I made some modifications like those mentioned in this video, plus a couple that were inspired by it. The difference is amazing. This has become my go to machine. Thank you so much for the educational videos.
This video was very helpful. I just got a message from Cliff that he "is working on solutions for you Toolcker guys". Please keep these videos coming. Thanks!
Yes he is we had a Guild Of Professional Sharpeners meeting and Cliff was the guest and I asked him if he could make a tracking wheel because I get asked about them all the time
You've got me pretty excited to try one of these Toolcker 1x30's. It looks like a great machine for a very reasonable price. I use an AMK 75 1x30 for sharpening and I really like it but it was expensive. They have a new version of it, AMK 76, that looks even better. It uses a Tormek tool rest that can slide forward and backward and of course, adjust up and down. It also supports 1x30, 1x42, and 2x42 belts. Both models have reversible direction motors that are variable speed.
Just another great video from you, thanks, the tape trick did improved the traking, simple and effective. I got the non magnetic version and the simplest sollution for me was to replace the platin with a metalic one. Just got a 100mmx25mmx3mm metalic band that i drilled and made threads and just replaced the original, it tooked 10 minutes with minimal gear needed. If anyone is interested I can provide some pictures.
Another great video...TY Paul! I purchased two of the Toolckers and have been very pleased with them...getting ready to get a third. I too have had problems with the tracking with some belts. I'll try the tape. If you find a source for a crowned metal wheel (prefer metal to plastic) to replace the upper wheel, I would buy three or four of them from you. I have not had a problem with the machines running hot, but I operate them in the 1500 to 1800 range. One of my machines has a steel platen, the other is some nonmagnetic alloy.
Thank you -Yes it's strange but I guess they grab what they can get when making them and sometimes it's Steel and sometimes its not. It's such a well built machine but it would be nice to see some consistency in the parts.
If you buy the ~1" M42 rare earth magnets you will have no trouble holding the guide in place through the aluminum platen. I used two of them and had to grind a few thousandths off one to make it fit. They are so strong I can't just pull them apart. I had one laying on a wooden table top and was holding one two more in my hand. I got my hand too close to the table and the magnet jumped off the table and smashed my finger as well as breaking the corner off one of the magnets. It hit hard enough that I had to wrap my finger to keep the blood off my tools. I was finally able to get two of them in a vise where I could grab the one above the vise jaws with a pair of channel locks. I finally got them end to end and put them behind the platen. The adjustable angle attachment doesn't work well on small knives. I machined one of the shelves to work as a guide and it is much better for small knives. I bought a T-1 Tormek for my kitchen knives, but I like the Toolker for restoring some old knives that need a lot of work. Does anyone know where to buy replacement parts for the Toolker? Some day it will need something replaced. I would also like to have a parts list for it, but I can't find anything online.
This is a great machine once you learn how to use it and dial everything in. I used your instruction for one of your other videos and use this like a Ken Onion. The only difference is that I remove the platen all together.
Thank you for watching- Thats great I don't love edge tailing sharpening takes to long and removing the burr IMO is a pain going that way but i know many love it.
Leave it to Cliff Curry to have a simple solution! Cliff is really the GOAT of 1x30 sharpening. I think he has inspired a lot of people to get into the knife sharpening business. I know he influenced me.
Use an idler wheel from an HF sander. Replace the bearing inside to match the idler shoulder bolt. Edit...6300ZZ bearing. You'll need a couple washers to get it centered due to the thickness of the pulley being less. When done, you have a crowned tracking wheel... I may have been the one to first put tape on my Toolcker...Cliff knew about it when I was doing so! ;)
Well it works I have had tape on mine for many months and if you came up with it BRAVO my friend it has worked for many of us. I would still like a custom wheel, but as long as it's working via tape that's OK too, but maybe one day I can find the time to make it thanks for the bearing info
@ALXSHARPEN to expound on using tape...you can use a full ¾in wide piece wrapped around, or wrap and then cut it with a razor blade around the wheel to make a thinner contact on the tape. I have both Toolcker sanders. The HF pulley mod has been performed on both.
Thanks for the video! I have purchased toolcker after watching a few videos from you and other guys on TH-cam. It is a good machine but I have encountered an issue with running in reverse (away from me) : no matter what l do with tension or tracking adjustments, the belt tends to move to the right side of the platten and stay there. Tried both belts supplied with the same result. I do manage to stabilize the belt that it would not move left or right but this balance can only be achieved when the belt is offset to the right of the platten. Any ideas anyone?
