttrees]

Perhaps the question is best answered if we know whether the edge is chipped or not..
Chipped could be a very good indication that the slow speed wet grinder will be too slow for the work, unless you have a good explanation.

Cheap 8" grinder for a song if you can find used, and some cheap diamond plates of some sort for me if I had to start again, unless something fell into my possession.

If you choose the s l o w s p e e d grinder,
then you still need a fairly fine hone for the back, and for that is a minefield of sharpening to the death!
Once again I like diamonds, a fancy little one which is about 50 quid

Perhaps consider asking folks recommendations about what they use for the face/backs of the tools, possibly get one and by that time something might fall into your lap.
Be that grinder and hones or the other thing.

You'll likely use a bench grinder a lot for other things if you get one.

Tom

 

[Doug71]

I have a Tormek but don't really use it, normal grinder and diamond stone (freehand obviously ) does all I need. I don't really do the fine hand tool thing though so not chasing that ultimate edge

 

[rogxwhit]

Chipped could be a very good indication that the slow speed wet grinder will be too slow for the work,

Correct, except that for some time might not be an issue.

Cheap 8" grinder for a song if you can find used

Not convinced of that - a 6" wheel would have a lower peripheral speed & be less likely to burn the edge, wouldn't it? Given that it's also about the craft of the operator and the pressure on the wheel along with a bit of dunking in a tub of water ...

Thing is, the Tormek & its more recent clones are utterly safe - both from tool burn and from wheel shatter at speed taking your eye out.

But if you launched from go into grinding with a Tormek, you'd never know how the cheaper options performed.

I think my main issue with the Tormek breed is their portfolio of expensive jigs for sharpening this or that - scissors, axe, lawnmower, you name it. As if you couldn't quickly grind such things freehand (if not in ceratain cases just use a file!). So there's a tipping point between the basic tool and shopaholicism. We don't live to buy, we live to make. Ok?

So Tormek (et al) - a sweet grinder for chisels & plane irons - if slow - but limited in versatility. To grind your own spindle cutters - forget it - you need at least one radiused wheel. No hope for in-cannel gouges, either.

But from the beginning - planes & chisels - site work - nicked edges - you need a grinder. It's pretty basic. I'd start cheap - bench grinder. If you prove to be incompetent with it - is it the machine or is it you? Only then might I regroup. But some things are basic - others are optional.

 

[deanflyer]

Hmm, as I said lots of opinions

Good point about trying a cheaper option and a bench grinder and see how I get in.

One thing I forgot to mention is I picked up a used spindle moulder and have a lot of tooling with it so would be looking to sharpen the cutters as well.

Thanks for all the advice.