What do I do with my old grinder wheels?

[Darren Brewster]

I have had a Ryobi 6" bench grinder for a little while. I recently put a Norton 3x 46 grit wheel from Lee Valley on one side. The grinder came with a 36 and a 60 grit stone according to here: http://www.ryobitools.com/catalog/power_tools/grinders/BGH6110

What wheel should I put on the other side, or should I bother with either of them? Can you use a grinder with one wheel or would it be bad for the grinder somehow?

Thanks for your help.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I have the samw grinder but in the 220V version to work in Isael. great grinder. I use a white wheel on one side for tools and I think I put the 36grit on the other side for general use, refurbing screw drivers and such. you could always put a felt wheel with compound on it for honing carving tools and knives.

[David Weaver]

Put both wheels on the grinder, you'll like the momentum from the second wheel when you're grinding. Use the coarse one, put it on the side you don't use as much and leave the rest set for either perpendicular or a grind that you use sometimes but not all the time, that way you can leave your primary wheel's rest close to where you'd normally use it (like 25 degrees or whatever).

If you ever have to do heavy grinding on something, you'll appreciate that you don't have to waste a $40 wheel or whatever the 3x wheels cost.

[Darren Brewster]

Thanks Matthew and David, that sounds like a very sensible plan to me!