# HF vs. Tormek ???



## wickford (Feb 12, 2009)

Anyone have, or use the Harbor Freight knock off of the tormek sharpening system?  I was looking at the tormek and it sure looks sweet, except of course the $700 price tag.  So I saw a similar looking one at Harbor Freight and was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on it?  Its about $110, so certainly much easier on the pocketbook...

Any advice/info would be most appreciated!!

Thanks!!


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## Jeff-in-Indiana (Feb 12, 2009)

I bought one, and it WILL sharpen your tools, but overall it was junk .. very shoddy construction .. very rough weld joints .. the honing wheel wobbled like a 1947 baby buggy and was unusable .. I could not return the thing, since I bought it from the catalog. After waiting SIX MONTHS for them to ship it, I only had 30 days to return it.  I was busy, did not NEED it that month, so I let it sit  and when I got around to opening it .. several pieces were warped!   Now it is designated as "Lawnmower blade sharpener" ..  

It was actually kinda funny to examine the thing .. it was almost as if a handful of guys saw a single picture of the exterior of a TORMEK and decided to build a unit that "looks" the same .. oh, and the guys have no idea how it is supposed to work, they just "see" how it looks and use a bunch of scrap parts to make the wheel spin ..


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## Art Fuldodger (Feb 12, 2009)

I have an older version of it, and mine is reasonably decent.  Wheels came true and balanced, and it's served me for almost six years.

When I bought it, I thought that the big, slow wheel would be very useful, but I have found otherwise.  For my turning tools, the slow wheel is too slow.  I have used it on a knife when the knife really needed it, but overall, I generally go to the other wheel virtually always.  The big wheel that came with it is fairly soft, and needs to be trued quite often.

If  you have work for which you really need that slow (or wide) of a wheel, then you might want to try one.  But otherwise, a 1750-RPM or variable-speed 6" or 8" grinder would be better, IMHO, for sharpening your turning tools.  And hey, Woodcraft has their 8" 1750RPM grinder on sale right now...

EDIT:I should say that mine is a combo - the 10" slow wheel, and a 6" full-speed wheel.  I just realized that I think they make one now with only a slow wheel - and that the one with only a slow wheel is plastic.  Mine is all metal, like most grinders.  Mine is probably sufficiently different from what he's talking about that my unit-specific info doesn't apply.  The point about slow-speed vs. normal speed still does.


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## Verne (Feb 12, 2009)

Jeff in Indiana: So tell us Jeff, how do you really feel about the HF sharpener?
Jeff in Ohio: For a year or so I too was contemplating something other than a Tormek. I looked at them all, the Tormek was too too expensive, the Jet...ehhhh!
Then I just fell into a dy-no-mite deal on a used Tormek 2000 with many, many jigs and just couldn't turn it down. So today I'm the proud Tormek owner learning how to use the tool. Keep looking and one will probably turn up somewhere. Check out the Tormek site on yahoo, seems that I have seen a couple on there for sale in the past week or so. Good luck.
Vern


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 12, 2009)

I was lucky to catch this $20 off at Woodcraft and LOVE it.  (Yes, I know it is not a Tormek or a clone of it.)

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=148382&FamilyID=20355

I added this for fingernail grinds on bowl gouges and I am a happy turner. 

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...creen=PROD&Product_Code=148801&Category_Code=

It was also a bit cheaper when I bought it.  I now understand hollow ground, scary sharp and other terms that make turning much easier.


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## rej19 (Feb 12, 2009)

I caught the HF on sale for $65.00. I used it for a week or two and was not pleased with the results. I'm sure my inexperience was part of it. But the wheel did seem to wear very fast and seem to be under powered. I put in on Craigslist and sold it for $50. It was like new.


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## wickford (Feb 13, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies!  I guess I'll have to pass on the HF...Grizzly has one too so I may check out that one...Just can't justify the cost of the tormek especially since I'm in dire need of a bandsaw with will be the next major tool purchase...

I currently have the wolverine jig with side grind attachement and it works well, but I was watching the tormek video and they sucked me right in!


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jeff,

While I was deciding what to get, I looked at the Grizzly model at the Muncy, PA store.  It seemed well-made, but the jigs aren't really designed for turners, IMHO.  I have heard of people buying the Grizzly unit and outfitting it with Tormek jigs.  

FWIW,


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