I can't justify the $700 plus that the Tomerk system brings. This is a slow grinder with two wheels and should be replicable for a reasonable price. A good high speed non wet grinder goes for a hundred bucks or less, there should be a good wet one for close to that price..
There's a host of imitators.. Vervo, Grizzley, Wen, Ironton, Record Power, Delta (?) and maybe five others.
The Wen is unnecessarily reversible and looks like junk. The Grizzley is poorly rated with a poor shaft and non bearing poorly fashioned supports.
Makita is a good company but their system doesn't look "wet' enough, grinds horizontally and appears incompatible with the Tormerk jigs (an important feature).
Somehow the Ironton looks solid (maybe illusionary) but it's an 8' wheel. I'd like the 10" simply because there's a highly rated Japanese wet stone wheel that might be an option down the road and the suspicion that the larger wheel can provide a sharper grind.
The Ironton is only $119.00 and that , in and of itself, seems to mitigate against quality.
The JETT has received some good reviews on you tube videos (hardly convincing). I don't trust the options or ability to change tension and rpm's. Just sounds like something else to go wrong. At $299.00 that's still less than the smaller Tomerk but seems to imply a quality product.
Someone out there must have done this exercise and any input will be appreciated. Or should I just bite the bullet and go with the 10" 700 plus Tomerk.
There's a host of imitators.. Vervo, Grizzley, Wen, Ironton, Record Power, Delta (?) and maybe five others.
The Wen is unnecessarily reversible and looks like junk. The Grizzley is poorly rated with a poor shaft and non bearing poorly fashioned supports.
Makita is a good company but their system doesn't look "wet' enough, grinds horizontally and appears incompatible with the Tormerk jigs (an important feature).
Somehow the Ironton looks solid (maybe illusionary) but it's an 8' wheel. I'd like the 10" simply because there's a highly rated Japanese wet stone wheel that might be an option down the road and the suspicion that the larger wheel can provide a sharper grind.
The Ironton is only $119.00 and that , in and of itself, seems to mitigate against quality.
The JETT has received some good reviews on you tube videos (hardly convincing). I don't trust the options or ability to change tension and rpm's. Just sounds like something else to go wrong. At $299.00 that's still less than the smaller Tomerk but seems to imply a quality product.
Someone out there must have done this exercise and any input will be appreciated. Or should I just bite the bullet and go with the 10" 700 plus Tomerk.
