Grinder Modification

Are you sure the wheels won't fit? If it is one of the General International branded products, it is actually a generic Taiwanese grinder, branded under many different badges.

I have two 8" grinders. Either size wheel will fit either grinder, the only difference is the covers/guards on the wheels. If the motor arbor is long enough and you can get the guard back on, you are in business.

I would be more worried that the arbor hole size on the wheel was the correct diameter to fit.

Robert

I can get the guards back on, but the nut on the arbor is only half on.

Bob

Hi Bob

If the grinder is build for a 3/4" thick wheel, I would expect it to be underpowered for a 1" thick wheel.

Could it be modified ?, yes. you could take the grindershaft with armature to a machine shop and have them increase the length of the thread by 1/2".

You then can widen the safety cages around the wheels and you're done

Or you could exchange the grinder and/or wheels to what you really want or need, yes sometimes we do have to pay for our lessons.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Bob - if you can't get the nut anymore than 1/2 on, quit there. Go no further. That machine is made for 3/4 wheels and that is that. As benign as grinders are, they can be extremely dangerous and there is no reason to tempt fate. Just think of that 6-7 pound wheel working its way off the arbor (not likely, but...) and flying off at 1750 rpms. And although there are a lot of daredevils out there, I wouldn't put a cutting or grinding device on any tool that is larger than it was designed to use.

need, yes sometimes we do have to >pay for our lessons.

I think Leo's point in what you COULD do was meant to be just that. You "could" do it if you felt really comfortable doing that, and could get a good job done.

I couldn't agree more with the second part, though and that is paying for our "lessons". I personally think it is time to suck this one up. If you got some really nice high quality and expensive wheels from them for the grinder, keep the wheels and sell the grinder.

If the wheels are mid range type, sell them on Ebay and get some good ones for your new grinder.

If you sell the whole thing and you are looking for a good grinder with good wheels, you can get this one at a reasonable price and it has good wheels on it. Not $100 each Nortons or $300 diamond wheels, but good serviceable wheels.

I think 3/4 of the people I know that turn have this grinder or one of its cousins. The advantage of buying it from Woodcraft are the wheels.

Robert

Grinder ModificationThinner washers?

I had (inadvertently) bought a General 8 " 1725 rpm grinder which I now have found out was built for 3/4 inch wheels. Bought the grinder at a woodturning show and they sold me 1 inch wheels to go with it. It's too late to try send it back. Has anyone modified such or a similar grinder to handle the thicker

1 inch wheels?

Bob

You can get wheels that are recessed on one or both sides, so that you can use a 1" or wider wheel on a shorter arbor. These are commonly used on surface grinders. Likely to find an 8" wheel with a 1-1/4" arbor hole, but you can bush that down. An 8" x 1" wheel might have a recess 3" diameter by 1/2" deep. Try MSC or one of the other metalworking suppliers.

John Martin

Yup. Fender washers. Thinner. Works great.

For wheels with a reduced recessed centre, try

I purchased a 1" 120 grit white wheel there that has a 3/4" centre. They ship anywhere.

Mike