Slow speed grinder should I bolt it down?

[Les Kuesel]

I bought a slow speed grinder and have it setting on a piece of 3/4 plywood that is screwed down on a three drawer legal file cabinet. This really works well for me because of the height and I'm able to store my accessories. I have used the grinder several times to sharpen my tools and it has not moved at all because I had traced around the grinder on the plywood. A'm I being dumb if I don't bolt down the grinder? I really don't see an accident happening (like it falling off) it does have rubber feet to dampen any vibration and keep it from moving. So do you all bolt down yours?

[Von Bickley]

Can't speak for everybody else, but mine is bolted down......:cool:

[Frank Drew]

Les

A grinder with balanced wheels doesn't tend to dance around so there's no reason to think it won't stay put just as it is. It should also be heavy enough to stay where it is against any minimal pushing on it you do while grinding. I can't see the advantage to bolting it down unless you think you might accidentally bump the cabinet hard enough to dislodge it.

[David Wilhelm]

I have mine clamped on my work table so if need be i can move it. I'd secure it if it were mine.

[Dennis Puskar]

I would bolt it down better to be safe than sorry.

Dennis

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mine is bolted down.

[Jim Becker]

Oh, yes...this tool should be fastened down securely. Over time, as the wheels get a little out of round (and they will), increased vibration will make it move all by itself when running.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I built a stand for mine so that the grinder is at chest level - and it is bolted in place.

[Jeff Wright]

I built a stand for mine so that the grinder is at chest level - and it is bolted in place.

Steve, I'm designing my grinder station and like you want to maybe raise it to a higher level than commonly used. How high is the CENTER of your grinder wheel off the ground? And are you happy with that height? How tall are you? Thanks.

P.S. Any photos available of your grinder station?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jeff - just measured to the center of the wheel and it is 51" .... I'm real close to 5' 10".

87728 Grinder platform is on the left.

Just through together a few boards left over from our deck. Nothing special but it sure saves the back!!

[Randal Stevenson]

There have been several magazines over the years, that had multi tool stands. Most of the ones, I have seen, the tools (in this case a grinder), were on a board that either slid into t track, or screwed into an insert (with a knob). A friend who rarely uses a grinder (lawnmower blades) built a wood base that his is bolted to, then he uses some 3/4 dowel rod pegs, to secure it in his workmate. (as much of a bench as he has/uses).

[Jeff Wright]

Jeff - just measured to the center of the wheel and it is 51" .... I'm real close to 5' 10".

87728 Grinder platform is on the left.

Just through together a few boards left over from our deck. Nothing special but it sure saves the back!!

Steve, thanks for going to the trouble of taking a photo. That's a great help. I'll start building mine once I receive a replacement delta industrial slow-speed grinder from Amazon. The first one was delivered with a bent shaft. Talking about walking off the table!!

[Norm Zax]

My base plate (plywood) has two metal (could be wood) pegs, almost the same diameter as the two hole in the grinders base, epoxied into place. I simple place the grinder into its correct position and remove it when completed. For some reason the grinders body is unclampable, as if on purpose!

[Rich Stewart]

Is that carpet on your workshop floor, Steve? Seems like it would be a nightmare to keep clean.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rich - YES - that's the beautiful 70s Rainbow edition of cheap carpeting! It was in the house when we got it and I was always amazed that someone out there decided that this carpet would look good in the basement!!! Yikes! Thought about removing it a number of times but have gotten to the point that I actually like it. It's a lot easier to stand on than concrete and so far cleanup hasn't been a real nightmare. Most of the shavings I can scoop up with a dustpan and place in a plastic 35 gallon barrel and a lot of it is captured with the Jet 650 DC while turning. Plus it does tend to hold the fine dust from moving all over like it would on a bare concrete floor. It just takes a couple of minutes - as a last step - to run a regular vacuum over the carpet!

[Reed Gray]

I used to use a Woodcraft slow speed grinder, and it needed to be bolted or clamped down. I now have a Baldor slow speed grinder, and balanced CBN wheels. It doesn't need to be bolted down, or even on rubber feet.
robo hippy

[Burt Alcantara]

Mine is bolted to 2 layers of 3/4" ply which is bolted to a metal stand. I often bump into the unit with my body, wood, ducting and other things so not having it bolted would have wrecked it by now.

