Uses for a 6" bench grinder

stioc · Dec 8, 2005

So I just bought my first bench grinder, its a Craftsman 6" pictured below.

I'm wondering what you guys use your bench grinders for and what kind of accessories are available for them ? Mine came with two grinding stones which don't seem all that useful. What I really need is a wire wheel so I can clean the metal before welding. Until now I was using sand paper, hand-held wire brush and a drill mounted wire brush with so-so results. I also have an angle grinder and I'm thinking about using the flap disks with that for my pre-welding cleanup.

astroracer · Dec 8, 2005

Russell said:
So I just bought my first bench grinder, its a Craftsman 6" pictured below.

I'm wondering what you guys use your bench grinders for

Boat anchor?... I use my 4" angle grinders for everything now except sharpening lathe tools. You will like the flap disc for cleaning up prior to welding. Quick and easy...
Mark

Uncle Buck · Dec 8, 2005

Boat anchor? :shocking:

WTF No way, i have a grinder almost identical to the picture plus three angle grinders, a 7" a 4" and a 4 1/2" (have three cause the price was right!) The bench grinder still gets the most use I use one general purpose stone and a good quality wire wheel on the other side, I do not really use any other accesories with the grinder, and come to think of it I use the wire wheel more than the stone side. xmas

Elroy · Dec 8, 2005

Elroy typically uses his bench grinder of tool sharping. Drills and chisels etc. A wire brush is also great for removing **** from bolt threads. In addition. I use mine with buffings wheels to polish metals AND even plastic. Stainless buffs up real nice! To buff real large items like aluminum valve covers or intake manifolds you got to get the die grinder out too.

Elroy would love to see someone put a proper edge on a 1/8 twist drill with a hand held grinder. Ya right, Elroy can just hear someone say: do it all the time off the bumper of the binder on the edge of the corn field.

stioc · Dec 8, 2005

Cool, I'll have to search the 'net to see how you can sharpen drill bits with a grinder. I know Jim wrote an article but anything more than 15 lines of wording I start to doze off, I need pics

Yeah, I'll have to pick up some flap disks for my angle grinder.

kartracer55 · Dec 8, 2005

Elroy said:
Elroy would love to see someone put a proper edge on a 1/8 twist drill with a hand held grinder. .

Yeah, I can barely get a proper edge on a 1/4 bit on the becnh grinder :headscrat

Still workin at it. I have 3 different metalshop textbooks that show how, I m running about 50/50 for acceptable and non acceptable.

I use the bench grinder for a decent amount of stuff. You can get different wheels for grinding aluminum, and a wire wheel is really handy for cleaning stuff up. Sometimes parts are too small to grind with an angle grinder, or even sticking them in a vise, so its nice to use the becnh grinder.

Jim

Uncle Buck · Dec 8, 2005

Russell, forget those cheap drill bit fixtures that you set to the side of the grinder, they are worthless, If you can get a handfull of shot drillbits, and some old timer to teach you the proper way to hand sharpen, you will be set! Personally I never quite had the right touch to hand sharpen a regular drill bit, I just gave up on hand sharpening. Once I got the drill dr, I never gave hand sharpening a dull drill bit another thought, but good luck!

l_bilyk · Dec 8, 2005

At home my bench grinder is used for buffing and sometimes cleaning with a wire wheel. I dont use it that much.

At the shop we have 3 8" bench grinders for shaping tubes for the chassis. Those are on ALL the time. But that's the extent of what they are used for.

astroracer · Dec 12, 2005

Hey guys... Lighten up!
All I said was I don't use my bench grinders all that much. I answered the guys question with MY experience. I'm sorry if I do things differently then you.

Elroy would love to see someone put a proper edge on a 1/8 twist drill with a hand held grinder. Ya right, Elroy can just hear someone say: do it all the time off the bumper of the binder on the edge of the corn field.
I said nothing about sharpening drill bits because I have a drill doctor for that and, for me, it is MUCH quicker and more consistant then hand sharpening on a bench grinder... Did that for long time and don't plan on going back...
I would love to see Elroy get the whole story before he starts going off on someone based on an "assumption"... Ya right...

Uncle Buck · Dec 12, 2005

astroracer: Sorry, certainly no offense intended.

motorheadjohn · Dec 12, 2005

I've got a cheap Ryobi bench grinder of about the same size. Most of my welding and metal fabrication is 1/8" steel so I left the course wheel on and removed the fine wheel in favor of a Craftsman wire brush wheel. The course wheel helps remove metal quickly if I'm trimming to fit, and the brush is for removing mill scale before welding.

I had to leave the metal guard off as the wire wheel dragged on the inside. This means you MUST wear a full face shield and good protective clothing at all times, and don't run it right next to your hot rod. The wheel occasionally loses pieces of the wire and you don't want them in an eye, in your skin, or in your paint.

You must also wear good gloves. I use a set of extra thick arc (stick) welding gloves for working with the grinder and wire wheel. They have saved my hands a few times. Don't forget that full face shield!

Uses for a 6" bench grinder

stioc

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astroracer

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Uncle Buck

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Elroy

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stioc

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kartracer55

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Uncle Buck

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l_bilyk

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astroracer

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Uncle Buck

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motorheadjohn

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