[Newbie] Help Buying A New Bench Grinder

mikey said:
Might go down in flames here but have you considered a belt sander/grinder instead? They are far more newbie-friendly than a bench grinder, at least in my experience. Something to think about.
Click to expand...

I've considered and plan to for Kydex, but not for other grinding... I agree with you, they are safer/forgiving for people who have yet to have a "uh oh" moment, but I have passed that point thank God.
My concern for speed is just having better control of heat (while I know HSS isn't as heat sensitive as my fingers) and grind rate. I AM new to this type of machining and tool making.
Input appreciated, and defiantly wouldn't consider it a flame out!
Thanks
 
stupoty said:
I probably should have returned it but I think maybe at that price it's probably the norm(i think i paid around £30 ), i'm amazed it still works, i've had it a while now. I was suposed to be a stop gap grinder but I just havn't made the step up to a nicer one. I've been keeping an eye out for one on a stand on the ebay as I think in my space that might be better as i need all the work surface I can squeeze in.


I just had a look at the rpm and its 2950 on mine which seems fine for my tools although im on 6inch wheels so the surface speed would be a bit lower than an 8 inch, and noticed it has a time of 30min written on it which it definetly gets hot before that.

We need a top ten list of good afordable bench grinders :)

Stuart
Click to expand...
I agree! We all know everyone (or near everyone) in here has a bench grinder. And there is NO way they all love em... :confused 3:
Surely there are folks who would enjoy this information as much as I? I think Franko had a viable suggestion with the Delta, but it would be nice to compare a couple.
Just wait til I ask about Lathes!

:headache:
 
A couple of thoughts:

Vibration in a bench grinder is more likely due to crappy grinding wheels than the grinder motor. Easy to check, take the wheels off and see if the motor still vibrates. If so, take it back - if not, get some good wheels and start over. Invest in a wheel dresser and use it occasionally to keep the wheels round and flat.

3600 RPM should not be a problem - you should always have a cup of water to quench/cool whatever you're grinding if it's heat-sensitive like HSS for tools. Grind a little, quench, grind a little more, quench, repeat as needed.

6" vs. 8"? I started out with a 6" grinder and it was fine - then I got an 8" and it was much better. More power, faster cutting and able to work on longer pieces without the motor getting in the way.

Yes, a belt sander is a nice addition - but get a grinder first. Sanding belts wear quickly.

The eyeshields on most grinders are worthless, especially if they're plastic. Either opaque from the swarf or the screws loosen and they flop down into the work area. Always wear real safety glasses or a full-face shield and then flip the grinder eyeshield up and out of the way.

I have a couple of Jet brand 8" grinders that I've used the heck out of and still purring along 20+ years later.

Just my two cents worth

Stu
 
gr8legs said:
A couple of thoughts:

Vibration in a bench grinder is more likely due to crappy grinding wheels than the grinder motor. Easy to check, take the wheels off and see if the motor still vibrates. If so, take it back - if not, get some good wheels and start over. Invest in a wheel dresser and use it occasionally to keep the wheels round and flat.

3600 RPM should not be a problem - you should always have a cup of water to quench/cool whatever you're grinding if it's heat-sensitive like HSS for tools. Grind a little, quench, grind a little more, quench, repeat as needed.

6" vs. 8"? I started out with a 6" grinder and it was fine - then I got an 8" and it was much better. More power, faster cutting and able to work on longer pieces without the motor getting in the way.

Yes, a belt sander is a nice addition - but get a grinder first. Sanding belts wear quickly.

The eyeshields on most grinders are worthless, especially if they're plastic. Either opaque from the swarf or the screws loosen and they flop down into the work area. Always wear real safety glasses or a full-face shield and then flip the grinder eyeshield up and out of the way.

I have a couple of Jet brand 8" grinders that I've used the heck out of and still purring along 20+ years later.

Just my two cents worth

Stu
Click to expand...

Hello,

I'm sure i've pulled the stones off the grinder before but thought I should have another look, mine does run almost totaly smooth with no wheels or mounting hardware on it, so I had a dig around for some grinding wheels that might fit(that makes me sound a little like a hoarder dosnt it) anyway I found a couple that fitted, indeed much better than the other wheels but still some vibration, I noticed their seemed to be a lot of side to side wobble, the cones that press down on the wheel arn't very good at all (i see a side project apearing ;). Also the decent quality wheels seem quite a bit lighter?

