Wet Grinder info needed

[Don Nicholas]

I purchased a Grizzly Wet Grinder with a 10" x 2" wheel. My shop is 24'x40 heated when I am working.
I am concerned the the wheel will soak up water while using. I would empty the water trough after use.
my question is if I build a cover, 1/2" ply or so, line the interior with Styrofoam, would that cover protect the wheel from freezing, the shop is insulated with 3.5" in the walls and 12" in the celing
Am I better off running the wheel toward the tool or away?
any info you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You very much!!

Have a wonderful Christmas

[Harry Robinette]

I have a Jet wet sharpener. I do turning tools wheel coming at the tool. Temp,how cold does the shop get when you have the heat off? A cover will help,but I don't think it well help if the shop gets into the low 20's. Just a guess.
PS. I keep Pepsi in my unheated garage all winter and it only a few times got cold enough to turn the Pepsi to slush when you opened it.

[Bradley Gray]

What about a cover with a small light bulb inside to turn on on cold nights?

[Tim Leiter]

I don't have one of those but if it was me and I was worried about it freezing I would probably just take the grinder in the house to store when not in use. JMHO........................Tim.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I grew up in the Netherlands, we had regular grinders in the shop but also a big wet grinder sitting outside the shop, being 8" X 36" or there about, it didn't get moved easily ;), it must have been frozen hundreds of times as it was then at least 40 years old, the only thing we had to do was make sure the trough got emptied or it would crack, made from cast iron it would not give, and that must have happened at least ones as their was a split in one side but was repaired and still useable, so take the water out when not in use and don't worry about the wheel getting cold.

[Bill Bukovec]

I agree with taking it in the house when there is a danger of freezing.

Since today's high will be 0° F, I'm in the habit of taking things in the house.

In your area I would be tempted to use the incandescent light buld idea.

How do you like the grinder?

Bill

[Bradley Gray]

I tend to do most of my sharpening once a week or so. I would just try to do the sharpening early in the day and drain the grinder.

[Richard Casey]

, would that cover protect the wheel from freezing,

Sorry for laughing Don, it boils away over here. As the wheels are a composite, they soak up a lot of water, and in your case the freezing may break it.Also some of my friends have found the wheel becomes wobbly from sitting in the water long term, and one guy reckons it ended up with a soft spot. I use a Tormek and I just lower the water trough when finished.
rgds,
Richard.

[Don Nicholas]

Thank you all for your help and comments. Very much appreciated.

[Eric Gourieux]

Don,
You might do a google search for this same question. I recall somebody doing a test on this, and they added antifreeze to the water.

[Bill White]

Get some glycerin to add to the water.
Bill

[Richard Galloway]

I have used RV antifreeze in my Jet wet grinder in the past (when I had an unheated shop) and found it kept the stone from freezing and did not have any detrimental affect on the stone that I have seen. Mixed roughly 50/50 worked down to temps of 0 or just below. I did drain the tank every night, just because I noticed some imbalance to the wheel. Figured that was because the part in the water had soaked in 100% of what it was going to while the rest was dry and thus the wheel was heavier on that side.