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Confessions of a sharp-a-holic......

Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
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Location
Haubstadt, Indiana
I had a Jet knock-off wet grinder and bought the Tormek jigs. It died and I bought the attachment for the regular grinder. I never really liked how it attached and it really didn’t offer any advantage over the wolverine jig. The wet grinder produced a great edge, but was slow. I could use the Tormek jigs with the bar, but never felt really solid compared to the wet grinder. When I got the Hannes Vector jig I sold that attachment and all of the Tormek jigs.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
1,814
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1,417
Location
Lebanon, Missouri
I had a Jet knock-off wet grinder and bought the Tormek jigs. It died and I bought the attachment for the regular grinder. I never really liked how it attached and it really didn’t offer any advantage over the wolverine jig. The wet grinder produced a great edge, but was slow. I could use the Tormek jigs with the bar, but never felt really solid compared to the wet grinder. When I got the Hannes Vector jig I sold that attachment and all of the Tormek jigs.
Ask 10 turners and get a dozen different answers - I have the opposite experience with the tormek tool bar and jig with a bench grinder. Several advantages over the wolverine, more flexible - can do wolverine and Vector grinds.
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
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360
Location
Highland, MI
All 3 of my support arms measure .477 (I don't think that comes out exactly to any in or mm).
Thanks Bill! That gives me a starting point. It comes out to about 12.12mm, and that extra 0.12mm is less than 0.005", so I'll start with 12mm rod. If the fit has too much slop for my tastes I'll figure something else out. You can get drill rod in 12.1mm, but it's harder to find. I know I could just buy the Tormek grinder mounts, but what fun would that be? My philosophy is "Why buy something when you can make it yourself at twice the price, half the quality, and take way too much time doing it?". I enjoy making my own tools, jigs, etc., so it's all just part of the fun.
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
Likes
360
Location
Highland, MI
Ask 10 turners and get a dozen different answers - I have the opposite experience with the tormek tool bar and jig with a bench grinder. Several advantages over the wolverine, more flexible - can do wolverine and Vector grinds.
I get the impression that if you ask 10 turners, at least half will have multiple sharpening systems they use depending on which tools they're sharpening, and none of us want to think about how much we have invested in them. ;)
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
1,174
Likes
1,268
Location
Haubstadt, Indiana
Ask 10 turners and get a dozen different answers - I have the opposite experience with the tormek tool bar and jig with a bench grinder. Several advantages over the wolverine, more flexible - can do wolverine and Vector grinds.
Not sure how it is more flexible. Been a couple of years, but I don’t remember it being able to do the Vector grind. My experience was neutral. It allowed me to use the Tormek jigs, but IMO there was no real advantage. if you like it use it, just not my preferred method to sharpen my tools.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
261
Likes
2,357
Location
Davison, Michigan
Website
jpseyfried.com
It is always good to have options. I have the Tormek support arm to work with CBN wheels and I added a wolverine mount to my Tormek grinder. Also the Tormek support arm can mount to each side of the grinder 4 different ways using the Wolverine fixture. The way my grinder is mounted I turn the support bracket around so it will be close enough for the "B" setting. It will also work to the left of the grinding wheel but I have the Vector depth guide in the way.

IMG_1272.jpgIMG_1273.jpgIMG_1275.jpg
 
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Messages
159
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141
Location
Savannah, Georgia
I have a Tormek and the Rizza CBN setup. I also have a Tormek support arm for the CBN, mainly for using the SVD-186 to sharpen long wing shapes like the Ellsworth. You can also do that sort of grind using the Rizza, though there is no stock slot for it. They are slightly different geometries, which is better is probably personal preference.

I don't use the Tormek anymore, the CBN is too convineint. It has a 180 and a 600 wheel. The 180 is used for pulling burrs and shaping, the 600 for sharpening. I sharpen my 40/40 and spindle gouges by hand. The 600 will heat and edge pretty quickly so a light pressure is needed. If I was buying again I would probably get a 300 instead of the 600.
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2018
Messages
841
Likes
935
Location
Penrose, NC
It is always good to have options. I have the Tormek support arm to work with CBN wheels and I added a wolverine mount to my Tormek grinder. Also the Tormek support arm can mount to each side of the grinder 4 different ways using the Wolverine fixture. The way my grinder is mounted I turn the support bracket around so it will be close enough for the "B" setting. It will also work to the left of the grinding wheel but I have the Vector depth guide in the way.

View attachment 42559View attachment 42560View attachment 42561
James - THANK YOU for the visual. Epiphany noted.
 
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