Interestingly the factory fitted wheels dont have a seperate bushing but a poured plastic core thats been bored or drilled out.

So yes like he says wheels play a big factor.

Stuart
 
Stu, you might want to check to be sure there is a paper label on both sides of your grinder wheels. They aren't just someplace for information; they're actually paper spacers to cushion and even out the pressure from the side plates. Quite often, just replacing one that's lost is all you need to get a wheel to run true, or truer anyway. I use a piece of a high-quality mailing envelope, the kind with fibers you can see in it, and that works well.

You probably knew this but I thought I'd toss it out.
 
I own several bench grinders and the first ones I got were the cheapest I could find. Not one of them vibrates or has any noticeable runout. I purchased the porter cable because I prefer slower grinding speeds and I intended to mount my Trick Tools belt grinder on it. Slower rpm takes a little longer on some things but the up side is that because your are taking less material off per second, mistakes are smaller and subtle delicate grinds are more manageable.

The variable speed Porter Cable grinder I got came with the most balanced wheels I have. When it is running you can barely hear or feel it. Supposedly, it runs from about 3700 to 1850 rpm.

That said, I'll rant a bit about Delta and Porter Cable. When I first started buying tools they were considered top-end professional tools. That is just not true any more. They seem to have changed their business model to go for the big box customers. If Ryobi made a variable speed bench grinder, I would have chosen it. There really isn't any difference.

I wouldn't recommend a belt grinder for sharpening tools. All of the belts I've ever seen have a bump at the seam, Even the highest quality belts I could find. For that reason, grinding with a belt grinder on the platen has never been satisfactory for me.
 
You will have to wait a while but if you hold out you can eventually find an old Rockwell Delta grinder. I have two of them. One is an 8" that belonged to a friend of my dad's and then my dad. It is 120VAC. This grinder was built in 1955 and is still running smooth and strong. The other is a 7" that is of about the same age or a little younger but is these that was 120VAC and 8" It was listed at $250. I would have liked to bought that one, fixed up the 7" and then sold the 7".

If you hold out you can find an older Delta Rockwell. It won;t be the cheapest grinder but you will love it.

Regarding stones. Buy quality stones. Norton are probably the best but you can still get a bad one with them. Cheap stones are notorious for being out of balance or wobbly. Get a good quality stone and then dress it. Right out of the box you will have to dress it to be circular on your arbor. If you take the stone off the grinder and then put it back on you will probably have to dress it again as it will be a little out of round.

Research dressing tools and get a good one of these also. TubalCain has a good video on stone dressing.

Vlad
 
mikey said:
Stu, you might want to check to be sure there is a paper label on both sides of your grinder wheels. They aren't just someplace for information; they're actually paper spacers to cushion and even out the pressure from the side plates. Quite often, just replacing one that's lost is all you need to get a wheel to run true, or truer anyway. I use a piece of a high-quality mailing envelope, the kind with fibers you can see in it, and that works well.

You probably knew this but I thought I'd toss it out.
Click to expand...

Hello, good point, yup i've got the paper washers on, I had to stop myself comenting on a youtube video the otherday where the guy was having issues getting he left hand wheel undone (turning wrong way) and also had no paper washers on(the reminants of them was visible)

I've herd the paper washers helps with them not explodeing , that sounds bad :0

Stuart
 
Consider used!

My first grinder was an 8" from Harbor Freight. It was underpowered and the tool rests and eye shields were a joke. Oddly enough the wheels were well balanced and it did run smooth. My next grinder is a 1970s vintage 7" Craftsman yard sale purchase. The original wheels were bad and it vibrated like crazy. New wheels turned that into a great machine. Next up a Craigs list buy 10" Sioux (actually rebranded Wissota). This is light for a 10" but still a nice machine. I paid $50 for it, replaced the power cord and bearings (about $25 more) and new wheels (about $120 for 2). So for about $200 I have a very nice 10". Next up a 6" Craftsman $40 on craigs list. This is a 1960's vintage machine. It's decent, no vibration it probably could use new bearings soon but otherwise runs great. Lastly another Craigs list $40 6" Delta Rockwell 1970's vintage. This is a rebranded Baldor. It's on a funky ho-made stand. It really needs bearings and is on my TODO list. This should be a good machine also. I gave away the Horror Fright grinder to a neighbor but I still have all the others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top