Affordable grinder help

[gairym]

Morning,

I'm finally up and running with a very pleasant little lathe (after a false start which you may have read of in another thread), have purchased some half-decent tools to use (Hamlet) and am now turning my attention (pun just noticed) to a grinder.

I've always sharpened all of my chisel and plane blades by hand with whet stones but there's no way I've got in me to sharpen curved gouges etc... by hand.

So.....help!!!

What do I need to get? I'd very much like to not spend a lot of money (as I've not got a lot of money to spend) but equally I don't want to buy cheap, buy twice (again!).

Wet or dry grinder? What jigs to I need? Do they come with them? Can I get a cheap grinder and then upgrade the wheel(s) later?

How little can I spend and get what I need to get the job done properly?

Any/all help gratefully received.....

Cheers, Gairy.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

Probably the cheapest option is a bench grinder. You can upgrade the wheels on any grinder as they are designed to be replaceable when they wear out. You would just need to get the right wheel or the right adapter bush to fit the grinder spindle diameter. They grey carborundum wheels found on most grinders will sharpen HSS turning tools but is probably too coarse and not the best compound for HSS. The experts suggest a white aluminium oxide wheel as a minimum which are available fairly cheaply. More exotic stone or ceramic wheels are available or CBN if you have a big enough budget.

The basic grinder doesn't usually come with any jigs, just a small platform which is generally too small for turning tools anyway so you might want to either buy or make a tilt table as a minimum. When I bought my first grinder, I made a tilt table from MDF using some plans I found on the web.

You can sharpen gouges by hand but it is easier with a jig. There are many different ones on the market. I use the Tormek armature because I have both wet and dry grinders so that allows me to use the same jigs on both grinders. Not the cheapest but probably the most versatile as Tormek have jigs for almost everything. You can also make your own gouge jig quite easily - again, plans available on the web.

 

[Dalboy]

I think a bench grinder is the way to go something like the ones that Record power show the advantage is they come with a wider white wheel and as Paul stated a add on platform either home made or even a commercially made one when money allows.
Record grinders are not the cheapest around but better than the cheap and cheerful ones you see on offer.
I was fortunate that the platform I have is a Robert Sorby one and brought it second hand this combination I have been using for a good number of years and would not want to change it not even for the pro edge

 

[gairym]

Thanks both,

I just ordered a record power bench grinder. Worked out at 120€ so can't complain (Brit living in France, please forgive the €ness).

I'll probably make myself a jig initially and then invest in one at some point in the future.

Very much looking forward to getting stuck in to some fun turning projects!!!

Cheers, Gairy.