Bench Grinder - should I get one ?

[JimM]

Hi all

Thinking about getting a bench grinder, mainly for use with a polishing mop and I've seen what looks like a decent one nearby. However space is at a premium in my garage and not sure it worth sacrificing what little I have for something I won't be using very much.

Apart from sharpening and polishing jobs is there anything else they are useful for ?

Thanks

Jim

 

[rtbcomp]

You only miss a bench grinder when the one have breaks down. They tend to get taken for granted.

As well as sharpening I've use mine for shaping bits of metal (rounding corners &c) and de-burring.

 

[English Steve]

Ditto the above. Wouldn't be without mine now.

 

[malcolm]

I've got a wire brush on mine which is handy for cleaning things up. Otherwise just shaping tungstons for me.

A friend had a nasty accident with his - too big a gap between the base and the grindng wheel and it sucked his work in with his thumb. Got to keep them properly set up to avoid that.

 

[rtbcomp]

An interesting warning came with mine - when fitting a new wheel, let it spin for a couple of minutes while standing at a safe distance; because if you have a faulty wheel it will disintegrate within the first minute of running!

 

[Justme]

Good tip.


Would not be without mine. Its supprising what you use it for once you have one.


Jsutme

 

[storm monkey]

Mine has paid for its-self in drill bits. It's only a small bench top one, so can be stored easily, but very very handy.

Having read above, I'm now thinking of getting a polishing mop for it too!

Phil

 

[MrFluffy]

I got 3, you have to have at least one, I think that its the tool that gets used the most for the amount of space it takes up. Once youve had one for a bit, you wont be without one, if its touching up drill edges, quick grind of a tig tip (this should be a dedicated stone I believe, but I use my normal one...) or making something good. I switch one of the grinders on at least once a session for something.
One is set up with "normal" grinding wheels, rough and coarse, the second just has heads to mount buffing wheels on, and the third carries a wire brush one end and a green (carbide grinding) wheel the other side.
All mine are little 240 jobbies, but ive been thinking about investing in a monster one.
On the subject of safety, never grind ally on a normal stone, the alloy gets embedded, melts in and expands next time you use it, potentially bursting the wheel.
And position it somewhere they wont spew grit into a sensitive machine or something, mine fire out the rear onto a flat bench where I can hoover it up at will, they shed the most when you use a diamond stone dressing tool on them to true them back to flat...
Reminds me, I need some new stones again

 

[JimM]

Cheers guys, I've put one on the shopping list.

The one I've seen is a KEF Slibette 6Ne 251-500W, it's old but working, anyone know if this is a reasonable machine ?

Thanks

Jim

 

[malcolm]

Mine only cost about £30 new and seems fine. Why are you looking secondhand? I'd be inclined to go for something that you know you can get stones for - or know you can get a replacement your custom bits will fit.

No idea about the KEF though.

 

[Hitch]

Drill/cutter sharpening and tungsten grinding is about it for ours.
A wire wheel does come in handy sometimes aswell though.

Not sure about the Kef ones, but the heavier it is, normaly the better it is i have found
Most of our deburring is done on a linisher, much better than a grinding wheel, you can get ones with wheel one end, belt the other.

 

[JimM]

Hi Malcolm

Wasn't necessarily after a secondhand one but just spotted this one and it looked a bit more robust than some, comes with a stand too.

http://tinyurl.com/2aaqhm

The last time I used a bench grinder it seemed a bit weedy so wanted something with a bit more grunt. If they are much of a muchness then I'll look for something new.

Cheers

Jim

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

mine was used a lot when I was making market stall...

a 10 foot stall would need 22 'pockets' (to take the 'pins' for dropping bars in place) so I ran off-cuts of 1" box through the chop-saw to make 3 - 4" pockets.

I would then run all 8 edges on each pocket across the bench grinder before welding it on.

But then I used the bench grinder twice today for sharpening a cold chisel and then later a screwdriver.

MOT time, needed to change the front discs and one side was corroded on. Took three grinders with different discs, a drill and a 13 pound hammer to get the bugger off!

So drill sharpening? I've seen a fancy gadget that holds the drill bit at the right angle and you grind down to that on both sides...are they much use or do you prefer to judge by 'eye'?

Regards
Peter

 

[Wozzaaah]

An interesting warning came with mine - when fitting a new wheel, let it spin for a couple of minutes while standing at a safe distance; because if you have a faulty wheel it will disintegrate within the first minute of running!

When I did an abrasive wheels course years ago I was taught to do a 'ring' test on the wheel before fitting it too, makes sense really, if it doesn't sound right don't mount it.

 

[rtbcomp]

When I did an abrasive wheels course years ago I was taught to do a 'ring' test on the wheel before fitting it too, makes sense really, if it doesn't sound right don't mount it.

Which is OK if you know how it should sound!

A guy I knew invented a device for testing grinding wheels, it had a microphone and you tapped the wheel under test. If the wheel was OK a green LED lit, if not a red one lit.

 

[hareng]

Jim i have good vibes about that KEF,ask the seller if its English or European, think it is. Will be a bargain if around £60

Depends what you want to polish?
Small intricate items are better done on something like a 6", trouble is nearly all are ****** and the motors dont have any poke even when rated at 1/2hp. Slightest touch and it slows, been there done it for 10 years with a £40 one. As a comparison i also have a Wolf 5" with a 1/3hp motor but with 6" mop wheel, it does not slow no where near as much as the beefier ******.
Dont use the bench grinder that much but for sharpening tools etc i use a 8" 3/4hp Draper, looks like its made in ****** land. One green wheel for carbide and a medium for lathe tooling, think it was £75/80 about 5 years ago.
If you are in to polishing larger items that you can get a good grip on, i mean a good grip and lock yourself up, a pedestal 10" is very handy. Mine was 3 phase ex college, but slapped a 2hp english motor in it running 5800rpm in opposite direction- Just hang on, it skates off, better than scrappng the job when it bounces off the walls running in the other direction!

 

[Wozzaaah]

Which is OK if you know how it should sound!

A guy I knew invented a device for testing grinding wheels, it had a microphone and you tapped the wheel under test. If the wheel was OK a green LED lit, if not a red one lit.

I seem to remember the guy demonstrating how good and bad ones should sound but it was a long, long time ago so the sound is but a distant memory now .
I'd think if it was majorly cracked it would probably sound dull but minor faults wouldn't be so easy to detect. Did his device ever take off or was it just for his personal use? Sounds like a useful tool, I wouldn't fancy a faceful of grinding wheel!

 

[Hitch]

Give it a good knock sideways, thatll soon see if its a dodgy one....
If its not, it will be

Peter, re the drill sharpening, i do mine by eye, usually get better results! And its easy to change the angles, or thin the tip when doing it by eye. It does takes some practice though.

 

[snowcat]

Its funny in the enginners black book, It tells you to finnish drills on the side of the wheel, but when I did the abrasive wheels course, Its a big no no,

 

[rtbcomp]

I seem to remember the guy demonstrating how good and bad ones should sound but it was a long, long time ago so the sound is but a distant memory now .
I'd think if it was majorly cracked it would probably sound dull but minor faults wouldn't be so easy to detect. Did his device ever take off or was it just for his personal use? Sounds like a useful tool, I wouldn't fancy a faceful of grinding wheel!

He built a few for a grinding wheel supplier or grinding firm, not sure now, it was over 20 years ago now.