Comments on: Using a Hand-cranked Grinder

By: tbucket62

tbucket62 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:07:54 +0000

I wonder if anyone has tried to use re-positionable spray adhesive with sandpaper instead of the expensive sandpaper?

By: JV Sullivan

JV Sullivan — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:55:08 +0000

That steel nipple idea is a good one. I will go get some this week and see if I can fit them to my grinders. I have THREE grinders, all of different makes and sizes, and all with 1/4 shafts. What a pain.

Joe

By: chayward

chayward — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:25:13 +0000

I just picked up a grinder with a 1/4 inch shaft. Very quick fix to get my Norton 3×46 grit working on it.

In the lighting department at Home depot they sell something called “Steel Nipples” (no joke) which are used somewhere in light fixtures. (My father in-law bought my wife a pair when she had our first kid and you can imagine that went down well…). I digress.

Steel nipples have a 1/4″ inside diameter and a 3/8″ outside diameter. I hacksawed off a 3/4″ piece, files the ends, cleaned up the inside and outside cuts and this piece fix very snugly inside the smallest concentric plastic thingy that comes in the middle of a Norton 3x wheel. it took a bit of fussing to get it on the drive shaft. In all it was a 15 minute fix. Note – you need to oil the mechanism through the openings provided.

And then I proceeded to use the grinder for the first time and as Chris suggested – burn the chisel.

By: George West

George West — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:34:56 +0000

No Kidding, glad I bought mine BEFORE it got Schwarz pricing, wishin I would have bought several. I think it would be a good thing to have prior knowledge to upcoming “posts”

By: Alex Comes

Alex Comes — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:15:30 +0000

Joe, I have one of those grinders too. I think it’s 1/4″ shaft off the top of my head. Mine takes a 4″ or 5″ wheel. Needless say I don’t use it; wheel diameter too small for hollow grinding. I use my grinder with a 6″ wheel.

You could cut a wood ring to fit the inside diameter of the wheel with a hole drilled for the diameter of the shaft–this would be used instead of the plastic ring.

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 01:30:26 +0000

The shaft is smaller than 1/2″? I’ve never seen anything smaller than that.

The Norton wheels (and others) come with plastic rings that shim the wheel in a variety of sizes.

By: JV Sullivan

JV Sullivan — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 01:10:53 +0000

Chris:

I have three hand cranked grinders. Must say, I can’t get a modern wheel to fit them. For some reason, the shafts on mine are of too small a diameter. The adapter rings don’t go down that far. I tried careful wrapping of the shaft with electrical tape, but couldn’t get a nice wobble-free fit. SO my grinders are living on a shelf for now.

Any thoughts?

Joe Sullivan

By: Tom Dugan

Tom Dugan — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:15:55 +0000

The PATINA show and auction is March 19 at the Damascus MD fire hall. Lots of dealers are set up inside, but the real action is in the parking lot, starting about 6 AM. Google PATINA for more info.

If you can’t find good tools cheap there … well, you will, no question.

By: rfield

rfield — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:23:55 +0000

Dedicated looking this summer will yield some good results! Look at the tool rest closely when you stumble across one out in the field. The tool rest is the most important part of the hand grinder. So often when I actually find one for sale the tool rest is long gone or damaged so that you cannot easily crank the grinder and hold the chisel or plane iron to accurately grind the edge. If you are real lucky you will luck into a treadle grinder that you can easily attach to a bench which will free up both hands to more easily grind your chisel or plane iron. Best, Robbie

By: rfield

rfield — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:18:08 +0000

Grinders are fairly easy to find with a bit of dedicated looking a flea markets, garage sales and estate sales. The key to a good grinder is not the stone but the tool rest! So often I find hand grinders and the tool rest is long gone? The stones are easy to come by and I prefer the pink stones from the Pacific Stone co. which do not over heat the tool steel when I am grinding my new plane irons or old chisels. Best, Robbie