Is a grinder worth it?

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That does seem a useful combo, LuptonM. I can certainly see occassions where a sanding belt and a grinder would be the ideal pairing but due to the nature of how I work at present I must pass on all dry grinders I'm afraid. At least until one day I get a place that has a workshop.
 
To be honest...the cheaper Far Eastern grinders are ok for holding wire brush wheels and polishing mops but I didn't find them much use for grinding (comparatively).

I think the jig setup is the important part too...I fiddled about with a bunch of homemade jigs but one day Axminster had a manager's sale and this little grinding jig was on offer...so I snapped it up and now use it all the time.

DSC_0028.JPG


The repeatability and squareness it allows is ideal for what I need. *

I still lust for a Tormek..(one day) and the rave reviews tell me I will never regret it...I just can't justify the cost when what I have serves me for now. Once I get into retirement and do more grinding of my own hardened custom irons...I will need one then for sure.

I have a couple of those hand grinders on a bottom shelf somewhere...I have yet to find out how to make them go around AND hold the chisel/iron at the same time! Short of getting a team of trained gerbils...I think perhaps I will never know! :D :oops:

Jim

*any H&S experts out there....sorry there is no side guard yet - I have to finish making the spacer strip!
 
jimi43":3dlkueo1 said:
I have a couple of those hand grinders on a bottom shelf somewhere...I have yet to find out how to make them go around AND hold the chisel/iron at the same time!

Me neither, plus mine seemed to have a problem where the wheel got very hard to turn as soon as you put the blade on the stone. I got so fed up with mine I binned it.
 
studders":3rg20wxq said:
jimi43":3rg20wxq said:
I have a couple of those hand grinders on a bottom shelf somewhere...I have yet to find out how to make them go around AND hold the chisel/iron at the same time!

Me neither, plus mine seemed to have a problem where the wheel got very hard to turn as soon as you put the blade on the stone. I got so fed up with mine I binned it.

Barring a team of Gerbils (Or second set of hands), we used to rig ours up by removing the cranking handle and rigging it to a drill with it's speed set to match medium elbow grease velocity. :D I still have ye olde worlde hand crank grinder stashed somewhere.
 
The only way to evaluate the worth of a grinder is to compare the amount of time it takes to hone a blade to a sharp edge.

1. With a fresh hollow grind on a Tormek, regardless of the width and thickness of the blade, it should take 2 or 3 (max) strokes on a Shapton 1000 to create a wire edge.

The advantage of the Tormek is that you can grind to the very edge of the bevel face, thus leaving the minimum amount of steel to remove.

2. Grinding on a half/high speed dry grinder, one needs to leave at least 2mm of edge on the bevel face (to avoid burning the thin steel). This is likely to take 5 or 6 strokes on a 1000 Shapton to raise a wire edge.

3. Now, taking the 1000 Shapton to a new flat primary bevel, how long will it take to create a wire edge? This is how it is traditionally done on Japanese blades. It is not an efficient method. I stopped doing this years ago.

4. It is more efficient to create a secondary bevel for #3 (aside - secondary bevels are OK for plane blades but not ideal for chisel blades). This means that you need to find a way of regrinding the primary bevel when the secondary becomes too large. Sandpaper? Diamond stones? Waterstones? In my experience they are all inefficient for this purpose. But don't take my word for it - do it and time yourself. That is the objective way.

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
Offsetting justifiable cost against safety, utility, efficiency and budget tend to be the five major influencing factors in determining which tool to buy for any given job. Yes, the Tormek is an excellent and efficient piece of kit, but would it be justifiable for someone to invest in one if he/she only puts it to occasional use? So much depends on one's perspective and priorities.

From a professional aspect, I'd sincerely recommend careful consideration of both present and the future use of such pieces of equipment before moving ahead with any purchase. Buyer's remorse seldom follows such an approach. :wink:

Primary bevels - realistically - only need to be re-established every so often.
 
jimi43":1e0aputg said:
I have a couple of those hand grinders on a bottom shelf somewhere...I have yet to find out how to make them go around AND hold the chisel/iron at the same time! Short of getting a team of trained gerbils...I think perhaps I will never know! :D :oops:

Jim

Alf seems to have it cracked, using moles, not gerbils;

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/post ... ole#205856

BugBear
 
GazPal":2z7lyvnq said:
we used to rig ours up by removing the cranking handle and rigging it to a drill with it's speed set to match medium elbow grease velocity. :D

Genius yet at the same time obvious (which is why I never thought to try that). Oh well, too late now it's been binned.
 
An alternative option is to set up a simple foot pedal (Hinged piece of wood fixed to the floor) and a piece of string to the crank handle. Start the wheel by hand and keep it going with your foot. Never tried it, but other ambidextrously- challenged galoots seem to have found it helpful.

Anyway, it's really not hard. I started out using the blade holder in the Veritas rest, which seemed to help. But after a while it was just an unnecessary hinderance and the B-grade left hand does it by itself now (B-grade because I am very right-handed in almost everything). Of course getting the knack might have gone quicker if I'd cranked with my left hand, but the workshop set up at the time precluded it. #-o

All of which is no use at all to the OP, because a hand-cranked grinder produces sparks just as much as a powered one.
 
You mean... use my few remaining grey cells to co-ordinate a 'pedal' action whilst at the same time, and with the same few cells, 'Grind' ?
Alas, too much for me I fear.
 
jimi43":37e6opxj said:
Ok...you have GOT to get this....

Another relic to prove the guys from Plymouth should have taken a dictionary with them!

HAND GRINDER ON FLEABAY

:D :wink:

Jim

That looks like a really special purpose device. The handle is oriented in a most unusual way, and the whole grinder pivots on the stand.

Edit; I do love the modern internet.

http://tinyurl.com/3xbe53p

(had to use tinyurl to get past thid forum's limitations)

BugBear
 
bugbear":1yavk38o said:
jimi43":1yavk38o said:
I have a couple of those hand grinders on a bottom shelf somewhere...I have yet to find out how to make them go around AND hold the chisel/iron at the same time! Short of getting a team of trained gerbils...I think perhaps I will never know! :D :oops:

Jim

Alf seems to have it cracked, using moles, not gerbils;

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/post ... ole#205856

BugBear

Now with movement!

http://www.youtube.com/user/oldtoolalf# ... 8CPbZg8PGo

BugBear
 
Heh. Whenever I occasionally open up that 'ticular vid, every time that damn parrot shrieks on there she goes nuts here as well. #-o

As to the "Best Maide", you have to admit if they'd spelt it proper like, it would have been that much trickier a search for BB. Nice find, BB. Diamond sharpening technology, no less. I'd say "Cutting edge", but you'd all only groan...
 
Darn it BB!!! I now want to buy that grinder!

RESIST.....RESIST!!!

:oops:

Brilliant video ALF...I think that my basic problem with these things is not putting a new wheel on them...they usually come with a very course old stone...which is invariably knackered and the tool rapidly gets "stored" on the bottom shelf.

Your video has encouraged me to revisit these hand cranks...new wheel...back later! 8)

Jim
 
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