Mini grinder advice. Please

[shirehorseman]

Hello ev'rybody,

I'm sorry but I haven't been on for a long time now due to
worsening medical problems, which has left me feeling
somewhat frustrated, and dare I say, more than a little depressed
by it all. You see I used to graft all day every day, now I cannot do much at all, I have to go on Dyalisis now in the very near future, and i'm not afraid to admit that I am quite scared of the whole affair.
Since I was last here I have had to part with nearly all of my
workshop contents on ebay. But I have to try and do something so I have decided to try and take up carving again.
As I still have a number of carving tools and the bandsaw, but, I do require some advice.
Which is why I am here asking for help.
Could any of you who are carvers please advise me if possible which would be the better purchase.
ARBORTECH MIN350 MINI GRINDER kit.
or the
MERLING SEI-MERL kit
Either would be a great help to me in the removal of the majority of the wood, as I would be carving mainly from logs. (cheaper)

To my mind, the Merlin which uses a mini chain, would probably take more sharpening.
Am I correct? Or not.
I would appreciate any advice lads. Thanking you in advance.
Trev.

 

[Ironballs]

Sorry to hear about your problems Trev, I've got no idea about the carving tools but I do wish you well and hope you make a good recovery - or recover to a point where you can carry on doing the things that make you happy

Damian

 

[neilyweely]

Shirehorseman

Hello mate. Well, I don't own either, but have seen the arbortech in use, and have tried it once myself too. (Think it was the arbortech - didn't have a chain, was unusual looking thing, but worked well).

I have never seen the merlin in use, but am familiar with it thru the catalogues and it looks great. However I, like you, would plum for the arbortech as I have heard good things about it from people in the know, and my own experience was good. The fact it is a solid wheel kind of endears it to me too.

My thoughts are with you mate. Stay positive.

Best wishes

Neil

 

[Chris Knight]

Trev,

I am sorry to hear of your problems, I wish you the very best in coping with dialysis.

As far as the two tools are concerned my instinct is that the Merlin (aka Proxxon) might be underpowered for your intended use. I see from Google that Classic Hand tools stock it why not give Mike Hancock or Alex a call. They are top blokes and should be able to steer you.

 

[shirehorseman]

Hello Lads,

Damian
Thank you for the kind wishes.

Neil
[/quote]'The fact it is a solid wheel kind of endears it to me too.'
I have to say that was my thinking too

Chris
Having not seen either 'in the flesh' so to speak it does appear that the Merlin could be underpowered, but I will take your advice and contact classic tools for a chit-chat.

Thanks to you all for your kind comments.

 

[Shadowfax]

Arbortech, I think, because of what others have said, but what do I know?
I do wish you well with your treatment, though. I'm sure you will cope but I hope the sheer inconvenience will not be too much of a problem and that you can get the benefit you need to allow you to do what you want to do.
Good luck and all best wishes.

SF

 

[iajon69]

Hi Trev,

Sorry to hear about your health problems.

I can't speak from personal experience but I was talking to a wood carver a while back and he uses the Arbortech range and spoke very highly of them.
Some of the work that he's producing is amazing and he's used the Arbortech range for years.

I don't see him very often, otherwise I would ask his opinion of the Merling.

Good luck and and I hope that your health improves soon.

Ian

 

[shirehorseman]

Hi,

Thanks one and all for the help, have now sorted it, when I can afford I am getting the Arbortech.
Thanks again.
Trev.

 

[Grinding One]

I own the Arbortec and you can get different wheels for it,cutting ,sanding,but the chainsaw one I do not own...I did a white oak rocking horse with chisels to start with and after wacking away for hours said to myself there has to be a better way to shape from ruff....after looking around a bit I found and Arbortec it knocked off white oak like sanding a 1/8 inch at a time.Got down to almost finish depth and back to my chisels.....Horse turn out well and is still going today.
But for real big logs I get out the real chainsaw I have a couple that come to a knife point to get into small spaces,never hurts to use power,but hard to hook a vacumm too.

 

[shirehorseman]

Hi Grinding one,

Thanks for the input, you have just re-enforced my decision.
Regards.
Trev

 

[Digit]

Don't know a thing about either Trev, but my heartfelt wishes for the future.

Roy.

 

[shirehorseman]

Hi Roy,

Thanks for the input mate. but I do have to say that it's not all doom and gloom as my wife seems to care a lot for me. Well she's always saying to me when I get to bed. 'ARE YOU COVERED?'
Regards.
Trev

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Hi Trev,

Sorry to hear of your troubles, I'm sure that dialysis is nothing to worry about these days though.

I would say that it probably depends on the scale of carving that you intend to do. I recently pondered the vary same issue as you are, and opted for the proxxon minature grinder thing. I decided to go for this rather than an angle grinder sized one basically because I will be using it mostly on pretty small stuff.

I've used it for a little carving on bowls and found it to be pretty good so far, although I have had a few problems with access for some cuts. I can only assume that this would be worse for a larger machine.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[neilyweely]

Hello Shirehorseman

Hope you are ok buddy.

I had a look at a wheel today that fits onto the 115mm angledriver I have already. It was made by arbortech (I think) and it was excellent. The store I saw it in were selling it for just over 20quid. It had three cutting points on a 115mm wheel, with a depth stop behind the cutter, much like a chainsaw or even circ saw blade. So, working on the same principle it would appear it is pretty much tried and tested technology.

You never said what it was you were going to mainly be using it for, ie what size and what sort of wood. These may well be factors (they will be factors) in whether or not it will suffice.

HTH, and best wishes.

Neil

 

[shirehorseman]

Dod Wrote,

I recently pondered the vary same issue as you are, and opted for the proxxon minature grinder thing. I decided to go for this rather than an angle grinder sized one basically because I will be using it mostly on pretty small stuff.
I too will be using the mini-grinder for stuff up to about 18-20" in height, carving from logs. And looking at the Proxxon it looks a little under powered for my needs, it's only 100watt, I think.
Whereas the mini Arbortech is 700watt, that's if I am reading things right, and if I am that is a heck of a difference.

Neil

I already have a 115mm grinder and was looking at the Arbortech cutter along with the King Arthurs stuff (Lancelot etc) and decided although they will obviously shift a lot of stuff very quickly, they were a bit over the top for my needs.

Thanks to you both for the input, it was gratefully received.
Regards.
Trev

 

[neilyweely]

Welcome mate, but the Lancelot/ Excalibur stuff? Isn't it expensive?

The think I am on about was only 18 odd quid - I think.

Best wishes

Neil

 

[shirehorseman]

Hello Neil,

No I was not thinking of getting the Lancelot or Galahad they are £34.95 and £54.95 respectively, they are too big.
I was thinking of getting the little 2" mini grinder from Arbortech it has a 700watt motor which is powerful enough for the machine, but it is small enough to do what I had in mind.
But thanks alot for the input Neil, it very much appreciated.
Regards.
Trev