Rikon Bench Grinder 80-805 / 80-808 ?

[richard poitras]

I am reviewing low speed grinders and see WoodCraft has the ½ HP / Rikon 80-805 / 1750 RPM on sale at $99.00. Just wondering if anyone has one and what your thoughts of it. I know they also have the 80-808 ($219.00) that is the same grinder just it has 1 HP instead of the ½ HP and a light but I am not sure for the extra cost if I really need the extra ½ HP and light.

[Joe Bradshaw]

I have the 80-805 and it works good. I have 2 CBN wheels on it and its slow getting up to speed. I would buy another one when this one wears out.
Joe

[Bruce Page]

Hp wise, unless you are going to do a lot of heavy grinding, 1/2 hp is plenty. I have a 1/2 hp 8" Delta grinder and I have never come close to stalling it.

[John C Bush]

I just got the 80-808 at Woodcrafters (~~$170.00?) and it seems to be a decent grinder. Got it for bowl gouge sharpening. The wheels are well balanced but I get a little blueing on the tool tip even with light passes using a Wolverine jig on the finer grit wheel(both wheels are white--I think 80 and 120 grit). I had used a freinds Jet grinder before( he took his home with him--that's why I had to buy my own!!) and it worked well also. I will get a CBN wheel for it--Are you listening Santa??--so that should manage heat build up. The light is of little help. I didn't do a lot of comparison shopping but I would think the Jet, Delta, and other brands in that $$$ range would work as well. The sales guy there is a well known turner and suggested the higher speed grinders for lathe tool sharpening but I picked the Rikon for the $$$. You may want to talk with other turners and see if they have a preference. I didn't plan on moving up to the CBN wheel but now that I have the blueing issue and after researching them a bit I think it's a reasonable call. I just have to be more nice and less naughty so Santa will agree.

Do those of you using CBNs have two grits or is one OK for touch up sharpening?? Thanks,

[Jon Nuckles]

John Bush: If you do a quick search in the Turners Forum, you will find a lot of information on the CBN wheels, but I can tell you that the overwhelming consensus is that the 180 grit wheel will easily handle all of your normal sharpening needs for turning tools. It removes material much faster than an equivalent-grit blue or white wheel. You may want to keep a coarse friable wheel on your grinder for major changes to a tool profile, but it really isn't necessary if you don't make those changes often. Keep in mind that the CBN wheels are intended for high speed steel, and opinions vary a bit as to whether sharpening high carbon steel tools will load the wheel and whether it is easily cleaned. (End of hijack)

[richard poitras]

Thanks for the feed back here is an interesting video I found from Tim Yoder on the grinder and setting up the wheels if they are not in balance.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwif64Dg28rJAhWHooMKHUwjAX4QtwIIHDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DMa kQfF5yIyo&usg=AFQjCNEJOtNrDCWcmTaSvIzirLZ6bJmL0g&bvm=bv.108538919,d.amc

[John K Jordan]

Do those of you using CBNs have two grits or is one OK for touch up sharpening??

John, I have a 240 grit CBN on a 3/4 hp half-speed grinder and use it with a wolverine plus a Tormek bar. Mine is probably not completely broken in yet according to Reed's CBN info page, but it may be. It is quite aggressive and will easily shape a tool. With a light touch it puts a reasonable edge on my turning tools tool. I can't imagine needing a coarser CBN for what I do. (I have a big Metabo in my weld shop for heavy grinding.)

I also put a 600 grit CBN on my Tormek at the same time. It, of course, puts a much finer edge on turning tools. It is still coarser than the Tormek wet grind stone but I can still improve the edge with the leather honing wheel. It is still not as good as the polished edge the wet Tormek plus honing gives me, and edge almost as sharp as carving tools and very clean to turn with. I would like to find a used Tormek and either get a finer CBN as well or go with the original wet stone when turning things like ebony and cocobolo.

The great thing about the Tormek CBN wheel is it is 2" wide. It also turns very slowly compared to the grinder. I just bought another grinder (that makes 5, is that enough?) and I'm thinking of getting a second finer grit CBN for the 3/4" grinder.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

Richard,

It might depend on what you want to do with it or even what you are willing to tolerate. Heavy grinding or wire brushing or dual CBN wheels might be too much for the 1/2 horse.

I use the Woodcraft no-name 3/4 hp half-speed grinder and just bought a Rikon 1/2 hp to put next to it. I consider the 1/2 horse wimpy.

The 1/2 horse is woefully underpowered compared to the 3/4 horse, seems to me it has less power than the 2/3s the numbers suggest. It is slow to turn up to speed compared to my other grinders even with the (horrible) stock wheels. I have read that some people who use steel CBN wheels have trouble getting them up to speed, one guy said he starts it spinning with his hand. This would not be acceptable to me. There is some discussion about this grinder on the WoodCentral forum.

I'm thinking of buying the 1 hp Rikon to try out and give the 1/2 hp away or just put polishing wheels on it.

JKJ

[richard poitras]

John thanks for the insite. Spining it by hand is not acceptable to me either. I dont mind spending more for somthing that is going to work. Ware as I hate spending for things that dont.

Richard