Tormek T3 Grinder

[Brian Deakin]

Tormek T-3 Sharpening System


l am considering of purchasing a Tormek T-3 ( T-7 is too expensive )

Can anyone please provide advice and feedback

I intend to use the grinder to establish an new edge then use waterstones to hone and polish

I have Lie Nielson chisels and plane blade plus a Hock A2 plane blade

regards Brian

[ian maybury]

Several thoughts, none necessarily a problem for what you have in mind:

1. They cut a bit too slowly to make taking a nick out of e.g. jointer knives etc in HSS practical - too slow.

2. They produce a hollow ground bevel rather than a flat one - useful in some ways, but not normally recommended for Japanese chisels.

3. The cost of the accessories/different types of fixtures adds up if you need them.

The larger unit is certainly solid and well made - don't know about the smaller one.

ian

[David Weaver]

Tormek T-3 Sharpening System


l am considering of purchasing a Tormek T-3 ( T-7 is too expensive )

Can anyone please provide advice and feedback

I intend to use the grinder to establish an new edge then use waterstones to hone and polish

I have Lie Nielson chisels and plane blade plus a Hock A2 plane blade

regards Brian

I would probably buy a used tormek full sized machine if I was going to lay out that kind of cash (actually, that's the route I went). I have not heard of a tormek quitting, so the only issue you have with used tools is a possible non-stainless arbor, which makes it a bugger to get a wheel off if it's been on a while.

For what you listed, though, I'd rather have a slow speed 8" dry grinder or a full speed 6" grinder, and buy yourself those cool running expensive 3x wheels if you're worried about burning tools (of course, if you can't have loose abrasive and dust anywhere, the tormek makes neither of those, and is probably a better option).

[John McClanahan]

Grizzly has their version of this sharpener. Less $$$.

[Mike Henderson]

I've used the Tormek for an extended period of time and was not impressed. To me, it's just a modern version of the old blacksmith's hand cranked grinding wheel. Whether you like it or not will depend on what you use it for - I used it for sharpening chisels and plane blades. I'll list the things I don't like about it:

1. It's a wet system and it "leaks" water in use. You need to have a special place to use it or you have to go through a set up every time you want to use it.

2. It's expensive - both to purchase initially and for the attachments. I'd even go so far as to say it's very expensive.

3. You can't flatten the back of a plane blade or chisel on it so you still have to have some other technique, such as a DMT diamond plate and/or water stones or sandpaper on a flat surface, to get that done. Some people will tell you that you can flatten the backs on the side of the stone. I've never seen anyone (including myself) be able to do that to an acceptable flatness level. Buying the diamond plate and/or water stones adds to your total sharpening costs.

4. The grinding stone is only one grit. When I used a tormek, we used it to establish the bevels only, then finished the sharpening with water stones. You have to decide how much it's worth to you to have a power tool for establishing the bevel on your tools.

5. It's fairly slow, which is good and bad. You certainly won't ruin the temper on your tools with a Tormek but it can take a long time to grind a dropped tool (badly damaged edge) back to a good edge.

I've tried a bunch of systems and I'll tell you what I wound up with and why. For power grinding I have a 1725RPM 8" grinder. I rarely use it however. For most of my power grinding I have a WorkSharp 3000 which I got on special for less than $100. I use it primarily for establishing the bevel on chisels. I like the WS 3000 because it's a dry system and it uses standard 6" PSA sandpaper disks which are fairly inexpensive. I then go to a set of Shapton stones with the Lee Valley Mark II honing guide and put a microbevel on my chisels. When the microbevel gets too wide, I go back to the WS 3000 and re-establish the bevel at 25*

For plane blades, I use a DMT diamond plate to flatten the backs, then polish with the Shapton stones. Flattening the back of a plane blade is a one time operation, and if you buy a modern replacement blade for your planes, flattening is easy because they come pretty flat from the manufacturer. I establish the bevel with the LV honing guide and the DMT diamond plate (extra coarse/coarse). I use the LV honing guide and the Shapton stones to put a microbevel on the blades or do it by hand without the guide.

