Tormek knock-off

[sorcerertd]

I was kicking around the idea of getting one of these WEN sharpeners. At $150, it's better than what I have. (or so I believe. I've been using a 2x42 belt sander.) It's got a 10"x2" whetstone and an 8" stropping wheel.

But, the accessory jig description is what got my attention. "Whether you're an axe-wielding madman in a subpar horror movie or a scissor-wielding kindergarten teacher in a district with limited arts funding, the WEN 4-Piece Sharpening Accessory Kit has the perfect jig for you." LOL!

Anyway, I do have a small low speed wet sander with a 4" wheel specifically for sharpening knives and normal hand chisels. I have no intention of using it for turning tools. My problem with it, and what I would expect from any wet wheel is that the water rolls over the blade and goes all over the place. I suppose there's less chance of that with a skew than a chef's knife, but still... am I just doing it wrong or what?

 

[MillerTurnings]

115 RPM? That will take awhile

 

[leehljp]

The 115 RPM is the precise speed at which any faster - the water would sling all over the place. Water wheels are the best for those who have lots of time on their hands as they are SLOW! Shape the chisels on a fast grinder without overheating the edges and then finish sharpening on the water wheel. Shaping new chisels on a water wheel is notoriously slow. IF you have one or two, it is not bad but if you have 5 or 10 chisel set, it can tire an impatient person (like me) out.

I have the Grizzly knock-off of the Tormek and the one thing I like about it is the Tormek, Grizzly, Wen sharpening jigs. I got used to those and personally like that much better than the Pro Grind or Wolverine system, which I have and use with the CBN wheels mentioned below.

The alternative is CBN wheels - fast, cool and mildly expensive.

 

[wolf creek knives]

Like Hank, I have the Grizzly knock off. When I do you use the wet stone I always put a town under the machine to "catch" the spillage. There's not much but I don't want it sitting on my bench or getting slippery on the floor. Once I'm done, I just wash the towel and it's ready for the next go around. Oh and by the way, the towels I use are old junkie ones my wife gave me to use. She'd kill me if I used a good towel.

 

[Sylvanite]

I have the Sheppach Tiger (another Tormek knock-off, which I think is the same as the Grizzly). The water wheel works just fine, but - compared to the Tormek - the jigs are junk. So, I bought and use the Tormek jigs on it. They fit and function great. Like others, I rough-shape on a dry grinder, and touch-up the edges on the Tiger.

I've also taped a small magnet on the underside of the plastic water tray. That way, metal filings collect there and are easier to clean up.

Regards,
Eric

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

I have the WEN and I like it, but don't use it for turning tools (yet). I haven't had it too long but if you're considering it, recognize as stated above that it is a water cooled process - which is a good thing from a tool perspective but it does tend to slosh all over the place at times. Agree with Sylvanite. The jigs aren't the high point of WEN's package, either. I got a Tormek wheel truing jig (necessary) and a knife holder. Good investment IMHO.
ALSO - as I state often - there is a learning curve. As with any sharpening system it takes a while to get it set up and working properly. I tend to use it for knives and such. I'm of the opinion that a grinder with CBN wheels and a Wolverine-style sharpening jig setup is hard to beat for turning tools.
Before you place the order you might want to do a YouTube search on the WEN. There are several good videos out there.

 

[Dieseldoc]

Have and use my Tormek for years, on my second wheel. great tool for getting that super sharp edge.Not only you can get great results with woodworking tools, kitchen knife now can be kept sharp without much effort. Money well spent.

 

[leehljp]

As a correction on my post above: - I used Tormek Jigs on my Grizzly but what is common on the Tormek, Grizzly and from the looks of the Wen is the bar that mounts the Tormek jigs. I love that BAR system, it works just right for me.

 

[sorcerertd]

I must say, I did get a surprisingly nice edge on my belt sander with 320 grit. I bought belts to use for some lapidary work up to 2000 grit. It's just a PITA to change the belts so many times cycling through the grits. Lee, do you still use your Grizzly even with the CBN wheel you have? What does CBN mean anyway?

 

[sorcerertd]

Wow, I posted this that long ago? Ha, well I finally bought one. They were out of stock for a while. I am pretty happy with it for the $130 price tag. It makes quite a difference. Apparently, I wasn't doing nearly as well on the belt sander as I thought I was. The Tormek turning tool jigs are more than twice the price of this, but I found another one to use for the gouges for the time being. It gets the job done, although the Tormek looks like it is a lot easier to work with. If I carefully use the included chisel jig, I can get the angle right on the skews for now. Eventually, I'll work the better ones into the budget.

 

[leehljp]

Wow, I posted this that long ago? Ha, well I finally bought one. They were out of stock for a while. I am pretty happy with it for the $130 price tag. It makes quite a difference. Apparently, I wasn't doing nearly as well on the belt sander as I thought I was. The Tormek turning tool jigs are more than twice the price of this, but I found another one to use for the gouges for the time being. It gets the job done, although the Tormek looks like it is a lot easier to work with. If I carefully use the included chisel jig, I can get the angle right on the skews for now. Eventually, I'll work the better ones into the budget.

Sorry, I didn't see the question in the May 19 post. No, I don't have the CBN wheel for the Grizzly.
"A CBN grinding wheel uses Cubic Boron Nitride, or CBN, as its grinding material. Cubic Boron Nitride is considered a super abrasive. As the name suggests, super abrasives are stronger than normal abrasives like Aluminum Oxide and Silicon Carbide."

I think it was mentioned in a previous post - but Tormek is very very slow in achieving the SHAPE of grind because of its slow speed. It is excellent in situations where the shape has already been achieved and only the edge needs to be added on.

 

[sorcerertd]

I think it was mentioned in a previous post - but Tormek is very very slow in achieving the SHAPE of grind because of its slow speed. It is excellent in situations where the shape has already been achieved and only the edge needs to be added on.

I discovered you are quite correct with this. Still not quite sure how to really do a fingernail profile. I'll have to watch a few youtube videos and see what parts of which one work for me. The kitchen knives haven't been this sharp in years!