Edge Pro Beveltech - Weighted base or clamp down to bench?

[ChasingSharpness]

I was looking at the Edge Pro Beveltech and the Apex with the new metal base frame, and I was thinking what is the best approach to fix it to a table to stop it wobbling around?

I noticed they have a weighted base option with some rubber feet, and I've also seen people screw or clamp it down.

For my K03, the little rubber feet on the base make it more wobbly than when it's clamped down, so the base is mostly just gathering dust. I was wondering if anyone had any expirence with the Edgepro weighted base, and if this has any wobble, or if it's rubber feet are removable?

I was also exploring this for the option of portability, although I think it will mostly just be fixed in place.

 

[Wowbagger]

Up 'till now I hadn't paid any attention to the Edge Pro Beveltech .
hmmmmm
I think I prefer my decade old Edge Pro Apex with the four stable feet and the suction cups.
. . . lets see now :
One skinny pedestal in the middle . . . are we sure about this ? ? ?
Then to make it "better" we add a big , clunky , flat , heavy , thing ? ? ? (didn't we learn how awkward that can be from the Wicked Edge ?)
or
SCREW IT to the counter ? ? ?
nope , nope , nope , nope.
at least not for me
I sharpen near a good running water source with a sink and faucet . . . and where is the most handy and most common location for said miracle of aqua access . . . .wait for it . . .
The Kitchen !
Screw my sharpener to the kitchen counter ? Are you high ? (not you the new designers)

Personally I put down a thickish hard rubber mat and suction cup my Old Reliable Apex to that and go to town .
I have a Wicked Edge by the way with the heavy base ; never use it ; though I like the diamond stones from it for hand sharpening .

PS: the rubber mat acts as a dust coverr / lid on a Rubber Made dish washing tub full of my sharpening stones (full size and Edge Pro) when not sharpening.
Perfection !

 

[Diemaker]

I make the steel bases, have a stack in my shop right now, but have never used one, so I can't comment. The rubber feet screw into the plate with 6-32 threads so you can remove them, but I doubt you would want to. I can say the single mount in the middle of the blade table is solid, no flex there.

On a similar note, there is now an aluminum mount for the Apex that is rock solid, and can mount to the Beveltech's steel base plate. If you ever wanted a more secure mount for your Apex, I always did, then this certainly fills that wish. You can mount your Apex to the mount without removing anything or modifying anything. Just slide it on and gently tighten 4 screws. Long story to its development, but I got to have a lot of input in it, kind of a pet project.

 

[Wowbagger]

I can say the single mount in the middle of the blade table is solid, no flex there

With all due respect ; I'm not seeing flex so much as the two slick flats , held together by only one screw , slipping / pivoting as I bang the rod against the stop.
I tend to use the full length of my stones and go fairly quickly so there is some light bang fairly often when I get to the end of the rod travel.
So now I am always checking the pivot bolt to be sure it is tight enough . Just another thing to do .

The STABLE four feet on the old Apex have been "worry free" / "out of mind" for more than a decade .

Ha ha ha I have considered getting a second Apex so when I get a brand new knife that has two , unintentionally , different sharpening angles and I want to geeeterdone sharp quick for the next day without having to reprofile / correct the steeper bevel to match the shallower one I can go back and forth between the two , each set up for the respective angle .

That's where the Wicked Edge Shines but . . .

So far all I have done is correct the bad angle when I don't want to take the time and cuss the silly suckers that ground it that way .

 

[Rob Babcock]

I think the vacuum base is the way to go.

 

[Diemaker]

two slick flats , held together by only one screw , slipping / pivoting as I bang the rod against the stop.

The STABLE four feet on the old Apex have been "worry free" / "out of mind" for more than a decade .

Assuming I understand the first sentence the Beveltech uses two 1/4-28 screws to hold the leg to either the blade table or base. This gives you around 5,000 lbs holding the parts together. On my sharpener, which I used the same design for the Apex mount, I use two locating bosses and an 8-32 screw in the center which gives around 1,000 lbs of holding force, but think 250 lbs is plenty to hold the connections securely.

The new Apex mount is far more stable than the suction cups and legs, and stiffens the blade table considerably.

I don't have one assembled but here are photos of the leg and how it attaches as well as the top of the plate. It fits through the holes in the Apex blade table and has 4 wedges that clamp it firmly to the table.