Low cost bench grinder questions

[student123]

Never owned / used a bench grinder before.

Will need in time to sharpen tools bits & whatever else might come in useful for. But... current guess minimal needs at present.

So , more of a 'would like' than a 'need' , spotted this for £15 (pounds):


http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/7d4a7223#/7d4a7223/8

no load speed 2950 rpm
150W
no light
'tooltec' brand

3 questions:

Theres a couple of metal things at the fron tfo the wheels - are those tool rests ?

Can it easily be adapted for polishing?

Any general opinion...is this cheapo bench grinder likely to be ok?

Mike

 

[Maryak]

3 questions:

Theres a couple of metal things at the fron tfo the wheels - are those tool rests ?

Can it easily be adapted for polishing?

Any general opinion...is this cheapo bench grinder likely to be ok?

Mike

As it doesn't say the wheel diameter, (unless I have a Mr Magoo syndrome). Question 2 is difficult if it's under 150mm or 6" wheel diameter.

Questions 1 & 3 Yes and probably........... at that price not a lot to lose, (other than $30 :)

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Blogwitch]

Mike,

For starting off, that grinder will be OK.

The metal bits are as you said toolrests, but by the looks of them, they are nowhere near strong enough. Get yourself a couple of bits of angle iron the same size and shape, that should make things a little more rigid.

With regards to turning it into a buffing machine. Yes it can be done relatively easy, but it doesn't have a lot of power, just like all these small bench grinders. For occasional use, yes, but for giving it some stick, you are liable to burn it out. I bought an 8" bench grinder and converted it, and even that gets hot and slows down when I give it a bit of hard polishing to do, but for small stuff, it should be OK.

The wheels that come with these machines are not usually very good, and to get a green wheel for carbide sharpening will cost you about the same price as you paid for the grinder. Don't forget you will need a good dresser for the wheels, but don't go for the Sherwood type (the ones with spinning discs), get yourself something like the one shown here at the top.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Diamond-Tools/Diamond-Dressers

Offhand grinders can be one of the most dangerous tools in your shop, especially if you start to use it for grinding anything other than ferrous or carbide (with the correct green grit wheel). ON NO ACCOUNT TRY TO USE IT ON ANY NON FERROUS MATERIALS, SUCH AS BRASS, ALI OR WOOD. If you do, the wheel gets loaded with all the soft stuff and is liable to explode in your face, and you are liable to be not a pretty sight, or even worse.

I hope this helps.

Bogs

 

[student123]

Bob & Bogs,

Thanks for the replies , particularly the safety advice.

<rubs chin while thinking>

ok ... might invest the £15 towards something elsewhere, plenty of things on the 'would like' list.
... hmm.. where did I leave that tap & die catalgoue ?....

Mike

 

[bearcar1]

Hi Mike, I did not look at the link you posted but from experience (you know the stuff that you always learn AFTER you have gone and done something) :big: one thing to look for is whether or not your grinder has ball bearings (sealed) running on the arbors. This is especially true if you are planning to do polishing of any amount with the unit. If you do, the power (torque as well as speed) will be "OK" for smaller bits and bobs, but not well suited for larger pieces. Also, the wax and debris from the buffs will quickly collect and begin there abrasive attack on the shaft bushings if that is what is in place. My Father, had given me one of these small-ish grinders when I was first setting up shop and for a while it was 'adequate' for the occasional use that I did. I put a polishing buff on one side and the previously mentioned side effects quickly reduced the grinder to not much more than a fancy fish hook sharpener. Upon Dad's passing, I obtained his 7" Delta grinder (the one that the wheels spool down for about two full minutes before they stop rotating after power down) and I purchased a Harbor Freight polisher and haven't looked back since. Put your money to work for you and invest in a good grinder, one that will definitely last for a long time and be confident that you did.

BC1
Jim

 

[robwilk]

Hi Mike
I have only a cheap Draper bench grinder and have recently tried my hand a sharpening tools with good results.
You just have to be careful about how much pressure you put on .
As for polishing instead of adapting the grinder and then adapting it back again i use my polishing wheels in a mandrel in the lathe.
BUT WATCH YOUR FINGERS
The only down side to this is the mess to your lathe after a polishing session.
Rob

 

[deverett]

The only down side to this is the mess to your lathe after a polishing session.
Rob

You can always put some kitchen foil over the bedways to protect them from the polishing debris.

I used to use newspaper, but foil can be moulded over the ways much more easily with less chance of being caught up in spinning bits.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[student123]

Guys thanks for the additional replies (& in advance for any further replies).
Feels that the balance of opinion is that while for the money it wouldnt have been an awful buy, theres better to be had , albeit for more £.

Mike

 

[Blogwitch]

Mike,

I have no qualms about using cheap and cheerful tooling, if it does the job it is meant to do. But sometimes, it really isn't man enough for the job and you then have to look further up the scale.

That is just the way it is, some of us are more fortunate than others in being able to afford better and more tooling, but don't let that put you off.

A lot of tooling is there to make life simpler, but if you go back to earlier times, those things were not available, but they still got the job done.

I used to root around car boot sales looking for old engineering books, preferably before WW2. You could buy them for pennies.

The techniques and tooling shown in them are still mainly valid in this modern world, and I still go back to reading them if a particular problem crops up that I can't think myself out of.

Start at basics, and work up. That is the way most of us on here did it, and eventually you will start to succeed in the things you do.

If you have an electric drill and a rubber backed grinding disc, that can easily be used to shape up your HSS lathe tooling, rather than thinking you have to have an offhand bench grinder. They will still be there when you have your finances sorted out in the future.


Bogs

 

[Tin Falcon]

Mike:
There are lots of import stuff out there there is cheap and then there is cheap junk resembling tools. I have a Jet 6" grinder i use it with no mods to grind my tools i should put some god wheels on it one day. Looks for the features you need . If you are going to free hand grind or build a beefy tool rest with preset angle it does not matter if the tool rests on the grinder are junk. But if you want to use the factory one make sure they are usable.
a bench grinder is a staple tool in the shop I would recommend a brand you can trust. No name Harbor freight etc hit and miss pay money take chances. Jet IMHO good value import. Ryobi, Have been disappointed with every tool I have purchased or used with that label. De Walt beware lots of price quality points in the line with some tools but they perform and IMHO a good value. Bosch Showing up in home depot great tools. Milwaukee quality name brand. Mitabo top shelf.
That being said remember home shop tools are used in many cases a few hours a week. As apposed to hours per day in a pro shop.
Shop around and attempt to touch and feel to get an idea of what is available and what you need. Take a night school class and learn to use the tools before you have to buy one for your shop.
Just a bit to think about hope it helps.
Tin