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I’m considering buying either a Tormek or the Sorby ProEdge systems to sharpen everything from chisels and plane blades to wood turning tools. If I choose Tormek is the T8 worth the extra money over the 4? Part of this decision is spurred on because I’ve used a slow speed grinder for years and am considering getting CBN wheels for it and the cost of doing that is not cheap. If I put these new wheels on I still am pretty limited on what I can sharpen with it. The way I see it I can sharpen almost anything with the Tormek or the Sorby.
Jeff
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I bought a Tormek 2000 with all the jigs about 20 years ago. It was quite expensive but I am glad I did. It does a good job and with the jigs I can get repeatable results. It has been surprising what I have been able to sharpen. My wife appreciates having sharp scissors.
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I have the green Tormek, loved it. Then I put a CBN wheel on my slow speed grinder, added the Tormek guide bar to the grinder. The green machine has not seen daylight since. I sharpen chisels and plane irons by hand.
The CBN wheel and Tormek jigs allow me to sharpen the turning tools in only TWO PASSES.
Love those Tormek jigs!!!!!!!!!!!!
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(03-07-2022, 08:24 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: I have the green Tormek, loved it. Then I put a CBN wheel on my slow speed grinder, added the Tormek guide bar to the grinder. The green machine has not seen daylight since. I sharpen chisels and plane irons by hand.
The CBN wheel and Tormek jigs allow me to sharpen the turning tools in only TWO PASSES.
Love those Tormek jigs!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you post a picture of the setup?
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Those machines are a joke compared to one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/CabKing-Cabbing-L...321&sr=8-9
Should be fairly easy to make or retrofit a tool rest for one.
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I have the original Tormek (as well as a Jet copy) and you are right, with the right jig it can sharpen anything except maybe sandpaper. I also bought a CBN wheel for mine. I use it for everything except turning tools, bear in mind I'm kind of a wanna be turner. It's not that the Tormek doesn't do a good job on the turning tools, it's just that it takes more time to do it. Most turners would rather be turning than sharpening. I would be inclined to choose the T8 over the T4 in their current lineup, but that's just me.
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(03-08-2022, 01:39 AM)CStan Wrote: Those machines are a joke compared to one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/CabKing-Cabbing-L...321&sr=8-9
Should be fairly easy to make or retrofit a tool rest for one.
That’s the Cadillac machine!
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(03-08-2022, 09:28 AM)fredhargis Wrote: I have the original Tormek (as well as a Jet copy) and you are right, with the right jig it can sharpen anything except maybe sandpaper. I also bought a CBN wheel for mine. I use it for everything except turning tools, bear in mind I'm kind of a wanna be turner. It's not that the Tormek doesn't do a good job on the turning tools, it's just that it takes more time to do it. Most turners would rather be turning than sharpening. I would be inclined to choose the T8 over the T4 in their current lineup, but that's just me.
What grit CBN wheel did you put on it? I see they have a diamond wheel for the Tormek now. I wonder if that speeds things up? That’s why the Sorby seems a better choice because it would speed things up a little. The downside is changing belts all the time.
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I have 2 CBN wheels, one is 400 grit. It was the first one I bought and cuts relatively quickly but does not leave a fine polished surface. The few times i sharpen lathe tools on the Tormek I use it. After seeing how coarse it was I bought the 1200 grit. It still isn't as fine as the Tormek stone, but does a nice enough job that it's on the grinder more than the other. I don't know if the CBN grits are standardized, the ones I have came from Woodturning Wonders. One thing I really like about the CBN wheels is that you don't mess with the water tray. In the past if I just needed a quick sharpening on one tool, I'd get grumpy about having to pull out the water bottle, fill the tray, soak the wheel, then sharpen and do the clean up. The CBN makes all that a a lot easier.
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Fred, I am glad you commented about using CBN wheels on the Tormek. I have not started turning yet (I am about there), but one thing I am hesitant about is the mess of the grinding dust (from the wheels and steel) floating around and getting flung about.
I am assuming the grinding dust from the CBN wheels on the Tormek just drops down under the machine?
And even with the slow speed, the CBN wheels sharpen quickly enough? And I am assuming you are mostly using the Tormek/CBN for sharpening tools that are already shaped.
I was wondering if the "blackstone" would be a good middle ground between the original stone and the CBN. It is supposedly effective on both HSS and carbon steel. The drawback to the blackstone is that it still needs to be trued, plus it needs water.
Steve
