Grinder Tool Rest hight?

[Mike Stephens]

I am making a tool rest for my grinder and I am wondering what hight it should be when it is level. the tool rest that came with it was a 1/4" higher then the center of the wheel. Does this sound accurate?

Thanks,
Mike

[Jim Becker]

That's about right, Mike. It needs to be above center both for safety and to allow you to get good angles for particular tools.

[Mike Stephens]

Thanks Jim. thought it looked right. Just wanted to confirm before wrapping up the project.

Mike

[Dean Thomas]

Whatcha grinding, Mike? Won't that dictate some of what you're asking?

If you're making a flat shelf on the rest so you can grind bevels on scrapers, you might not want it very much above the center or you'll end up with what some would consider to be too severe an angle.

If you're using it as a brace to grind your tools freehand, it's gonna depend on how fat your fingers are, yes? Mine are kind of on the chubby side of medium. My FILs were at least half-again thicker than mind. Short, stubby, VERY thick fingers.

Some folks do rest their tools directly on the rest, but others just use the rest as a starting point.

All that being said, yeah, you don't want the rest below center line, but how high has to "depend". IMHO.

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

hey, I had a delta 6" varispeed grinder and when I built the toolrests I didnt look at center height other than tool handle clearance, when doing the assorted grinds I have to take into account if they will pass. this meant, my ellsworth jig (irish grind)for bowls in on one side permanant, above it the scraper toolrest folds up/down for 60* use and the other side has a permant 45* rest. also a friend showed me how to make a riser of @1 inch that sits on the 45* to make 22.5* for skews
pretty simple and I vari my irish grind for the differant gouges by how far the tip extends passed the jig
oh and for toolrests I used the preexisting arms on the grinder with 2x3 alum angle for the rests,adding thumbscrews for the scraper side
good luck