8" bench grinder

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  • poolhound
    Veteran Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 3195
    • Phoenix, AZ
    • BT3100

    8" bench grinder

    I am looking at 8" bench grinders and seem to be down to 2 or 3 choices. I am looking for a slow speed grinder mainly for sharpening lathe chisels.

    This delta variable speed grinder is $124 on amazon. It goes from 2000 to 3400 rpm has a light, and comes with a wheel dresser. The standard wheels are 36 and 60.



    Don't know anything about this Powertech brand but it is $109 and comes with 2 white wheels I think 60 and 120. It is single speed 1750.



    I was also looking at the Rikon at woodcraft. It is essentially the same spec as the Powertech. Dedicated 1750 rpm with 60 and 120 wheels for $140.

    I just got the woodcraft Mailer yesterday and the have the Rikon on sale for $99 does this make it a no brainer or is there some benefit in the delta?


    I am also looking at the turning chisel jigs like the wolverine and penn state any recomndations there also?
    Jon

    Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
    ________________________________

    We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
    techzibits.com
  • woodturner
    Veteran Member
    • Jun 2008
    • 2047
    • Western Pennsylvania
    • General, Sears 21829, BT3100

    #2
    Originally posted by poolhound
    I am looking at 8" bench grinders and seem to be down to 2 or 3 choices.
    Is there a particular reason you want an 8" instead of a 6"? I use a 6" grinder or a 1" belt sander to sharpen my lathe tools. A 6" grinder is less expensive, and the wheels are a little less as well. Perhaps more significantly, the 6" radius is the right size to hollow grind lathe tools
    --------------------------------------------------
    Electrical Engineer by day, Woodworker by night

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    • Bill in Buena Park
      Veteran Member
      • Nov 2007
      • 1865
      • Buena Park, CA
      • CM 21829

      #3
      Jon,
      I have that Rikon 8" model, also bought for $99 on sale, love it. The tool rests are not really useful for sharpening lathe tools, so if you don't already have a Wolverine or PSI equivalent, you'll want to get that as well for consistency/repeatability of grinding angles, especially for bowl and detail spindle gouges. You'll need to spend a little bit of time balancing and rounding the wheels, but that's true of any grinder. I honestly think the 8" vs. 6" thing is personal preference - many great turners use either or both. I think a belt would be best (flat grind), but didn't want to waste time figuring out how to rig the Wolverine on one.

      Hollow grinding on lathe tools is not something I've heard before. Most turners I know use an 8" grinder for both shaping and touch up (i.e., not alot of honing on gouges), so I'd love to hear more about the benefits of hollow grind on lathe tools. I am familiar with this on plane irons and chisels, where honing plays more of a role.
      Bill in Buena Park

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      • poolhound
        Veteran Member
        • Mar 2006
        • 3195
        • Phoenix, AZ
        • BT3100

        #4
        It seems that most turners use an 8 inch and it will make a shallower hollow grind on chisels and plane irons. It also seems that slow speed versions are predominantly 8 inch.

        I do have a basic 6 inch ryobi but it's very agressive.
        Jon

        Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
        ________________________________

        We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
        techzibits.com

        Comment

        • cwsmith
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 2737
          • NY Southern Tier, USA.
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          Have you made a final decision on getting a conventional slow-speed grinder as opposed to a wet wheel grinder? Grizzly offers a 120 rpm 8" wet wheel grinder/sharpener for only $100. (http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Gr...arpener/T10097). At the very bottom of that web page they have a link to their 10" wet wheel which is about $160 (Anniversary Edition). I believe that both are very much like the Tormak design.

          CWS
          Think it Through Before You Do!

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          • poolhound
            Veteran Member
            • Mar 2006
            • 3195
            • Phoenix, AZ
            • BT3100

            #6
            Oh gosh now there is a thought. I have a WS3000 that I am really happy with for my planes and chisels so I think I will still go with a regular slow speed and one of the sharpening jigs.

