# Fitting chucks to a bench grinder



## linkshouse (24 Jun 2017)

Hello,

Has anyone here fitted chucks to a bench grinder to use it as a sanding station similar to the Kirjes system?

I've searched t'Internet for adapter sleeves that take chucks but haven't found anything. If anyone could point me at a source I would be very grateful.

Phill


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## Rorschach (24 Jun 2017)

They are available in the US from some places, but you never seem to see them here in the UK. I made my own as it was cheaper and I could get exactly what I wanted.


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## sunnybob (24 Jun 2017)

I'm a bit old fashioned, dont like the sound of that.


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## Robbo3 (25 Jun 2017)

Not sure if this is gonna help but ..... I have a 5" Slibolet grinder bought from Mate tools (Ron Hickman of Workmate fame) in 1975. It came with a standard grey wheel one side & a chuck on the other. Mine now runs a 5" green wheel & a 4" wire brush mounted in the chuck.

Slibolet = Sibolet = Kef = Scantools I think. Their double ended motor with chucks looks very similar to the Kirjes.

Most threaded chucks are 3/8" x 24 or 1/2" x 20. I don't know the TPI of a 6" grinder with a 1/2" arbor, but if it's 20 TPI then a 13mm chuck should fit. It may need a nut to stop it screwing on too far.


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## Rorschach (25 Jun 2017)

Every 6" grinder (modernish) that I have come across has a 1/2" shaft with an M12 thread on it, either right or left handed. 

I have never yet found a chuck that will just screw on and even if you could there would not be a good register for it to run true as it's not designed for it.
I had to make an arbour that slipped over the shaft.


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## linkshouse (25 Jun 2017)

Rorschach":19b3l3sv said:


> Every 6" grinder (modernish) that I have come across has a 1/2" shaft with an M12 thread on it, either right or left handed.
> 
> I have never yet found a chuck that will just screw on and even if you could there would not be a good register for it to run true as it's not designed for it.
> I had to make an arbour that slipped over the shaft.



Oh no, I understand that they won't go straight from onto the shafts. I have two tapered sleeves (left and right) for buffer wheels. I had in mind something similar with a half inch bore and the relevant thread to accept a chuck.

That said, I only want to use the chucks to hold sanding mops so I might get some bespoke sleeves made to suit.

If I had access to a metal turning lathe I'd knock some up myself.

Thanks

Phill


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## Rorschach (25 Jun 2017)

Luckily I had access to a lathe to be able to make mine. Beware the shaft sizes are usually very rough. I drill and bored out my arbour to exactly 1/2" and then found it didn't fit very well because the shaft was badly made. In the end it was best to make it slightly oversize and then I filed the shaft smooth while it was turning and then shimmed the arbour. With a bit of fiddling I got it running perfectly true and luckily the cheap grinders last me a couple of years before I burn them out and have to go through the fitting again.


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## linkshouse (25 Jun 2017)

Further to my last post....

I really only wanted the chucks to be able to mount the sanding mops that I'm currently using in my drill press.

My son called this morning though and had a grand idea. Since I make my own sanding mops why not just make them differently so that they can screw onto the buffing wheel mandrels.

To do this we sandwiched the emery cloth strips between two circular bits of plywood and then held them together using small set screws. Making them this way is a bit more long winded than just threading them onto a bolt, but they work a treat.

Phill


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## Rorschach (25 Jun 2017)

Great solution!


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## Robbo3 (26 Jun 2017)

Rorschach":176bedry said:


> Every 6" grinder (modernish) that I have come across has a 1/2" shaft with an M12 thread on it, either right or left handed.
> 
> I have never yet found a chuck that will just screw on and even if you could there would not be a good register for it to run true as it's not designed for it.
> I had to make an arbour that slipped over the shaft.


Yes, sorry. I haven't had a 6" grinder for a couple of years & couldn't remember the shaft threads.
My Jacobs chuck on the grinder runs true but I guess it was designed to by the maker. IIRC it does bottom out on the threads ie screws on as far as it will go.

Funnily enough, I've recently made some similar sanding mobs mounted on an arbor for use on either the lathe or with an electric drill.


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## memzey (12 Aug 2017)

Robbo3":3sruu2kx said:


> Not sure if this is gonna help but ..... I have a 5" Slibolet grinder bought from Mate tools (Ron Hickman of Workmate fame) in 1975. It came with a standard grey wheel one side & a chuck on the other. Mine now runs a 5" green wheel & a 4" wire brush mounted in the chuck.
> 
> Slibolet = Sibolet = Kef = Scantools I think. Their double ended motor with chucks looks very similar to the Kirjes.
> 
> Most threaded chucks are 3/8" x 24 or 1/2" x 20. I don't know the TPI of a 6" grinder with a 1/2" arbor, but if it's 20 TPI then a 13mm chuck should fit. It may need a nut to stop it screwing on too far.


Hi Rob,

Could you post a pic of your grinder please? I have a 1980's Danish made _Slibette_ 5" grinder which I think might be the same. If so you are the only other person I know with one!


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## Robbo3 (15 Aug 2017)

Hi Memsey, forgot to take a photo but will this page from the catalogue do?


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