# Tormek-Woodshaving Sharp?



## millman (May 4, 2010)

Hey Gang. I have been looking into a Tormek or comparable system for speeding up sharpening in my production shop. can anybody elighten me as to the reality of these systems as far as speed and results are concerned. I am currently using a woverine system along with Japanese waterstones to get a mirror finish on my tools. While effective it is slow.

Tormek is a pricey and is only worth the pruchase price if I can decrease sharpening time significantly....


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I have the larger green machine. You have to prepare the wheel (soak in water) and be patient, but it is a great tool. I have produced some excellent hss turning gouge profiles with mine, knives and chisels are routine jobs that I do as a bulk sharpening excercise.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hi Mile! Welcome. I see that You come from a Dutch area? I made one that was featured in Shop Notes Magazine about a year ago. Ir You would like to build a system that uses Your drill press for power, You can change Your speed to sand as You like. I use wet and dry paper with a little water, or oil. The platters are made out of oriented strand, and I put a 1/4 in. tempered hardboard for the sanding plater. I glued the temp hardboard after cutting the osb board as smooth, and as flat as possible as it was spinning on the platen. So it is pretty flat. Sandpaper from 320, to 1500, in a 4X8 sheet. Now, the speed is Your choice! I think it works nice, but then, it's the only one I have used.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Mike I am not sure it is faster or will add speed to your production turning. What I have found is I will sharpen 2 or 3 bowl gouges and have them at hand while turning. I have found with the Tormek that the edge put on the gouges by it plus honing does seem to last longer than off the wolverine. With Doug Thompson's cryo tools I can do like 2 or 3 bowls with one gouge before needing to sharpen. So keep 2 or 3 at the ready to do 6 to 9 bowls. I then go and sharpen/hone them on the Tormek and am ready to go again.


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## millman (May 4, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the responses and suggestions. :thank_you2:

If I can't speed up the process, then I like the idea of having several of the same gouges at the ready. That alone can make my day more productive with less need to get away from the lathe while in the middle of a piece.

I can say that the wolverine set-up will only get a tool so sharp (i.e. not very) on a standard grinder and am still considering the tormek for it's slow grind and stropping ability. It's always a problem going from a round grinding stone to a flat water stone to get the really fine edge that I like to have. It means extra grinding if the edge becomes somewhat convex (causing catches) before fine honing again.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi..from experience: I have used one for 10 yrs. I got tired of buying new tools as the grinder ate them up. The tomek makes tools sharp (very sharp) and if one sharpens regulary it's like honing them..just a tad of time & you are back to turning. I have not had to buy any new tools in 10 yrs..so it is cost effective!


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Mike this is what I bought for my dry grinder from Tormek so I can go from the dry grinder when shapeing to the Tormek for sharpening. That way the angles, etc are the same for the one grinder to the other.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...nch_Grinder_Mounting_Set___tormek_bench?Args=


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

I'm curious why you would want a mirror finish on a woodturning tool.

I don't see the gain, and with wood flying by the edge so quickly the edge advantage of a newly sharpened chisel likely disappears in the first few seconds (as opposed to a bench chisel or plane iron).

As for the sharpness using a bench grinder, that's a function of the abrasive... how fine a grit wheel you are using. I don't know what the finest grits available are.

My wife uses a Wolverine on a slow speed grinder (with a 120 grit wheel). 

I use a Nova SharpCenter on a 2"x72" belt grinder. I can switch belts in seconds and have belts down to a couple of microns.

Then again... I really like the carbide tools with replaceable bits... cuts out the sharpening time entirely <vbg>


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Alan

3 types of sharp, sharp to the touch, sharp with 120 grit , and the best is mirror finish,, when you can see your image on the edge it's sharp but not till you can see it..you will not see it on many tools until you have made it so  with 3000 grit..


http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17398&filter=sharp system

http://www.rockler.com/tech/RTD10000347AA.pdf
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AlanZ said:


> I'm curious why you would want a mirror finish on a woodturning tool.
> 
> I don't see the gain, and with wood flying by the edge so quickly the edge advantage of a newly sharpened chisel likely disappears in the first few seconds (as opposed to a bench chisel or plane iron).
> 
> ...


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Alan I don't sharpen my roughing tools to a mirror finish although I do sharpen and hone them. My conventional gouges that I use for my final 2 or 3 cuts when finishing a bowl are sharpened and honed to a mirror finish. At that point 90% of the time I can start sanding at 150 to 180 grit. I sand say 180, 220, 320, and 400. When I first started turning I was starting at 80, 100, 120, and 150 then up from there.


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

Bob,

I understand about sharp <vbg>

My point is that different edge configurations are optimal for various materials and cutting techniques.

A push cut razor blade is great for shaving your face or hair on your arm, but a serrated kitchen knife is better for cutting a ripe tomato or a crusty Italian bread.

A mirror sharp lathe chisel will lose its edge very quicky with wood going by it at 1,000 inches (or much faster) a minute. So a more robust edge is generally what's used.

To each his own.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Oh I do agree with you Alan. When I am roughing I don't put a mirror finish but I will say that the edge of my Tormek when honed last about 3 times longer than off the dry grinder. Just my experience.


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## millman (May 4, 2010)

I find that to be true as well. I only put a fine hone on the chisels that I use for fine/detail work or for turning long thin dowels--some things I make require this to be done end-to-end without rechucking. The fine edge really shines (no pun required) when working on delicated interlocked grains where less fine edge might cause tear out. At the end of the day the pieces requires less sanding as well.


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## millman (May 4, 2010)

BernieW said:


> Mike this is what I bought for my dry grinder from Tormek so I can go from the dry grinder when shapeing to the Tormek for sharpening. That way the angles, etc are the same for the one grinder to the other.


Thanks Bernie. Which kit did you get? Did you do away with the wolverine set-up entirely? I have one of the Delta two-wheel dual speed grinders. It looks like I should get an extra base as well.... Your thoughts?


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

millman said:


> Thanks Bernie. Which kit did you get? Did you do away with the wolverine set-up entirely? I have one of the Delta two-wheel dual speed grinders. It looks like I should get an extra base as well.... Your thoughts?


I bought this kit and no I still use my wolverine jig. This Tormek jig just makes it easier to rough out the grind I want and then take it to the Tormek without having to change anything to sharpen and hone. The grind is the same.

Tormek Bench Grinder Mounting Set - Woodturners Catalog - Woodworking tools and supplies specializing in woodturning.


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## RRC (Nov 22, 2009)

I have a Tormek with the original abrasive wheel, a quick-change shaft on the motor and one of the new fine (4000) wheels. I can do any rough work on the original wheel, swap and hone to 4000. Really works well!


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