            Given mixed reviews on the PSI I think I will probably go with the wolverine.
            Jon

            Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
            ________________________________

            We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
            techzibits.com

            Comment

            • capncarl
              Veteran Member
              • Jan 2007
              • 3564
              • Leesburg Georgia USA
              • SawStop CTS

              #7
              I found these 2 Delta grinders on online for about $75 each and seem to be well made and suited for this purpose. Mod 23-710, dry wheel speed 3450, wet wheel speed 400. The other is mod GR450, variable speed 1725-3450.
              Click image for larger version

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              • poolhound
                Veteran Member
                • Mar 2006
                • 3195
                • Phoenix, AZ
                • BT3100

                #8
                Well I am pretty much settling on the slow speed Rikon deal at woodcraft but I will need to drive to the other side of town to go and pick one up so will do that later this week.

                I did just pull the trigger on the wolverine jig and the vari grind. I saw that Woodturners Catalog had their cyber Monday offer so ordered them there plus a couple of other extras to get the full $30 discount. Now I guess I need to build the sharpening station for the shop that I have been meaning to get around to...
                Jon

                Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
                ________________________________

                We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
                techzibits.com

                Comment

                • woodturner
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jun 2008
                  • 2047
                  • Western Pennsylvania
                  • General, Sears 21829, BT3100

                  #9
                  Originally posted by poolhound
                  It seems that most turners use an 8 inch and it will make a shallower hollow grind on chisels and plane irons.
                  Hard to say what "most" turners use, I suppose, but the important part is to do what works for you.

                  Personally, I use a 6" grinder to rough shape tools, a 1" belt sander for routine sharpening, and a slip stone for honing. When we want a hollow grind, the 6" seems to be about right, at least for the spindle work I commonly do. The 8" is not curved enough to help with rolling a bead, in my experience. I don't think you will notice much difference in edge heating between 6" and 8", and heating is an issue with grinding wheels only. Regardless, if the edge starts to get hot, it usually means it is not being dipped in the water can enough or the person is trying to grind dry (tools should be ground wet).

                  Most of the time we don't want a hollow grind on lathe tools, we want a flat, so the belt sander works well and has the added advantage of not heating the edge. A flat bevel makes the tools much easier to use and makes it easier to learn the right cut angle.

                  FWIW, I am also not a fan of the grinding jigs, because they limit how the edge can be shaped. Free hand sharpening is not that hard to learn, saves a huge amount of time and money, and allows grinding the edge to what the turner needs it to be rather than what the jig manufacturer decided to allow. Some of the better grinds cannot be done on any jig, so that is another benefit of hand grinding.
                  Last edited by woodturner; 11-30-2015, 01:23 PM.
                  --------------------------------------------------
                  Electrical Engineer by day, Woodworker by night

                  Comment

                  • dbhost
                    Slow and steady
                    • Apr 2008
                    • 9209
                    • League City, Texas
                    • Ryobi BT3100

                    #10
                    When I was looking into it, I wanted an 8" grinder, white aluminum oxide wheels, and a Wolverine jig. When I bought it, Wolverine manual said a 3450 rpm grinder, so I got the Ryobi BGH827 on fathers day sale at Home Depot, long time ago now...

                    I think the higher RPM of the full speed grinder makes you FAR more conscious about how heavy your touch is when you are sharpening. And far less forgiving as well...

                    The recommendation from the Wolverine manual has been updated to a low speed grinder. And given your choices, I would spend the extra for the Rikon. No extra money spent on wheels, or adapters, just a good solid low speed grinder for sharpening. One of my brothers in law has been through 3 of those Powertech grinders in his shop in the last year. Not worth the shipping cost to get the warranty taken care of...

                    I can't say enough good about the Wolverine jig. Well designed, very well made. Does exactly what you need a sharpening jig to do with no surprises...
                    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

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