# Grinding Lathe Tools?



## jouesdeveaux (May 11, 2016)

I am an ABSOLUTE beginner, and wherever I read about learning to work on a lathe, they begin by telling you how to grind tools on a grinder. I don't have a grinder. Why is it not possible to put a tool blank into the tool post, a grinding wheel in the chuck, and grind a tool on the lathe?  I know I must be missing something big and obvious, but what exactly am I missing?

As it is, I decided just to by a few indexed tools and learn to grind them later on when I understand more.


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## stupoty (May 11, 2016)

Main problem would be having to protect the ways from all the grinding grit.  Bench grinders are quite cheep and very very handy.  You can fit a polishing wheel to them also for buffing stuff also.  Sharpen drills and lath tools, touch up the end of bolts that have been hacksawn shorter.  

Stuart


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## Wreck™Wreck (May 11, 2016)

A lathe spindle is entirely to slow for grinding for the most part and bench grinders are cheap.


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## intjonmiller (May 11, 2016)

I see the main problem as the difficulty in adjusting the grinding angles. Left and right are easy enough, but others would be much more challenging.

Seriously, a bench grinder is very cheap. Also many people really like the Harbor Freight 1x30 belt grinder for this purpose. It's $45 with a 20% off coupon (available nearly everywhere if you keep an eye out for it, including on their website), and allows you to set your table to a 10 degree angle for the most common relief cuts. If you can't find a quality bench grinder (better than HF) for under, say, $70, I would recommend that grinder. I have done some on my larger 4x36 belt/disc sander/grinder and it works, but the narrow belt with wider table is far better suited for this task. I'm considering getting one in addition to my several other grinders (bench, surface, angle, die...) and just leaving it set to 10 degrees, for my HSS tools.


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## intjonmiller (May 11, 2016)

Oh, also you would have to true up the grinding tool on the lathe, and that would be quite difficult at the speeds that metal lathes operate as just mentioned, not to mention the mess of abrasive everywhere, as also mentioned. I think I would rather do it by hand with a file than on the lathe.


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## kd4gij (May 11, 2016)

Belt-disc sanders work also. Another tool is an angle grinder you could mount it to a bench or something.


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## Al 1 (May 11, 2016)

Try these cutting wheels from H/F 
I use one to grind points on my TIG welding tungsten tips.  It is mounted in a Rotozip with a rheostat speed control.
*
Home
 | 
Large Diamond Rotary Grinding Wheel Set 4 Pc 




Double click on above image to view full picture


Large Diamond Rotary Grinding Wheel Set 4 Pc 




Warrior - Item#69658 


Grind, sharpen, carve and shape with tough diamond grinding wheels 
*

*Al *


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## Charles Spencer (May 11, 2016)

I know it's bad form to quote yourself, but I use a Harbor Freight mini grinder.  I should add that I have an older Craftsman and a Dewalt bench grinder as well.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...acing-tool-questions.36687/page-2#post-314380


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## TommyD (May 11, 2016)

Grinders are cheap, check out Harbor Freight


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## intjonmiller (May 11, 2016)

TommyD said:


> Grinders are cheap, check out Harbor Freight


First check out the reviews on Harbor Freight grinders. They are not excellent, even by HF standards. There are plenty on Amazon with better ratings (over far more reviews) for comparable price.


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## Bob Korves (May 11, 2016)

Craigslist search for "grinder" or "bench grinder."  Find an inexpensive one, make sure it is all there, see it run, smoothly, or walk away and look at another one.


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## Andre (May 11, 2016)

Don't use diamond wheels on steel. With heat the carbon (diamonds) will start to disolve into the hot HSS lathe tool. Not bad for the tool but bad for the wheel.


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## TOOLMASTER (May 11, 2016)

i haven't used a wheel grinder since i got a belt grinder 15 years ago


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## Eddyde (May 11, 2016)

As others said above, get a bench grinder they are a must have tool in any metal/machine shop. I would avoid buying used unless you know what problems to look out for. Get a 6" grinder from HF or HD, you won't regret it.
When learning to grind HSS tools for general turning and facing, don't worry about getting all the angles "textbook perfect", a couple of degrees usually won't make much of a difference.


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## kd4gij (May 11, 2016)

intjonmiller said:


> First check out the reviews on Harbor Freight grinders. They are not excellent, even by HF standards. There are plenty on Amazon with better ratings (over far more reviews) for comparable price.




 I have this one. After making new washers and a spacer it has done me fine,
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-bench-grinder-with-gooseneck-lamp-37822.html


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## intjonmiller (May 11, 2016)

I own a Harbor Freight and I recently gave away an old Buffalo. I miss the Buffalo. I thought the Harbor Freight unit was good until I used truly good ones. The kind that will spin for 3-5 minutes after you shut off the power, if there's no load. The kind with tool rests and safety shields that stay where you put them without upgrading their hardware. 

Nearly every wheel I've ever seen benefitted greatly from shop-made bushings (washers and bushings in one, actually), regardless of the grinder in use.


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## stupoty (May 12, 2016)

It's true with the real cheep ones, make new washers for the wheels, it realy sorts them out,  , I did get a cheep one recently with a bent shaft on it but luckily I had no problems exchanging it for a new one, yay. 

Stuart


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## jouesdeveaux (May 12, 2016)

Thanks, folks. I really appreciate the advice.


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## intjonmiller (May 14, 2016)

While looking for something else today, I came across this graphic. It is the single most helpful one I have ever seen for starting to understand lathe tooling. It doesn't include the complete tool geometry, it's just a quick reference. I'm still new enough on the lathe (less than 100 hours) that I'm taping it in my tooling cabinet for reference. I uploaded it to the downloads section so people can find it without necessarily reading this thread: 

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/resources/understanding-lathe-tools.2983/


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## jouesdeveaux (May 14, 2016)

Thanks, Intjonm,. I found that site very useful.


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