I have an entire section of videos on the Toolcker and upgrades and tricks to get it to work so look at the dates to get an idea. The first one is putting electrical tape on the tracking wheel that solves it for most people second many people have to much tension when I run mine now you will see the platen attachment is almost straight up and down and the arm pushed all the way in. Any belts they send could be junk I get all mine from Cliff so it could also be the belts we also have a new tracking wheel fix but you will need an old HF wheels to do it that’s another video and Cliff is working on a part he said he should have soon to solve the flat tracking wheel some have issues with but I would start with the tape that worked great. I only took it off when a follower set me the bearings to do a convex wheel swap. That should be the most recent video. Just search toolcker or go to my categories I have one dedicated just to all the videos on the toolcker I have made
@@ALXSHARPEN Thanks a lot for all the information. I am in Canada so HF is not an option for us here as far as I know, so will have to wait for a complete solution if replacing the whole wheel. Can you please share a link to Cliff's stuff as I don't quite know who this is? I do not think the belt is to blame because the problem appears only(!) with reverse operation while I tried to put the same belt both ways with the same result. As for applying the tape, did you have any issues with heating it too much? Also, do you still recommend to apply it as in the video (1-1.5mm just in the center of the wheel and not cover its entire surface)?
The tape works great no the heat was not a problem for the tape I used it that way for over a year and only changed it because we came up with the wheel solution
@@ataleph1 go watch my channel trailer the link to Cilf is listed at the top of my TH-cam channel with a few other very useful links I tell you where to find all this in the channel trailer
I just received mine and the tension wheel has a major wobble. I'm not able to keep the belt on it without it going either left or right. Sent and email to you.
Check all your screws many arrive loose. If the wheel is out of round I would exchange it but that would be very odd the tape trick I showed solves most people wondering belts
One other thought is to check it with another belt. They don’t send it with quality belts and I have had belts that run poorly so if you have other 1x30 belts try one or two and see how it runs so we can rule out a bad belt.
@@ALXSHARPEN Does your belt rest in the center of the tension wheel and the large back wheel? Mine centers on the two front wheels and is off-center on the other two. I just purchased a digital microscope through your site btw.
I made some modifications like those mentioned in this video, plus a couple that were inspired by it. The difference is amazing. This has become my go to machine. Thank you so much for the educational videos.
This video was very helpful. I just got a message from Cliff that he "is working on solutions for you Toolcker guys". Please keep these videos coming. Thanks!
Yes he is we had a Guild Of Professional Sharpeners meeting and Cliff was the guest and I asked him if he could make a tracking wheel because I get asked about them all the time
You've got me pretty excited to try one of these Toolcker 1x30's. It looks like a great machine for a very reasonable price. I use an AMK 75 1x30 for sharpening and I really like it but it was expensive. They have a new version of it, AMK 76, that looks even better. It uses a Tormek tool rest that can slide forward and backward and of course, adjust up and down. It also supports 1x30, 1x42, and 2x42 belts. Both models have reversible direction motors that are variable speed.
Thank you for watching
Thanks for the electrical tape tip! I did that to my machines, and it improved the tracking immensely!
Excellent! I did it as well
I have more or less the same setup as you have. And I am grateful for your videos because I learn a lot. Thanks again.
Peter from Holland
Glad to help
Awesome,solved my problem.
Thanks Paul
You’re welcome, glad I could help.
Great video most tracking wheels are crowned which is what the tape accomplished
Just another great video from you, thanks, the tape trick did improved the traking, simple and effective. I got the non magnetic version and the simplest sollution for me was to replace the platin with a metalic one. Just got a 100mmx25mmx3mm metalic band that i drilled and made threads and just replaced the original, it tooked 10 minutes with minimal gear needed. If anyone is interested I can provide some pictures.
Great to hear!
Another great video...TY Paul! I purchased two of the Toolckers and have been very pleased with them...getting ready to get a third. I too have had problems with the tracking with some belts. I'll try the tape. If you find a source for a crowned metal wheel (prefer metal to plastic) to replace the upper wheel, I would buy three or four of them from you. I have not had a problem with the machines running hot, but I operate them in the 1500 to 1800 range. One of my machines has a steel platen, the other is some nonmagnetic alloy.
Thank you -Yes it's strange but I guess they grab what they can get when making them and sometimes it's Steel and sometimes its not. It's such a well built machine but it would be nice to see some consistency in the parts.
If you buy the ~1" M42 rare earth magnets you will have no trouble holding the guide in place through the aluminum platen. I used two of them and had to grind a few thousandths off one to make it fit. They are so strong I can't just pull them apart. I had one laying on a wooden table top and was holding one two more in my hand. I got my hand too close to the table and the magnet jumped off the table and smashed my finger as well as breaking the corner off one of the magnets. It hit hard enough that I had to wrap my finger to keep the blood off my tools. I was finally able to get two of them in a vise where I could grab the one above the vise jaws with a pair of channel locks. I finally got them end to end and put them behind the platen.
The adjustable angle attachment doesn't work well on small knives. I machined one of the shelves to work as a guide and it is much better for small knives. I bought a T-1 Tormek for my kitchen knives, but I like the Toolker for restoring some old knives that need a lot of work.
