Woodcraft Slow-Speed Grinder (On Sale)

[Chris Padilla]

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=144290&FamilyID=4605&refcode=09IN02NL

I thought to post this in the D&D section as some of you likely have already gotten the email but I wanted to see if anyone has any experience with this grinder.

I've been on the lookout for a reasonably priced slow-speed grinder and this one fits the bill...especially with free shipping. :D

[Chris Padilla]

Shoot, just noticed they have a 2-speed grinder (same kind as above) on sale as well.

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=144291&FamilyID=4606 Hmmmmm...........

What kind of wheels do we want for grinding chisels and plane irons?

[Benjamin Dahl]

Hi Chris, i have the two-speed grinder and it has been fine. I use it primarily for sharpening turning tools. I would have probably been fine with the slow-speed but got mine on sale and the difference was not much.
As for grinding chisels and plane irons I still do those by hand but maybe some others will chime in about wheels.
Ben

[Douglas Brummett]

I have the slow speed grinder in question. I haven't used it much, honestly grinding bevels doesn't require much time and it doesn't need to be done often.

That said, the machine is quiet and comes with decent AlO wheels. The wheels are very soft, so they make a mess. My Norton white wheel makes a mess too, just not quite as bad. Eventually I will upgrade these to Norton 3X wheels. The tool rests are cast iron and very coarse, I ended up lapping mine so that chisels wouldn't catch while working them. The eye guards are very flimsy, since I always wear safety glasses I didn't even bother to install them. Vibration isn't an issue on mine. For a $79 sale price it was IMO a good deal (I think it is currently $84) and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

[Jason Beam]

I have the slow speed myself. It works perfectly fine. I can't imagine needing two speeds for what I use mine to do. I sharpen my lathe tools on it mostly and once in awhile grind a bur off of a hacksawn cut. The wheels it came with work beautifully for my needs, too. :)

[Gary Herrmann]

I've also got the slow speed grinder. Still using the original wheels, but I have Nortons waiting. It's a good grinder for the money. I haven't seen them do it this year yet, but they used to put that grinder on sale for $50.

[Chris Padilla]

Oh, man...$50?! I did NOT need to hear that...was almost ready to pull the trigger! :(

[Jason Beam]

I kicked myself when I didn't jump on it at $74 (it used to do that routinely around here). I've never seen it hit $50, though. Something tells me that price is pretty rare, indeed. :)

[Ron Knapp]

It looks like the one I bought a couple of years ag. If it is you are going to have to invest in a tool rest and the one that comes with it is not very good. I bought the Veritas so you have to factor in the extra cost if not now ... later.

It does work but I wish I had waited and spent the extra money for a Baldor.

[Chris Padilla]

Ron,

Can you expound on that for us? Why did you regret not waiting for the Baldor?

LV has a Veritas "Grinding Kit" for a c-note that I may well invest in later. Does the Baldor do away with needing the Veritas jigs?

[Peter Quinn]

I have the slow speed grinder, it works fine. It's smooth, well balanced, and the stock wheels work well enough. The tool rest is pretty crude as noted above and requires modification, either in the form of a shop made guide or an after market add on. I use it for the preliminary grind on chisels and plane irons, no complaints at that price point.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Chris...A lot of turners use that slow speed grinder. I have one. It's not top shelf but it does well. The standard wheels work fine for sharpening my turning tools and I am finicky. In the future, I"ll probably invest in some Norton wheels but that's a few years off, I hope.

[Gary Herrmann]

Ron,
Can you expound on that for us? Why did you regret not waiting for the Baldor?


The Baldor grinders are in a completely different class. They're built to run all day long. I think Tools for Working Wood sells them for almost $800 with Norton wheels.

$85 and free shipping. You can get every single Wolverine jig with it and still spend less.

Baldors grinders are like Northfield machines. If only I had the money...

[Ron Knapp]

First, my impressions are based on my purchase which was a couple of years ago and the new grinders may be different.

The tool rests on the woodcraft are on the small side and they get bolted via a cast adjustment bracket to a grinding wheel shield which is stamped steel. I wouldn't call the setup wobbly but it is not very substantial either and I find it a bit of a pain to adjusted using the usual taping method. The Baldor system has a larger tool rest and a more substantial attachment system. The wheel covers on the Baldor are cast and heavy which may help dampen any vibration as the Baldor feels more stable (subjective opinion) then my woodcraft.


I added the Veritas which does come with a few worthwhile attachments. I then started doing more turning and carving and have a large selection of planes, spoke shaves, drawknives and chisels along with the turning and carving tools. I decided to by a Tormak and several of the attachments and this has worked very well for me.

If you do any turning you know that you are always doing a lot of touchup one your tools and the quickest way is to use a regular grinder. The Veritas setup can be used but it is not the friendliest system for larger turning tools. I also like to be able to keep a grinding angle set and not have to change it for another tool and then back again. My woodcraft now has a Varitas which although I can use is not my favorite and the original woodcraft tool rest which is hard to adjust and has a small rest.

I probably wouldn’t complain so much but I often take courses and every time I use a Baldor I realize how clunky the woodcraft feels. Of course this is subjective and the Baldor are more expensive and as I stated in my original reply the woodcraft does work. We all have limits on what we can spend but in my case given my increased use of a grinder which I had not anticipated I wish I had spent the extra money on a Baldor.

[Chris Padilla]

Thanks for the replies, Everyone! I went ahead and pulled the trigger. I haven't had a grinder for a long time and have always needed/wanted one so it is coming and it should suffice for my needs. :)