# Sorby Proedge Deluxe



## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I purchased the Proedge yesterday at Klingspor when I attended the local turning club meeting. Out of the box everything appeared OK. I started it and the belt tracked OK. I sharpened a tool and then lowered the machine to sharpen a skew. When I returned the machine to the upright position and restarted it the belt would have come completely off if not for the tool platform and belt guard. I tried to adjust tracking but no matter what I did the belt went to the right. I have email Sorby for recommendations. After that I removed the belt to get a better look at the tracking mechanism. I will use Sorby's terminology to describe what I found. To adjust the tracking you turn a spindle shaft after backing off on the locking collar. I would think the piece directly behind the locking collar would be threaded. It is not or it is totally stripped out because if you back off on the locking collar you can move the spindle back and forth with out turning it. Also if you hold the spindle shaft and turn the locking collar the spindle shaft moves out with it. The threads appear to be damaged on part of the spindle shaft also. 
I hope someone here has the Proedge and can tell me that I am correct in the missing threads. I don't see how the tracking adjustment can do anything the way it is. I have emailed Sorby with the additional things I found. I don't expect to hear from them until tomorrow.
I can tell you I am very upset spending $500 for what I thought was a precision piece of equipment. If I am correct on the problem there is no excuse for it leaving the factory in this condition. I ran it for less than 15 minutes
Tom


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, if it were me, I would through it back in the box and take it to your supplier for exchange... Klingspor will stand behind this size of purchase for sure....


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

It's about a 90 mile round trip to Klingspor. I figure I will hear back from Sorby tomorrow morning. Depending on what they tell me I am going to tell them I plan to take it back to Klingspor. The people at Klingspor know me so if I do go for a replacement I am going to make it out of the box and make sure it works so I don't have another 90 mile round trip.
Tom


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, if need be, I can take mine apart and take pictures. So let me know how things progress... My nearest supplier is a 2 hours round trip so a trip to Klingspor would be a real treat...


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, I re read your message and there is also a problem at the lower end of things as well. How much looseness is there in the mount where the unit pivots? You should be able to tilt/rotate the part that the belt runs on by loosening two screws down near the bottom drive pulley. You do have to keep that bottom bolts tight or the belt will not run true. There should be no looseness once the two screws are tightened back up. My unit had very loose screws that attached that assembly to the motor. Had to take it all apart, tighten the screws in the mount, then put it all back together...
Sorby extended my warranty by 6 months for letting them know what I found. It has run perfect ever since...


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## jgilfor (Jan 25, 2013)

I have one of the units. Have to add, that I don't use it much anymore for sharpening turning tools. Use my Tormek or CBN wheel on grinder with RoboRest.

Anyway, I'm not really sure what you are alluding to. Pictures would help. I took mine back and forth by loosening a single screw at the bottom of the right hand side with the provided Allen wrench. I have never had a problem with the belt being loose. Tracking is easily adjusted with the Sorby specifi d tracking adjustment screw, but I almost never need to do that.

My biggest problem with the unit was getting it to allow a full swing to the side for sharpenkng a gouge in the swept back fashion. I eventually altered the after-market gouge pivot to be thinner at the point where it attaches to the swing bar.

Still feel I get a much sharper tool off the Tormek though.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't have a problem with the unit going up and down. I have a belt tracking problem. I am attaching a photo. If you see the threads on the belt tracking spindle, there are no threads for it to screw into. If I take the tension off the belt I can pull that spindle in or out. I did not turn it to get the photo of the threads, I just pulled it out. Hope this helps. Can one of you tell me if the piece of metal to the right of the threads is threaded on your unit?
Tom


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, I hope you have the two rods that are used to tighten this assembly up and adjust the belt tracking mechanism. Mine is exactly like yours, the only thing that tightens is the round collar with the holes for the rod. The shaft is rotated ever so slitty with the other rod while you loosen and then tighten the collar.
Did you get a manual with the machine, have a read of the section on alignment. It will become as clear as mud!!!


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I not sure why I can't explain my problem. I have the two rods to turn the spindle shaft and locking collar. However, if the only thing that has female threads is the locking collar I can't see how it will work. Could you please tell me if the piece of metal that the locking collar sets next too has female threads. The only way I can see how you could move the upper pulley and secure it from moving with the locking collar is for that piece to be threaded. Mine is not or they are totally stripped. 
Tom


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Let me skits other way. With the locking collar tighten can you move the spindle that is threaded into the locking collar back and forth about 1/2" by simply pulling and pushing on it? I can.
Tom


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Did you remove the tracking spindle to examine the threads and also the threads on the locking collar and the frame of the machine to see if any of the threads were stripped? If so, somebody stripped the threads. Could be a number of possibilities, but probably not Sorby. Maybe somebody at Klingspor or maybe somebody used it then broke it and returned it. If the threads in the body are stripped then you will have to return it.

At any rate, it seems pretty simple to identify the problem. It appears to me that the belt tracking adjustment probably presses against the part that holds the upper belt sheave.

