Slow speed wet grinder for tasks other than sharpening

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Hey folks,
In need of opinions here. I have an opportunity to buy a Grizzly G1036 slow speed wet grinder for a price I likely won't see again anytime soon. Given my small budget and lack of space, I hadn't really planned on getting a grinder anytime soon but there have definitely been plenty of times where I wished I'd had one. Thus far in my woodworking experience I've done the vast majority of my sharpening by hand with the only exception being a belt sander with a 120 grit belt if something is in really rough shape. It's never been ideal and I've spent a lot of hours honing by hand but it works. So the conclusion I've reached is that I really don't need a powered appliance just for sharpening. It'd be nice to have one someday but right now it isn't worth the space and money for me. What I could use quite a bit, though, is a powered grinding machine that could be used to shape, clean, and polish metal. In a quick internet search I haven't been able to find many grinding wheel options for this device but maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places.

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So, for those of you that have a slow speed grinder like the one above, how often do you use it? Do you find it indispensable? Do you use it for anything other than sharpening?

[Ed Aumiller]

It also has a smaller high speed grindstone that is useful for a lot of things....
Use the big stone for precision and the smaller one for many odd jobs... screwdrivers, lawnmower blades, general grinding, etc...
Small stones are cheap and readily replaceable...

[John McClanahan]

I have that grinder, by another name. I can't remember the last time I used it, and I should sell it. The large stone is final sharpening only. It cuts too slow for metal removal. The small stone is designed to wear away, exposing fresh grinding surface. If you use it much, you will be replacing the stone from time to time.

I have a Worksharp 3000. It is far more versatile for sharpening. I get no pleasure from hand sharpening, so the Worksharp works great for me.


John

[John K Jordan]

What I could use quite a bit, though, is a powered grinding machine that could be used to shape, clean, and polish metal.

Matthew, I use a belt-based knife sharpener, a slow speed Tormek wet grinder, four traditional bench grinders, and some other powered grinding/polishing things. For mild steel, I often use a bench grinder with a coarse stone and a wire brush to shape and clean, mostly to prep for welding and repairs. The Tormek with a very fine wheel puts the edges on my spindle gouges - I would hate to be without it for my application. For hardened steels and HSS I use different grit CBN wheels on "1/2 speed" grinders, primarily for lathe tool shaping and sharpening. I have one polishing wheel for steel and use another for brass and such.

But you might tell in more detail what kind of non-sharpening applications you have in mind, the expected sizes, and what kinds of metals. There are lots of options, for example inexpensive angle grinders for handheld use.

JKJ

[John C Bush]

Hi Matthew,
I have the Delta version and don't use it. Large wheel moves very slowly, like the Tormek, but the blade holder isn't stable and accurate enough. Hand sharpening chisels and plane blades by hand is fun and eventually is quick to do. I would pass.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Matthew, I use a belt-based knife sharpener, a slow speed Tormek wet grinder, four traditional bench grinders, and some other powered grinding/polishing things. For mild steel, I often use a bench grinder with a coarse stone and a wire brush to shape and clean, mostly to prep for welding and repairs. The Tormek with a very fine wheel puts the edges on my spindle gouges - I would hate to be without it for my application. For hardened steels and HSS I use different grit CBN wheels on "1/2 speed" grinders, primarily for lathe tool shaping and sharpening. I have one polishing wheel for steel and use another for brass and such.

But you might tell in more detail what kind of non-sharpening applications you have in mind, the expected sizes, and what kinds of metals. There are lots of options, for example inexpensive angle grinders for handheld use.

JKJ

Wow, what a setup! Someday I'll hopefully have something similar. As far as sharpening? I do a little bit of everything from tiny 1/8" chisels and gouges up to full size axes. The majority of my sharpening time is spent on chisels, plane blades, drill bits, and knives. Really, the only tools that are a pain to sharpen by hand are the little things like my 1/8" gouge or drill bits. And for smaller tools I'd think the 220 grit wheel on that wet grinder is too coarse to be of much use. I'd still have to do the majority of honing by hand. After some thought my conclusion is that I really don't need a powered appliance for sharpening--I get by just fine with my sharpening stones and honing guides. So if this device isn't useful for anything other than sharpening it probably isn't worth the money or limited shop space, despite the cheap price. Usually when I wish I had some sort of powered appliance it's cleaning up an old rusty tool during a restoration or putting a decent finish on something after draw-filing the pitting out of it. Given that, would I probably be better off with a standard bench grinder and a wire wheel?

