<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1226" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi Dave.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I bought my system from Sharptools USA. The link = below is their home page. It has several videos that you can watch on your = computer that show the basic setup.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><A href="http://sharptoolsusa.com/">http://sharptoolsusa.com/</A> . = It's got a big burly shop-looking guy doing the video, so you know it must be a = good tool.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I purchased the Cabinetmaker package at = $589.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><A href="http://www.sharptoolsusa.com/shop/?page=shop/flypage&produc= t_id=25&category_id=93d2623b12869878624c573f5722b86f">http://www.= sharptoolsusa.com/shop/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=25&categ= ory_id=93d2623b12869878624c573f5722b86f</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>This package includes the planer blade jig and = the other standard accessories that are an absolute must (diamond stone grader, = honing compound, anglemaster and the stone grader). = I </FONT><FONT face=Arial>contemplated getting the complete package (all available jigs) for $800, but I don't use any curved carving tools, and the = few other jigs I may want in the future don't total up to that price - so I'll = just add them as I determine they are needed.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>The big stone sharpens at two grit levels - 220 = and about 1,000 (depending on a 30-second preparation). Then the honing wheel does = the rest - brings it up to an amazingly sharp edge - and very quickly. = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>My Shapton stones work VERY well - very = impressed with their performance and the results with them - <A href="http://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/Professional-Series.php">http= ://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/Professional-Series.php</A> . But unless you can sharpen by hand well, you need to use a honing guide. = That works great if you need to start with 220 grit. If you want to just go = back and touchup - it just won't work because you can never get the blade back = into the honing guide in the exact same position as the last time you sharpened. = With the Tormek, the blade is indexed for being perpendicular to the stone - so = that part of realignment is automatic. You still need to get the angle right, = but that is easy as you just clamp the blade into one of many various = holder-jigs, coarsely adjust the jig height for approximate blade angle, then = blacken the edge with a marker and touch it to the moving stone (or honing wheel) for just a second - that shows you clearly what the = relationship is between the stone and the blade. If you need to adjust, there is a fine screw-type adjustment for jig height with which you can = incrementally and very quickly adjust the blade angle for the optimal result. = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>When touching up you can go back to just the = honing wheel in this manner, or the 1,000/220 grit stone. Even if you do go back to = the 220 grit for perhaps a little nick, as long as you don't have to remove = 1/4-inch of steel, you can get your average chisel razor-polished sharp in five = minutes or less. Hey - even I can do it, so you know it is easy and fool-proof! = Tormek system - the apparent answer for the hand-sharpening-challenged. And = even if you can sharpen by hand, it's still a great way to sharpen - although, if = you do have that skill, there are other good ways to sharpen (and I highly = recommend the Shapton Professional Series stones - Steve Knight, the guy who made = my planes recommended them to me - <A href="http://www.knight-toolworks.com/wooden.htm">http://www.knight-too= lworks.com/wooden.htm</A>).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=dsmith941@comcast.net = href="mailto:dsmith941@comcast.net">Dave Smith</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 01, = 2003 10:27 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Tormek Sharpening System</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry, got details?  = Accessories, price, etc etc?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dave Smith</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dull Tool</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 01, = 2003 9:49 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Tormek Sharpening = System</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>Got my new Tormek Sharpening System = yesterday. First thing I did was to sharpen my 12.5-inch electric planer = knives with it. It took a while for the long knives, but they came out = real good. Did up a couple hand plane blades and chisels - they don't = look quite as pretty as with my stones, but are at least as sharp and required = much less time and effort. Bottom line: happy I got it - no excuse for = ANY dull tools now. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>Before sharpening, my planer = knives were so dull I doubt they would have cut mashed potatoes (and I planed a soundboard panel with that!?!).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Good stones are great if you can sharpen by = hand. That's just a skill I'm still miles away from. Got me a Tormek now = though.  :-)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></= BODY></HTML>