is this a good grinder?

[Phil Labowski]

Hey all. I'm working on getting the tools I need and I came across this variable speed grinder on ebay. I don't really care about the dremel, it just the cheapest VS I've seen. Anyone else have this thing? Or does anyone know if I'll have a problem getting the right type of wheel this small?
thanks in advance.
Phil

duh. sorry here is the info:

ebay - RAND Bench-Top Grinder/Buffer w/Dremel Style Flex Shaft, item #170357255772

[Ron McKinley]

Tell us more. There's no pic or description.

[Phil Labowski]

fixed sorry.

[Dale Coons]

The wheel diameter is too small to do a good job sharpening turning tools. you'll want something larger like 8 inches. I started with 6 inch wheels because the grinder was a freebie, but had much better results with the larger wheels. This grinder has 3 inch wheels--could be tough to get the bevels you want. My opinion anyway.

[Jeff Nicol]

Phil, That thing is mostly a toy compared to what you really need. It is nice for the bench to maybe sharpen a drill bit or a small chisel or just simple grinding. The flex shaft is nice for some things too. If you want a grinder for sharpening tools you should at least get a 6" 2 wheel grinder but lots of us use an 8" slow speed grinder. Wood craft has them and other places too.

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Phil I have found after using several grinders that a 8" wheel that is 1" wide does by far the best job IMHO.

[Richard Madison]

Ditto what Bernie said. Slow speed (1750 rpm) 8" grinder. A two speed might be handy (have never run mine on high speed), but would not spend extra $ for variable speed.

[Phil Labowski]

thanks guys! I also looked around the web and couldn't find 3" wheels anyway, so gotta find a 6" or 8" I guess.

[curtis rosche]

i got the delta 6inch varispeed grinder, it works well, just that it doesnt line up with the oneway sharpening system the exact way it should. it was $80 at lowes.

[curtis rosche]

get a motor, and this could be a good grinder for you http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?t=58856

[Russ Denz]

I've been asking the same question myself and so was interested in this thread, mainly wondering how my new Tormek system was received by turners - ok, I confess I'm more of a compulsive tool collector than woodworker at this stage. As such I might have a good grinder for Phil to consider; the one I've never used ;~(... It's a Delta 23-710, their wet/dry sharpening station. One of the 6" wheels is vertical like most, but the wet wheel is horizontal. Here's an excerpt from a magazine article:
This unique machine combines traditional grinding with a horizontal wet wheel for motorized honing. It has a sophisticated toolrest to hold chisels and plane irons at precise angles. The toolrest also can be used with the grinding wheel, and you can get a sliding accessory for grinding and honing jointer and planer knives.Power: 2.5 ampsGrinding wheel specs: 3450 rpm, 120-grit, 2-in.-wide, 5-in.-dia. white wheelHoning wheel specs: 400 rpm, 1000-grit, 8-in.-dia. wet wheelWeight: 42.5 lb.
You can see one by searching the model number on Rockler.com.
It is currently posted in the classifieds at North Carolina WoodWorker as part of my moving sale list for $150 (paid 220) and as I said, it's never even been used. If you're interested, let me know; regardless, good luck to you.
Russ

[Bernie Weishapl]

As far as a 8" slow speed grinder there are a awful lot of us that settled on the one at woodcraft and the oneway sharpening jig fits it really nicely.

[Ken Glass]

I agree with Bernie, that's what I use on my Wolverine system.

[Brian Novotny]

If you can't grind a perfect grind on a 6" grinder I don't think that the grinder is to blame......

It's so funny how a company will have a tool for $40, but the same tool with the detail gouge grind it's $65 or fingernail...... not only do I not buy in to there pre made grinds, but I buy sets of HSS turning tools at HF and make all sorts of different tools out of them......such as my bowl scraper, square end scraper, dovetail tool, etc. I think a $40 set from HF just might be what alot of people need to learn how to sharpen tools, because it seems like this is a problem for alot of people. I'll admit I can't use a skew chisel for much of anything, or have I tried for that matter, but I can put a mean grind on my tools in a couple of seconds (that was a huge gloat, which I really don't like to do, but I don't get the widspread sharpening problem) I think the speed of the grinder is much more important than it being 8".

I paid $50 for my grinder which is a wet/dry with a 6" dry and a 90rpm wet from HF. I've never had a problem with their grinders. For those that do have problems sharpening, they have a Tormek clone on sale now for $99. I would jump on that if I were some of you.

I'm going to take a couple metal working classes and make a grinding jig to end all grinding jigs. it's going to have so many parts that by the time you get your tools sharpend you might as well have sat at a grinder for 3 hours until you can do it by hand.

I have a serious question for you turners. With a good grind on a tool what grit of sandpaper should you have to start with? I usually start with 240.....I know there are people that hardly need to sand at all.