Sorby is an outstanding company to work with. I had a beading tool that had a slightly asymmetrical shape on the tip so I emailed them about it. They sent me a replacement directly from the UK with no further questions asked. I suggested returning it to the dealer, but they wanted to make sure that I got one that was perfect.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

The box was totally sealed and I believe it came from the factory that way. I did not take anything apart other than removing the belt guard and belt. I would have to remove the upper pulley and bearing to inspect the threads. I know that the threads are damaged or do not exist because I can slide the thread shaft back and forth thru the hole. I am 99.9 per cent certain that that piece has to have threads to work properly. I guess I just didn't explain it well enough for most of the folk trying to help to understand. I hope to hear from Sorby by the time I get up in the morning beefing they are 5 hours ahead of us. 
Tom


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

TomC said:


> The box was totally sealed and I believe it came from the factory that way. I did not take anything apart other than removing the belt guard and belt. I would have to remove the upper pulley and bearing to inspect the threads. I know that the threads are damaged or do not exist because I can slide the thread shaft back and forth thru the hole. I am 99.9 per cent certain that that piece has to have threads to work properly. I guess I just didn't explain it well enough for most of the folk trying to help to understand. I hope to hear from Sorby by the time I get up in the morning beefing they are 5 hours ahead of us.
> Tom


So basically what you are saying is that the locking collar can't be tightened because the spindle is just floating loose and not attached to anything.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

BTW, you might want to read this thread on a UK forum:
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/sorby-proedge-belt-alignment-problems-t76226.html

In this case the frame was apparently bent.


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, there are no threadsin the frame side that the spindle goes through. You don't need to have threads in there, all you need to do is tighten the collar back up to the right, the shaft has an eccentric on it so all you need to do is turn it just a few degrees to move the top pulley and make the belt run straight...


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks Sydney,
That's the question I have been trying to get answered. I know what the problem is now. The threads are damaged on the spindle where you can't get it to pull up all the way to lock it. When I tighten the locking collar all the way I can still pull the spindle out by hand. I have got an email from Sorby saying someone will be contacting me. Again thanks!
Tom


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Syd Sellers said:


> Tom, there are no threadsin the frame side that the spindle goes through. You don't need to have threads in there, all you need to do is tighten the collar back up to the right, the shaft has an eccentric on it so all you need to do is turn it just a few degrees to move the top pulley and make the belt run straight...


Sys, there needs to be something else besides the locking collar that is threaded ... Otherwise there is nothing for it to jam against. It seems to me that the most likely thing would be the eccentric. I suppose that it is possible to strip the threads in the eccentric if the locking collar isn't loosened before turning the spindle.

The problem discovered in the thread that I referenced above was due to a bent frame. It was a very thick piece of steel (10 mm) so it had to be bent during fabrication of the part and it wasn't noticed during assembly.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Had several emails with Sorby this morning. They are going to send mean entire upper pulley assembly so I don't have to pull and replace the bearing to get a shaft with good threads. They are also, going to send me some ceramic belts for my agreeing to do the replacement myself. I have placed a shim between the locking collar and the frame so the upper pulley is held tight. I now have the belt tracking properly and can use the unit while waiting on the replacement parts. I will say Sorby resolved this problem to my satisfaction very quick.
Tom


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

Tom, Good going.... Nice to see the unit is back in operation... That upper shaft with the belt loosening lever and such is why I purchased this unit, otherwise I was going to try and make the same unit myself... but couldn't get the fine adjustment needed to make the belt run right...Without it the unit is no good!!!


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks Sydney,
I got all my lathe tools sharpened today.I have been making a lot of long wood ribbons. Unit appears to work very well.
Tom


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Tom, your experience with Sorby is very similar to mine. They always seem very eager to go the extra mile (or kilometer) to get things right and then some. That is one of the reasons that I prefer to deal with companies like Sorby rather than going for the lowest cost product that likely won't have good customer support when things go wrong.

The weather here has been too rotten to do any turning since I have to do my turning outdoors.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree with you Bill, with today's dealing with them they are a great company and I would highly recommend them for their product and the way they stand behind it. A very good experience today.
Tom


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Somebody on another forum (won't mention which one and not the one reference above) had a problem with his ProEdge and without contacting the dealer or Sorby, went on a rant trashing them for their lousy product and wild speculations about the problems that lay ahead to get things right. Others big mouths joined the tar and feather party. Apparently somebody alerted the dealer and the US/Canada rep for Sorby and they posted replies that were very gentlemanly and restrained considering what had taken place. They stated that they would have gladly got things straightened out to the person's satisfaction if he had bothered to contact them. After that, the thread went quiet -- I suppose that the OP and other hooligans were too sheepish to reply.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Just got my repair parts from Sorby. It took less than 5 minutes to replace the shaft and have the belt tracking properly. I also got two ceramic belts; a60 grit and a 120.
Tom


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