Does anyone know where to buy replacement parts for the Toolker? Some day it will need something replaced. I would also like to have a parts list for it, but I can't find anything online.
This is a great machine once you learn how to use it and dial everything in. I used your instruction for one of your other videos and use this like a Ken Onion. The only difference is that I remove the platen all together.
Thank you for watching- Thats great I don't love edge tailing sharpening takes to long and removing the burr IMO is a pain going that way but i know many love it.
How about adding some blue stay lock adhesive on the Allen screws?
Leave it to Cliff Curry to have a simple solution! Cliff is really the GOAT of 1x30 sharpening. I think he has inspired a lot of people to get into the knife sharpening business. I know he influenced me.
Yes Cliffs the man! 👍
you can get some small rare earth magnets out of old hard drives- they are quite strong, but not sure if they would hold well enough-
The only problem I've had so far is with the Super Strop leather belts. The electricians tape solved the problem.
awesome
I bought the wen wheel in one of your links but the collar from the unit doesn't fit into the new wheel. What am I missing?
you need to change the bearing
Also make sure the belt is tight. I had too much slack at first.
Thank you for watching and thanks for the advice
Use an idler wheel from an HF sander. Replace the bearing inside to match the idler shoulder bolt. Edit...6300ZZ bearing.
You'll need a couple washers to get it centered due to the thickness of the pulley being less. When done, you have a crowned tracking wheel...
I may have been the one to first put tape on my Toolcker...Cliff knew about it when I was doing so! ;)
Well it works I have had tape on mine for many months and if you came up with it BRAVO my friend it has worked for many of us. I would still like a custom wheel, but as long as it's working via tape that's OK too, but maybe one day I can find the time to make it thanks for the bearing info
@ALXSHARPEN to expound on using tape...you can use a full ¾in wide piece wrapped around, or wrap and then cut it with a razor blade around the wheel to make a thinner contact on the tape.
I have both Toolcker sanders. The HF pulley mod has been performed on both.
Thanks for the video!
I have purchased toolcker after watching a few videos from you and other guys on TH-cam. It is a good machine but
I have encountered an issue with running in reverse (away from me) : no matter what l do with tension or tracking adjustments, the belt tends to move to the right side of the platten and stay there. Tried both belts supplied with the same result. I do manage to stabilize the belt that it would not move left or right but this balance can only be achieved when the belt is offset to the right of the platten. Any ideas anyone?
I have an entire section of videos on the Toolcker and upgrades and tricks to get it to work so look at the dates to get an idea. The first one is putting electrical tape on the tracking wheel that solves it for most people second many people have to much tension when I run mine now you will see the platen attachment is almost straight up and down and the arm pushed all the way in. Any belts they send could be junk I get all mine from Cliff so it could also be the belts we also have a new tracking wheel fix but you will need an old HF wheels to do it that’s another video and Cliff is working on a part he said he should have soon to solve the flat tracking wheel some have issues with but I would start with the tape that worked great. I only took it off when a follower set me the bearings to do a convex wheel swap. That should be the most recent video. Just search toolcker or go to my categories I have one dedicated just to all the videos on the toolcker I have made
@@ALXSHARPEN Thanks a lot for all the information. I am in Canada so HF is not an option for us here as far as I know, so will have to wait for a complete solution if replacing the whole wheel. Can you please share a link to Cliff's stuff as I don't quite know who this is?
I do not think the belt is to blame because the problem appears only(!) with reverse operation while I tried to put the same belt both ways with the same result.
As for applying the tape, did you have any issues with heating it too much? Also, do you still recommend to apply it as in the video (1-1.5mm just in the center of the wheel and not cover its entire surface)?
@@ataleph1 make sure you dont have the belt to tight
The tape works great no the heat was not a problem for the tape I used it that way for over a year and only changed it because we came up with the wheel solution
@@ataleph1 go watch my channel trailer the link to Cilf is listed at the top of my TH-cam channel with a few other very useful links I tell you where to find all this in the channel trailer
I just received mine and the tension wheel has a major wobble. I'm not able to keep the belt on it without it going either left or right. Sent and email to you.
Check all your screws many arrive loose. If the wheel is out of round I would exchange it but that would be very odd the tape trick I showed solves most people wondering belts
@@ALXSHARPEN Thanks!
One other thought is to check it with another belt. They don’t send it with quality belts and I have had belts that run poorly so if you have other 1x30 belts try one or two and see how it runs so we can rule out a bad belt.
@@ALXSHARPEN Great idea, thanks again.
@@ALXSHARPEN Does your belt rest in the center of the tension wheel and the large back wheel? Mine centers on the two front wheels and is off-center on the other two. I just purchased a digital microscope through your site btw.
Is there a way to clean those non-woven belts?
Peter
I see no reason why you couldn't run it under water then dry it