Cheap electrode grinder

[Premiershipman]

Even though there are people who use old motors and make them into a cheap bench grinder or those that use an angle grinder or belt sander.

Just thought I would advise that B&Q have a bench grinder for £25 - http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-tools/bench-tools/bench_grinders/Performance-Power-150w-Bench-Grinder-11097501

Pretty good in my opinion for the money, now I can use my ingersoll rand grinder for proper stuff and have this as a dedicated bench grinder for sharpening electrodes etc !!

Shady

 

[oddbob]

I picked up that very grinder 3 or 4 years ago when it was on special for around £10. It's still going strong. Not the most powerful, but easily good enough for sharpening drill bits ...and I do now use it for my tungstens.

 

[Welderpaul]

We have the same grinder; reserved for just grinding tungstens. Does fine, but i'm sure it would be pretty useless for anything heavier.
The wheels are very soft too - two gert ruts in the wheel from tungstens in a very short time.

 

[oddbob]

We have the same grinder; reserved for just grinding tungstens. Does fine, but i'm sure it would be pretty useless for anything heavier.
The wheels are very soft too - two gert ruts in the wheel from tungstens in a very short time.

Tungsten's harder than the wheels would've been designed for. I've had no problems with HSS drills and lathe tools etc ...just dressed the wheels occasionally.

 

[brightspark]

We have the same grinder; reserved for just grinding tungstens. Does fine, but i'm sure it would be pretty useless for anything heavier.
The wheels are very soft too - two gert ruts in the wheel from tungstens in a very short time.

change one of the wheels to a silicon carbide green wheel and away u go

 

[Paul.]

change one of the wheels to a silicon carbide green wheel and away u go

They dont last any longer than a standard wheel on electrode duties, just cost you more, they are for tool grinding

 

[brightspark]

heres the answer buit not cheap http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Diamond-G...Supplies_ET&hash=item35bbfc0833#ht_1408wt_896

 

[Hitch]

They dont last any longer than a standard wheel on electrode duties, just cost you more, they are for tool grinding

Thats what we use, although softer, they seem to grind it much quicker.

 

[scott0031]

They dont last any longer than a standard wheel on electrode duties, just cost you more, they are for tool grinding

I agree.


That' because people get confused between a tig tungsten thinking is the same as tungsten carbide, two totally different animals really, totally no need for green grit wheels with tig electrodes. Standard wheels do just fine. Its all i have ever used since i had tig many many years ago. In the case of the cheap grinders its the wheel that's at fault with the bonding not being that durable. Cheap is what it is after all.


Kind regards,


Scott

 

[Lewist123]

I have a similar small grinder (150w) and as mentioned it is fine for drill sharpening and very light duty work. Anything else and the motor just isn't sufficiently powerful.

 

[zx9]

Wickes had (what looks like) the 250W clone of this one on offer for about £20 earlier in the year, back up to £37 now.