So my advice is to not buy any Tormek type grinding tools.

Mike

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a Tormek T-3, but I rarely use it. I get a far better sharpening with my ceramic water stones. I do find it useful for household knives, though I have an electric diamond knife sharpener that is probably better for that too.

The attachments do add up, cost wise.

[Kevin Bourque]

I considered the T3 a while back, but it seemed to me like it was wayyyy overpriced for me to buy once you add up all the extras. Even the used ones I've seen are pricey.

[Whit AndersonIL]

I have a Tormek and I like it for sharpening my turning tools. It is very consistent. I can use a blade, put it back in the jig, and sharpen it very quickly--taking off very little metal.

The Tormek is not a fast way to establish an edge. Once the edge is established, it is a fast way to resharpen that edge. I don't think the Tormek is the best way to accomplish what you want.

--Whit

[Brian Deakin]

Thank you to everyone for the help and detailed advise provided I am now going to think think long and hard before making a decision of what to purchase

regards Brian

[John Coloccia]

It's wonderful for turning tools. That said, I don't turn much anymore and I haven't plugged in my T-7 in almost a year. Shoot, I should sell that sucker! I used to use it to sharpen my tools, and it works well. Then I got better at sharpening on water stones and I just used it to establish a hollow grind. Then I got better at sharpening without a jig and maintaining a flat bevel, so I stopped doing that even.

Now, I just keep a Spyderco medium and ultra-fine stone on my bench, and various strops. No water, no jigs. Honestly, I can't figure out why I had so much trouble sharpening by hand all of these years, but I swear to you I did...and then one day I tried it and it was easy.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

If you really want a Tormek, bite the bullet and get the T-7. The T-3 IMO will just be slower than the already slow T-7. I wood turn, and love it for the gouges. Takes very little metal from your 100 buck gouge when you sharpen. You 'll probably never sharpen the gouge enough to warrant replacement. Anything else, nah not so good. But, it does sharpen everything in your house, provided you have the jig. A final plus, people say it's messy, but you can sharpen stuff in your house, while watching TV. IMO a grinder is messy. Spews grit all over the place.

If you get the grinder attachment, you get the Tormek jig consistency and dry grinder speed...

[David Peterson]

I'll second and third a couple of these comments. My T-3 only gets turned on to sharpen my turning tools. For that, it's terrific. I tried to make it work for chisel and plane blades but without success. It was slow and even with the jigs the Tormek didn't do as well as I can by hand. Stick with a slow speed grinder with a friable wheel to establish the bevel and go to whatever stones you have to hone the edge.

[Brian Deakin]

Again a big thank you to everyone

I currently have Norton waterstones 220 grit 1000 grit 4000 grit and 8000 grit My rational for purchasing the Tormek t3 was to enable me to establish a hollow grind which would preserve a slither of the previous honing and polish perhaps more important if I have prepared a plane blade with a curved edge
Can anyone please advise if my rational makes sense or should I periodically regrind the edge on a stone/diamond plate

If so what stone/diamond plate would you recommend


regards Brian

[paul cottingham]

I thought about the Tormek long and hard, but decided on the Veritas mkii power sharpener instead. I use it all the time, in conjunction with a grinder with a white wheel, and a Viel belt grinder. Takes care of everything.
i used water stones for a long time, but my arthritis makes that impossible, so for my 50th, I got the mkii. Been a great gift.
Still use an 8000 stone for the "ruler trick." Works great.
Use my old stones to sharpen kitchen knives. No waste....

[John Coloccia]

The "trick" to sharpening, if there is one, is DON'T. Keep a leather strop, charged with simichrome (or even bare) on your bench, and strop often. How often? I don't know...as soon as I detect the slightest dulling, I strop. My edge is always razor sharp, and I rarely have to hit a stone. Keeping the edge sharp is far easier than sharpening, believe me. IMHO, stropping is the key to happy and headache free hand tool work.