How to best use Tormek/Jet/Sheppach Wetstone grinder?

[ivan]

These seem to have been designed by a woodcarver or turner, for if you touch the stone with a decent width plane blade the water goes everywhere. The top rest ensures plenty of gritty water "lubricates" the shaft, whilst only the Jet appears to have a trough wide enough to catch the offside run off from a wide plane or scraper blade. Tilting the machine to the trough side helps keep some of the gunge off the bearing, but requires an even wider trough. Is there a technique I'm missing here?

A brush to partly de-water the emerging edge of the wheel might help? But instructions warn the wheel must dip in the water and be WET.

Any reason not to use soluble oil in the water (suds) if there's a way of confining it to the wheel and trough? (and not the workshop floor, me, my clothes...) This would be kind to non stainless shafts etc.

Although the Tormek is nicely made (one UKworkshop member runs his 5 hrs a day) I bought a Sheppach at the new cheap price, for which it seems reasonable value. Powered by a proper induction motor, in a robust steel case, the unpainted steel (rest and shaft) is zinc plated, so it will need some care in use. The replaceable sleeve bearings look a bit light, but will be correspondingly cheap to replace when needed. The knobs could do with brass threads to prevent long term damage to the rest which could make fine adjustment difficult.

 

[Losos]

if you touch the stone with a decent width plane blade the water goes everywhere. The top rest ensures plenty of gritty water "lubricates" the shaft, whilst only the Jet appears to have a trough wide enough to catch the offside run off from a wide plane or scraper blade.

Is your water trough overfilled??? I must say I've never had this problem except when I once overfilled the water trough.

The Max. level is marked and I usually have slightly less and, yes, there is a little water that finds its way down the side of the machine (Not sure if it penetrates the bearings 'tho)

A tip to keep the grit & grinding stuff from traveling up the wheel is to drop a rare earth magnet into the trough before filling with water, and then when finished drain the water and clean the magnet

 

[NeilO]

Better still glue a washer to the outside of the trough and put your magnet on that, it still collects/traps the metal filings from contaminating the water but the magnet stays nice and clean, so just a case of pulling the magnet off, emptying the soiled water and flushing the trough clean..

And as Losos says check the water level, I have mine just below the Max level, and have no problem with water everywhere...

 

[DaveL]

A tip to keep the grit & grinding stuff from traveling up the wheel is to drop a rare earth magnet into the trough before filling with water, and then when finished drain the water and clean the magnet

I use a variation on this, I put a large washer in the trough and the magnet on the outside, works very well and the washer is cheaper than the magnet. 8)

 

[Losos]

Will try the washer inside & magnet outside, Thanks Neil & Dave

 

[mailee]

I too have this problem, when grinding my 2" chisel as I move the chisel from side to sidewater is displaced from the wheel along the blade and onto the casing. I thought of tilting the machine to the trough side but wasn't sure if it would then catch it. I too only have mine filled to below the water level line??? :?

 

[NeilO]

Mailee, are you possibly using too much pressure on the chisel?
I find a little pressure still gets the finish/edge I require,with very little water cast off,.. and if a little more aggressive cut is needed I regrade the the wheel wth the regrade stone to 220!, at least I think IIRC its 220/1000 :roll:

HTH

 

[engineer one]

after a fair amount of experience with the tormek now, i find that what you need to do is soak the wheel, which from dry takes a bunch of water :roll:

then JUST have the wheel running in the water,it will always pick up the water, and a little will roll off. tilting will i think tend to cause strains on the shafts.

paul :wink:

 

[NeilO]

I agree with Paul, if the wheel was dry, I`ve known mine takes 2 1/2 litres :shock: of water to get it to the Max level...
but I find less pressure keeps the water on the wheel, else the chisel/blade acts like a squeegee and pushs the water out the sides and off the wheel making the mess...

 

[ivan]

How far does your wheel dip into the water?

My water trough is filled below the mark, once the wheel is fully wet. I suppose the wheel dips 5 - 8mm into the water. A thick film of water is easily visible on the grinding surface, and lifted off as soon as the blade touches the stone. If blade is wider than wheel, no pressure at all is needed to get the water off!

When grinding a 2 3/8" blade on top of the 2" wide wheel (rotation on to/against the blade as manual reccomends) pools of water end up on and inside the case, and all over the table and floor, (as run off from both corners of the blade misses the trough). Somehow I don't think a magnet will cure this problem.......

If you have never had water displaced by a blade wider than the wheel, surely your wheel is only damp, not actually wet? (maybe this is OK, but its not what manual says)

 

[paulm]

I grind/sharpen pretty much everything with the wheel turning away from the tool edge, despite instructions, and find it very successful and little or no water displacement as a result too.

Not sure of the theoretical benefits of sharpening some things towards the tool edge, but as long as I use the leather wheel and/or a honing strip of leather with some compound to remove a any wire edge it seems fine to me.......

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Philly]

Ivan
I have this problem too, although only when grinding into the direction of the wheel. Going with the wheel is not a problem.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Keith Smith]

With the Tormek it's normal to get a very small amount of water spilling but nowhere near enough to wet the floor; except for sharpening planer plades and kitchen knives when tilting the machine is a good idea.

Pity you live so far away, I'd have liked to see the problem first hand.

 

[Losos]

When grinding a 2 3/8" blade on top of the 2" wide wheel (rotation on to/against the blade as manual reccomends) pools of water end up on and inside the case, and all over the table and floor, (as run off from both corners of the blade misses the trough). Somehow I don't think a magnet will cure this problem.......

Ivan, I Just want to clarify that the magnet tip wasn't to help with the water run off prob. It's to help prevent the metal grindings being carried up to the blade.

I don't use a lot of pressure, and yes I do get a small amount of water run off but it's never been more than I can remove with an industrial type paper towel.

I only have the small Tormek, I can't speak for the big model.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Normal grinding of chisels or up to two inch plane blades are not a problem,I might get a few spots of water splash about, the real problem is doing planer blades, I put several old towels down and expect to see them soaking before I've done a full set of three, probably use about two pints of water as well. I leave a magnet in the bowl all the time I don't bother trying to get all the metal off, it's not going anywhere is it. I don't see a problem with dirty water getting on the shaft, and I've never had any problems with bearings.

 

[ivan]

Thanks to all; as you guessed I hadn't thought to try grinding in the trailing position. The book suggests the top is best for grinding (more agressive) and the side, or trailing posn. is more for sharpening (presumably after grading the wheel) As I only want to grind on the machine (plane blades at least) I had ignored this.

Anyone use soluble cutting oil/suds in theirs?