Tormek Grinder, do you need one? Possibly not!

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DaveL

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OK call me a skin flint or maybe even a tight git but the Tormek Grinder does cost a lot of pennies. I bought a cheap Rexon ages ago from B&Q, er this one:-
Dscn3930s.jpg

At the time it was on special offer at ~£35 half the then asking price, they are now <£30 so even better value!
The draw back is the lack of tool rest when using the wet wheel, this is a major flaw in the design. I lashed up a bit of 15mm copper pipe held in a 2"*1" pine frame, holding the blade on the pipe using two bits of wood two small coach bolts and wing nuts, not a pretty sight but it did just about work. So how to improve on this crude idea? Well those of you who were subjected to my ramblings at the Axminster show may remember me hovering around the Tormek demo on the Brimarc stand muttering about tool rests, well I stepped on to the dark side and I bought some of the Tormek spares. 8-[
Dscn3931s.jpg

This is the idea that was going round in my head.
Dscn3933s.jpg

After checking that it was about the right height.
Dscn3935s.jpg

I set up for a trail run, I trimmed the timber added water
Dscn3939s.jpg

Action!
Dscn3940s.jpg

Well it worked OK, so the clamps were replaced with screws.
Dscn3943s.jpg

Here is another old chisel with a freshly ground primary bevel.
Dscn3944s.jpg

I am with Alf in liking to use hand sharpening for the rest of the edge, so the lack of stone grader, honing wheel does not bother me. :)
I do need to remount the grinder on a stiffer board before the rest gets fixed down, I think I will use Tee nuts and bristol levers, that I happen to have in a draw to allow final adjustments to be made.
It will never be as quick to grind as the Tormek and I don’t think it would be any good for turning tools, the stone is too soft but for putting the primary bevel on the irons from the old woodies that I have it works a treat. :D The bits from Bimarc cost ~£55 so for just over £80 you could build a similar setup. I hope Martin will still talk to me at the next show. :oops:

Just one more question, why would you be taking any notice of a chap who came back from his granddaughters 5th birthday party looking like this I don't know!
 
Dave,
that looks like a fairly good setup for a lot less than the Tormek.
I do think you should get more sleep though, you look a little dark around the eyes :wink:

cheers

George
 
Taffy Turner":sweryr5n said:
AndyBoyd":sweryr5n said:
Nice work Ace Frehley

Was he the one who thought he was a cat, or was that the drummer?
Spaceman maybe, don't know anything about a cat, he is one mean axe man, take a look here.
I asked for Ziggy Stardust but the young lady that had been doing butterflies and cats had not heard of him! So I said how about Kiss or Alice Cooper, 'Oh I can do Alice' she says but the result was more Robbie! :roll:
 
It must have been the drummer then.

The storey was that he had taken so many drugs that he had blown his mind, and he thought he was a cat - hence the cat make-up. :roll:
 

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