Using the gouge sharpening jig

[woodpig]

I'd never go back to a bench grinder. The Sorby PE is nicely made if a bit expensive. I already sharpened my metal lathe tools on a Record belt sander so I modified it to take the Sorby jigs for my wood turning tools. Works well although I've yet to make a power strop for it. I understand you can buy them in the US but I've yet to see them on sale here.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

very ingenious Woodpig.

The pro edge is about half the price of a Tormek so I figured they are relatively good value in that respect. As a dedicated turning tools system I think its outstanding. The primary benefit over the Tormek is the ability to finally address the shaping issue as well as sharpening. Despite much marketing to the contrary, the Tormek is in fact rubbish at shaping because the rotation speed of the wheels is too slow to remove enough steel. Were they to drive the wheels faster then the water would of course just spray off. Thus, though you have zero risk of losing the temper of the metal, you also have zero risk of spending any time with your kids or doing any woodwork because you're standing in front of the Tormek for approximately 3 days, regrinding your fingernail gouge instead of doing something useful!! I may have exaggerated slightly there. But you get the point, the greater the surface area of the bevel, the less the Tormek likes to remove steel quickly so skews, planar blades etc are finger soring activities.

Bench grinders are of course fast, but hot. The linishers seem to have the perfect balance for me. They're obviously hotter than the Tormek but because you can install an amazingly low grit belt (60 ceramic) they absolutely eat through the metal and just don't heat up as much as grinders. Add to that the pre-baked angles and the setup time is a fraction of that on the Tormek. Its just a better design, pure and simple and I predict over the coming years it will slowly eat into their share of the turners market. I'm seeing that every month in my own turning club as more and more pop up and Tormeks gets mothballed or relegated to specialist use for that one particular grind you like or just for kitchen knives etc.

 

[Mark Hancock]

The pro edge is about half the price of a Tormek so I figured they are relatively good value in that respect. As a dedicated turning tools system I think its outstanding. The primary benefit over the Tormek is the ability to finally address the shaping issue as well as sharpening. Despite much marketing to the contrary, the Tormek is in fact rubbish at shaping because the rotation speed of the wheels is too slow to remove enough steel. Were they to drive the wheels faster then the water would of course just spray off. Thus, though you have zero risk of losing the temper of the metal, you also have zero risk of spending any time with your kids or doing any woodwork because you're standing in front of the Tormek for approximately 3 days, regrinding your fingernail gouge instead of doing something useful!! I may have exaggerated slightly there. But you get the point, the greater the surface area of the bevel, the less the Tormek likes to remove steel quickly so skews, planar blades etc are finger soring activities.

Didn't Tormek addressed this issue years ago with the dry grinder mount (BGM 100 I think)?

 

[CHJ]

Didn't Tormek addressed this issue years ago with the dry grinder mount (BGM 100 I think)?

Only partially (with increased cost.)

The bevel formed by a dry grinder wheel of smaller diameter than the Tormek still leaves a fair amount of material to be removed on the Tormek and if you are not very careful with turning gouges results in the Tormek wheel being somewhat ridged needing a serious trueing up before you can use it for flat work grinding.

The alternate of different grades of wheel for the Tormek is not an inconsiderable extra expense as well as the attendant problems of changing wheels out.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I bought the BGM-100 and to this day have it mounted against a dry grinder. It has the Torlok toolrest mounted permanently which has become my scraper sharpening station. But it doesn't escape the problem of steel over heating on a dry grinder. It does allow your now drawn temper'd steel to have a lovely uniform single facet bevel though

 

[woodpig]

Agreed about the Pro Edge Bob, it's a very nicely made piece of equipment. I also had a wet grinder and found it far too slow.