[John K Jordan]

Wow, what a setup! Someday I'll hopefully have something similar. As far as sharpening? I do a little bit of everything from tiny 1/8" chisels and gouges up to full size axes. The majority of my sharpening time is spent on chisels, plane blades, drill bits, and knives. Really, the only tools that are a pain to sharpen by hand are the little things like my 1/8" gouge or drill bits. And for smaller tools I'd think the 220 grit wheel on that wet grinder is too coarse to be of much use. I'd still have to do the majority of honing by hand. After some thought my conclusion is that I really don't need a powered appliance for sharpening--I get by just fine with my sharpening stones and honing guides. So if this device isn't useful for anything other than sharpening it probably isn't worth the money or limited shop space, despite the cheap price. Usually when I wish I had some sort of powered appliance it's cleaning up an old rusty tool during a restoration or putting a decent finish on something after draw-filing the pitting out of it. Given that, would I probably be better off with a standard bench grinder and a wire wheel?

A 4-1/2" angle grinder might do everything you need from grinding to cleaning. You can quickly change between grinding and cutting wheels, then switch to wire brushes or sanding and polishing disks.

These tools are almost essential for metal fabrication. The wire brushes, for example, come in fine, soft wires or heavy twisted wires that will take off almost anything, including the flesh down to the bone! You can get radial brushes or cup brushes that are most useful for larger, flat surfaces.

These are usually used hand held but can be clamped or held in a vise - a mini tool rest could be devised.

Some advantages of angle grinders: variable speed, relatively inexpensive, small size, wheels available at hardware stores and HD, quick to change wheels, can access things impossible with a bench grinder, and are very portable - I use them when fabricating and repairing things for the farm, both in the shop and outside, perhaps under a trailer or on big equipment. When working I generally keep two or three with different attachments so I don't have to stop and change wheels so much when repeatedly switching between them.

If you ever fall into the woodturning trap you can think more about powered bench grinders. Some lathe tools such as bowl and spindle gouges are SO much easier to sharpen with a bench grinder and a special jig.

JKJ

[Mike Circo]

I have to echo the comments that the item you show is not your best value. I have the Delta version and never could get a useful sharp edge on anything with it. The big wheel moves too slow to be a buffer or any thing else. It's a wet stone system so you have to deal with water and the attendant sludge. It seriously has been the worst investment I ever made in the shop.

Get a Workshop for sharpening and re-evaluate you other needs separately.

[Mel Fulks]

I think those things are re- marketed stamp moisteners. They were so slow the post office went to bumper sticker glue.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

A 4-1/2" angle grinder might do everything you need from grinding to cleaning. You can quickly change between grinding and cutting wheels, then switch to wire brushes or sanding and polishing disks.

These tools are almost essential for metal fabrication. The wire brushes, for example, come in fine, soft wires or heavy twisted wires that will take off almost anything, including the flesh down to the bone! You can get radial brushes or cup brushes that are most useful for larger, flat surfaces.

These are usually used hand held but can be clamped or held in a vise - a mini tool rest could be devised.

Some advantages of angle grinders: variable speed, relatively inexpensive, small size, wheels available at hardware stores and HD, quick to change wheels, can access things impossible with a bench grinder, and are very portable - I use them when fabricating and repairing things for the farm, both in the shop and outside, perhaps under a trailer or on big equipment. When working I generally keep two or three with different attachments so I don't have to stop and change wheels so much when repeatedly switching between them.

If you ever fall into the woodturning trap you can think more about powered bench grinders. Some lathe tools such as bowl and spindle gouges are SO much easier to sharpen with a bench grinder and a special jig.

JKJ

The more I think about it, the more the angle grinder looks like the most versatile piece of equipment. Especially given my somewhat-nomadic lifestyle. For a lot of heavy sanding/grinding I just clamp a beltsander upside down on the bench. Not quite as nice as a stationary unit but it gets the job done, and it's nice to be able to unclamp it and use it the way it was originally meant to be used. I didn't consider the possibility of doing that with an angle grinder but maybe that's the way to go. Thank you.