Steve!
Where is your dust collector that captures your shavings and where do you place it while turning? Mine faces me and gets some but only about 10%. Gets all the nasty stuff. Also, what shield is that you have there?

Don't mean to hijack this thread...
Burt

[Bruce Page]

What happens if you push too hard with something and it moves unexpectedly? You could have yourself an accident.
Bolt it down - how much trouble can it be? :confused:

[Glenn Hodges]

Yep, I believe I would.

[Paul Engle]

I vote for bolt it down.... it keeps it from running into my delta wet wheel as space is at a premium and I do a lot of hand grinding and do not like chasing the grinder around .My work bench for grinder , etc is at near elbow I dunnooo like to bend , at 6'3" and 59 years young it helps alot. Good advice from the above posts ..

[Curt Fuller]

Rich - YES - that's the beautiful 70s Rainbow edition of cheap carpeting! It was in the house when we got it and I was always amazed that someone out there decided that this carpet would look good in the basement!!! Yikes! Thought about removing it a number of times but have gotten to the point that I actually like it. It's a lot easier to stand on than concrete and so far cleanup hasn't been a real nightmare. Most of the shavings I can scoop up with a dustpan and place in a plastic 35 gallon barrel and a lot of it is captured with the Jet 650 DC while turning. Plus it does tend to hold the fine dust from moving all over like it would on a bare concrete floor. It just takes a couple of minutes - as a last step - to run a regular vacuum over the carpet!

And I'll bet it gives you all kinds of groovy inspiration!:cool:

[Geoff Hanha]

Although there is no preasure on the grinder when sharpening tools as such, there is a pretential danger there for the grinder to move at some point, if it is not bolted or fixed in some way then you are waiting for an accedent to happen, it might not be the most leathol weapon in the workshop:D or studio depending how posh you are:) but you just don't know what it leads to. Safety why take the chance does not take much to bolt screw or clamp down, im not a nut for safety but i don't go looking for trouble. JUST GET AND BOLT IT DOWN OKAY, NOW GET SOME TURNING DONE. Do you have sharp tools:):)..Geoff

[robert hainstock]

Tye it down, or wear it! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Bob

[Allen Neighbors]

Mine's bolted down, 'cause I'm klutzy, and bump into the cabinet all the time. Now I don't have to worry about it anymore.
If you do any hard grinding on other things besides turning tools, it might be a better idea to bolt it down. But it's your decision. :)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rich - YES - that's the beautiful 70s Rainbow edition of cheap carpeting! It was in the house when we got it and I was always amazed that someone out there decided that this carpet would look good in the basement!!! Yikes! Thought about removing it a number of times but have gotten to the point that I actually like it. It's a lot easier to stand on than concrete and so far cleanup hasn't been a real nightmare.


And I'll bet it gives you all kinds of groovy inspiration!:cool:

Curt,

I hope it doesn't cause Steve to have flashbacks!:rolleyes:



Like the others, I'd bolt it down. I use a Wolverine grinding system and wouldn't want the grinder to be changing position while grinding.

[Geoff Hanha]

Tye it down, or wear it! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Bob

Now thats short and sweet and RIGHT THERE. love it:cool: Geoff

[Jeff Wright]

I just received my replacement delta industrial slow-speed grinder and the instructions say:

"If, during operation, there is any tendency for the grinder to tip over, slide or walk, the grinder must be secured to the supporting surface using fasteners (not supplied) through the two holes in the grinder base."

This would suggest the designer/manufacturer feels it need not be necessarily bolted down.

But I agree with a previous poster that bolting it down will prevent the grinder from moving out of alignment with your Wolverine Jig or such tool rests that are not mounted to the grinder itself. In the case of the Delta tool rest, they are mounted directly on the grinder and would move with the grinder.

BTW, Amazon shipped my replacement grinder OVERNIGHT. The first one came with a bent shaft. Returning the damaged one was simple: just printed out a UPS mailing label complete with the destination address and my return address, plus the bar code included payment for the return shipping. Couldn't have been easier (except for lugging the 92 pound grinder out to the car!).