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Thread: Looking For Tool Input

  1. #16
    Highland Hardware has the Rikon 8" slow speed grinder on sale, I don't know for how much longer. The Oneway Wolverine Jig with the Varigrind is pretty standard...

    And yes, you need a parting tool...

  2. #17
    As for a grinder, I think the 1/2 hp Rikon is under powered. The 1 hp model has plenty of power for what ever kind of wheels you put on it. It also goes on sale. It isn't a Baldor, but for the price, still a good tool.

    For tools, D Way, and Thompson are my go to tools. I started off with a set of tools from Craft Supplies, and used maybe half of them. I think you need 2 bowl gouges, one a 40/40 grind and one of the BOB (bottom of bowl) tools, about 70 degree grind. At least one NRS (negative rake scraper), couple of chucks... And the list goes on, and on, and on....

    robo hippy



    robo hippy

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Greeley, CO
    Posts
    192
    Quote Originally Posted by Reed Gray View Post
    As for a grinder, I think the 1/2 hp Rikon is under powered. The 1 hp model has plenty of power for what ever kind of wheels you put on it. It also goes on sale. It isn't a Baldor, but for the price, still a good tool.
    Did you purchase the 1/2 hp Rikon and you found it lacking? Then you upgraded to the 1hp? Just curious what your experience was.

  4. #19
    I did not even consider the 1/2 hp Rikon. I did have one of the old blue 'no name' grinders that Woodcraft sold years ago. It took a while to get up to speed with standard wheels. I prefer to have tools that are overbuilt rather than underbuilt. That comes from years of doing concrete construction, and I made sure my forms would not blow up.... I tend to abuse my tools as well, and want them to hold up. As a production turner, I didn't want to have to wait for the grinder to come up to speed, turn it on, sharpen, then turn it off. The Baldor draws some thing like 4.5 amps, and the Rikon draws 7. About the same amount of power for both in terms of getting the wheels up to speed and how much pressure I can apply to the tool and wheel without bogging the grinder down. Yes, I know, just sharpen, don't grind, but some times when I need to shape a bit. then more pressure helps....

    robo hippy

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    I think the 1/2 hp Rikon is OK for some situations.

    I have a number of grinders including both the 1/2 hp and 1 hp Rikons. I find the 1/2 horse Rikon works well with the AlOx wheels. Some say it is way underpowered (slow to start) with two steel CBN wheels to the point they may have to kick start it by hand.

    I don't know about that since all my CBN wheels are lighter-weight aluminum, but my 1/2 horse is fine with an 80 grit CBN wheel on one side and a buffing wheel on the other. (At the right end in the photo).

    Sharpening_small2.jpg

    I do all of my heavy shaping of negative rake scrapers and such with the 80 grit CBN on the 1/2 horse and it doesn't bog down even shaping wide Thompson 10V scraper stock. Maybe I'm not overly aggressive with it, I don't know.

    I haven't tried two aluminum CBN wheels on the 1/2 horse. I gave a 320 grit aluminum CBN wheel to someone with a 1/2 hp Rikon and they use it on one side and an AlOx wheel on the other for all their sharpening.

    One small annoyance with both Rikons is the castings are not the best, it's almost like they are twisted a bit. Neither will sit flat on a surface without grinding a bit on the bottom or bolting down quite firmly onto a plywood base. Another one is the 1 hp came with the most worthless grinder light I've ever seen - I can't even direct the light at the wheel. Rikon said "oh, sorry".

    My best grinder is a Metabo in my weld shop - plenty of power for even heavy use of a wire brush on mild steel which can really challenge a grinder. Someday, though, I would like to get a big Baldor (with VFD variable speed!).

    JKJ

  6. #21
    MY first Rikon 1 hp grinder, when I took the rubber feet off, I had to grind down 1/16 inch on two of the cast feet to get it to sit flat without rocking. My second one, a couple of years later, it sat dead flat. They may be getting better.

    I have one 1000 grit aluminum wheel from Ken Rizza. The rest are the steel D Way. I do know the aluminum and poly wheels are more light weight, and they would be much better on the 1/2 hp Rikon. I wouldn't even consider putting the steel wheels on the 1/2 hp. I do keep a wire wheel on my Baldor. Great for cleaning off gunk from sticky sap type turning. Madrone is really bad about that.

    robo hippy

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Lummi Island, WA
    Posts
    665
    Been using the 1/2 horse no name Woodcraft grinder with D-Way steel wheels for 7 or 8 years with no complaints or problems. All I use it for is sharpening and light shaping and it works fine. Does it start a little slow? Oh yeah, but it gets the job done. Startup may add 10 seconds or so, but what's the rush. I find that the older I get the more important it is to slow things down a little and get it right the first time.
    I am in t he market for another grinder to have AO wheels on, may just get the same one...

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeffrey J Smith View Post
    ...
    I am in the market for another grinder to have AO wheels on, may just get the same one...

    I've had the no-name for over 15 years and use it now with two aluminum CBN wheels. The label on mine says 3/4 HP maximum but with the amperage of only 4.5, so I'm assuming they lie about the HP rating.

    I thought Woodcraft quit selling the no-name grinder long ago. Is it available now?

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Lummi Island, WA
    Posts
    665
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    I thought Woodcraft quit selling the no-name grinder long ago. Is it available now?
    They did when the quality control slipped on the no-name version. They now sell the Rikon 1/2 hp low speed grinder...

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Murfreesboro, TN
    Posts
    7
    I have the Rikon 8" slow speed grinder with an 80 & a 180 grit CBN wheels. I also have the Wolverine Jig which will make keeping your tools sharp easy.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Southeastern CT
    Posts
    141
    So if the Rikon 1/2 HP isn’t so great, what does everyone recommend for a grinder? Does it need to be a slow speed version?

    Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Murfreesboro, TN
    Posts
    7
    I have the Rikon 1/2 HP grinder and it does fine. It's just takes a little longer for it to reach full speed.

  13. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Hollis View Post
    So if the Rikon 1/2 HP isn’t so great, what does everyone recommend for a grinder? Does it need to be a slow speed version?
    Well, the Rikon 1 HP slow-speed grinder is the recommended alternative....

    Does it need to be slow speed? Not necessarily, for high-speed steels (most turning tools these days). The advantage of the slow speed grinder is that it removes metal from your tool more slowly, giving you a better chance to make corrections before screwing up your grind. For other tool steels (hand plane blades, chisels, etc...) the slow speed is better because it reduces the risk of "burning" (and thus ruining) your edge.

    I have a 6" slow speed grinder with a 1/3 hp rating and it works fine.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Southeastern CT
    Posts
    141
    So if I go with the Tormek 8” grinder, will the Wolverine and Varigrind jig work with it?

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,800
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Hollis View Post
    So if I go with the Tormek 8” grinder, will the Wolverine and Varigrind jig work with it?
    Speaking from experience (or inexperience) I started with a used Tormek that I got a super deal on but still needed another grinder to shape the tools. It takes forever to remove material on the Tormek. Good thing about Tormek is lack of dust but think you will get better use from a 1HP Rikon with two different grit CBN wheels.

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