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Chisels, plane irons and other straight-edged cutting tools have never had it so good!
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Micro-Adjustable Universal Support - US-105
Text & photos by Tom Hintz
The Universal Support bar, used with all SuperGrind jigs, is a prime example of how Tormek engineering solves a complex task with a remarkably simple but durable fixture. Whether the jig rotates, slides or rolls the cutting edge being sharpened, the Universal Support steadies and guides the tool during sharpening while maintaining the angle at which it meets the stone with absolute accuracy.
The new Micro-Adjusting mechanism simplifies the process of setting very specific support-to-stone distances and makes the process much faster. Turning the knurled adjusting dial produces consistent changes in the distance between the support bar and the
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Dialing in the proper angle for any tool is a snap with the new Support Bar adjuster.
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grinding wheel. I found that very little experience was necessary to get "the feel" of how this adjuster changes the angle of the tool on the stone, making those adjustments quick and accurate. In addition, the design makes it easy to adjust the support bar with one hand while holding the Pro Angle Finder on the tool being sharpened with the other. This makes matching an existing bevel angle or setting a new one with the Pro Angle Finder fast and accurate.
The micro-adjusting feature is equally useful at the honing wheel. Setting the proper angle to accurately hone freshly ground edges to perfection is fast and simple. This final step is one of the secrets to achieving the remarkable Tormek-sharp edges that have made this machine legendary.
Straight Edge Jig - SVH-60
Straight-edged tools like hand planes and bench chisels are basics in the average woodworking shop that too often go unused because dull or improperly sharpened edges render them ineffective or difficult to use. The Straight
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Putting a fine edge on straight-edged tools, at the angle you want, is almost automatic with the Straight Edge Jig. It is also very fast.
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Edge Jig makes putting square, razor-sharp edges on these tools simple, and then maintaining that edge very fast.
One of the first things I sharpened with the Tormek was the iron from an old block plane. I chose this plane for my test subject on the Tormek because it had been in my shop for years but used very little because it never worked right. I could never get it to cut or adjust properly so left it in the "dud" tool drawer. If I killed it on the Tormek, it would be no big loss.
In less than ten minutes I had put a new edge on that old plane iron and was shocked when it effortlessly sliced curls of maple, something it was never capable of before. I backed the depth off and it shaved strips of pine so thin they puckered as they rolled up in the plane. Emboldened by the success with the little plane, I also sharpened the irons from my prized 50-some year old #5 planes. The results were the same; they cut beautifully.
A pair of cheap hand chisels had also been relegated to the "Dud" drawer long ago and were the next to be sharpened on the Tormek. Over the years, sharpening attempts had made the bevel angles suspect, so I followed the suggestions in the Tormek manual and put 25-degree angles on both with the Straight Edge Jig with dramatic results. The chisels cut rather than dented wood and were now capable of shaving thin layers of material with ease and control. Despite their low original cost, my chisels now work as if they cost much more. Plus, they are getting used frequently.
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This once non-functional plane now shaves wood so thin the strips pucker as they roll up in the body!
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The Straight Edge Jig makes it easy to put a square edge on plane irons, chisels and even spoke shaves. Being able to achieve very precise angles means tools can be easily returned to their original configuration or fine-tuned for specific jobs or types of wood.
One of the less obvious benefits of the Tormek SuperGrind system is how it's accuracy and ease of use can improve the performance of the cutting tools in your shop. As in my case, a few simple procedures on the Tormek breathed new life into tools I had given up on long ago. That means my shop is a little more efficient and the money spent on those once-discarded tools is no longer lost.
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