Well, this dosen't look safe!

[brino]

Just not worth all of that for a sharp drill bit in my mind.

Hopefully not literally!
-brino

 

[Rustrp]

There's a couple of things that happen when a wheel explodes and the first is the quality of the wheel, the second is a wheel that's been abused or not dressed or someone has used the wheel for nonferrous material and not cleaned it up. I don't think sideloading should be ignored because everyone will do it different. I've used the shapener pictured in two different shops and they were set up so the face of the drill was used, not the side. I think the big difference in how it's used, is how the grinder is mounted. Due to the limitations placed on the grinder when it's mounted on a bench, I mounted mine on a pedestal, so now it's a pedestal grinder. With a bracket or tool rest in front of the wheel to mount the gadget, it works as intended. They work better than I can grind by hand but you don't get split points, and in the larger drill bit category this isn't an issue. When a grinder is mounted on a bench (I know they're bench grinders) there's no alternative for the everyday home shop guy but to use it as it's shown. Make a bracket and mount it so it can be used on the face.

"I've done it like this for years" he says to the ER doc.

 

[JimDawson]

The "flame suit" comment is a perhaps a little in jest........I know this site would not put up with real abuse.

We'll make an exception in your case.

 

[mikey]

Hmm, Roasted Brino ...

 

[Rustrp]

It's just this topic usually brings out the folks that say it's a death trap and will never be an acceptable way to use a grinder.

I think if someone chose to do so it's all well and good. I think most wheel disintergrations come from cheap, poor quality wheels or abuse, but as an employer I would never allow someone to sideload a wheel. My first choice in using this attachment as it's shown would be a cup wheel designed for the application. I have one I've used so many times it looks new. The are many alternatives to using the side of a wheel. I think more accidents occur caused by the incorrect clearance of the tool rest to the wheel than will ever occur by sideloading.

I think you were looking for a reason to wear the suit.

 

[mikey]

All joking aside, I took another look at this and found out that vitrified grinding wheels have less tensile strength than porcelain or glass. See this: http://en.kuretoishi.com/support/attention/follow.html

I suppose a lot of guys who bear down to grind a HSS tool on a wheel are unaware that even on the rim, the wheel is not intended to take that much load bearing. We KNOW we should let the wheel cut but I think too many of us think this is too slow and we're gonna MAKE that wheel cut faster by bearing down. Big mistake.

If I had to grind tools on a bench grinder I would opt for CBN wheels. No danger of explosion and you can grind on the sides all you want.

I can tell you that when a grinding wheel lets go, it is truly amazing to realize how powerful your anal sphincters are and how fast they can contract! Same goes for a snapping belt on your belt sander when it lets go with your face just inches from the belt - makes you a true believer in personal safety equipment.

 

[ELHEAD]

Just a thought but wearing the wheel side and weakening the circumference be more of a problem than than simply the side load. I just recently set up the Craftsman version (US made by General I think) and placed min in the front. I've only used it on larger bits so far an thought they did a great job.
Dave

 

[Bob Korves]

Those things do get "trashed" here quite regularly by the higher-end machinists.

However I just got one recently, and it works great!
I got it after a bunch of investigation. (I'll post a link if I can find it to a review of Drill Doctor vs. this type of sharpener)
The Drill Doctor was just not in the budget, and I believe this will serve me well.

The only problem I have is that I moved the sharpener base before measuring/marking the location after I found the "sweet spot". Now I need to go thru the "calibration" process again.....

Putting on my flame suit!
-brino

How close the nose of the tool is to the wheel is how you set the back rake and chisel angle, and is different for different helix angles.

 

[Terrywerm]

I used one of those jigs for many, many years, first in my dad's shop, and I now have something similar made by Atlas. They both use the side of the wheel. As others have mentioned, the forces involved are very light, although I must admit that there is always a slight risk of someone trying to use it without a proper education first, but I know that the chances of that in my shop are slim to none. None the less, a full face shield hangs at my grinder and I use it every time I use the grinder. My boys know to use it also, and thus far I've never seen them use the grinder without it.

 

[Bob Korves]

Just a thought but wearing the wheel side and weakening the circumference be more of a problem than than simply the side load. I just recently set up the Craftsman version (US made by General I think) and placed min in the front. I've only used it on larger bits so far an thought they did a great job.
Dave

I have ground hundreds of drills on the side of one aluminum oxide 100 grit wheel, and if you looked at it you might guess someone tried to grind one drill on it. There is absolutely no visible 'wasp waist' on the wheel. It appears barely used. Cuts are kept light, no hogging, even on heavily damaged drill points. Hogging on the face of a wheel can also create grooves and explosions.