Which bench grinder??

Have an old grinder that has seen better days, it has 6" wheels. Have a
Jet 1014 on order.
Anyone have ideas as to what to replace my grinder with? The low speed,
(70 to 400) wet, looks like a good idea. Comments welcome. Thanks in
advance.

I know a lot won't agree with me but I'd replace it with a standard speed (3450rpm) 6" grinder with white wheels. billh

Forget the low speed wet grinder.....at least for sharpening woodturning tools. Instead go for a slo-speed 8" grinder (Woodcraft has a decent one for $100) and a Oneway Wolverine grinding jig. The wet grinder may sound like a good idea, and in concept it is, but it is just too slow, unless you want to spend most of your time grinding instead of turning.
Barry

I don't agree. The low speed grinders are also slow speed grinders. Grinding will take so long that you will avoid doing it when you should.
Get a 3400 rpm grinder and a either buy a jig system or build one. The Oneway system is good. Get some good white or blue wheels and learn how to grind with a light touch.
Many suggest using a 1700 rpm grinder. Maybe it would be good to start with but you will get frustrated with the wasted time after you know how to grind. There are several dual speed grinders out there.
As to wheels -- my find wheel is 80 grit and the roughing wheel is 36. Some would say that is too coarse but it works for me.
As to size -- I grind on a 7" Baldor. For many years I ground on an inexpensive 8" grinder with 7" wheels.
Bill

Take a look at the 8" grinder offered by Woodcraft. It runs at 1750 rpm and sells for under $100. The ability to sharpen your tools properly is one of the most important phases of woodturning. Either learn to do it properly by hand or get a jig like the Oneway Wolverine. I don't think you will regret it.
Hope this helps.

I have a 1700 rpm grinder and you are right; this is why my next one is 3450rpm. I also agree with your comments on using a jig. I learned to freehand my tools and got fairly good at it. Bought a Oneway Vari-grind jig and I can touch up the edge with a minimum of lost material but even better, the grind is always consistent. billh

I still have one of the slow speed grinders from Woodcraft. It will teach you how to use a light touch, because if you use any pressure, it will slow down. After getting my CBN grinding wheels, I got a Baldor 8 inch grinder through Kaman Industrian Tech. Other bearing/electric motor companies may carry them. I can bear down as hard as I want, and the motor doest't slow down a bit. Also, it runs so smoothly that it doesn't have to be bolted or clamped down to the bench. It is also very quiet. The Woodcraft grinder now has the rough grinding wheels on it (30 and 60 grit) and is used only for rough shaping. The Baldor has 80 and 320 grit wheels. I use the Elsworth jig for my spindle and bowl gouges, and a Veritas rest for my scrapers. At present this is all I need, but I reserve the right to change my mind at any time in the future. robo hippy

Hi Rick
Keep your grinder, you might replace one of your wheels with a new aluminium oxide wheel and buy or build a sharpening jig, platform. Have a look at Darrell Feltmate's site, he's got some good hints, ideas.
Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

In article ,
Well, I just can't resist adding one more bit of 2 cents to the discussion:
I have a 1750rpm Delta 8" grinder that works well for all my grinding and general sharpening needs. It's equipped with Camel 36 grit and 80 grit wheels. The 36 makes fairly short work of major repairs or shape changes while the 80 works well for the touchups and other 95% of my grinder use. (The 120 white Delta wheel is just too fine for my techniques and I end up with too much tool heat and a frequently loaded wheel.)
*If* I had the budjet I'd consider one of the slow speed sharpeners like the Tormek - *in addition to* the medium speed I already own. The edge created is super sharp (the more I turn, the more I appreciate a honed edge when finessing a turning's shape and surface quality) and it would certainly come in handy for honing the household scissors and knives as well. (I've been eyeing the motor & leather belt setup from Lee Valley for a while now - and may go that route.)
One can pick up relatively inexpensive 8" med. speed (1750-ish) grinders like the Woodcraft for $75-$100. I think you definitely need one of the medium or fast (3450-ish) grinders for repairs, reshapes and initial sharpening. After that either a wet wheeled sharpener, leather belt or hand hones will bring the tool edge to fine sharpness.

Something with good bearings that runs true. I wouldn't (actually, don't) keep water around the woodshop unless I had a far corner, which would make it pretty inconvenient. My Makita comes out to do planer or jointer knives, jazz the plane irons, then back into the box. Makes a lovely edge.
Two ways of getting steel off the bar - grit and speed. For general shop use, the slow speed is certainly more useful for carbon steel in chisels, plane irons and such. Just put the coarse wheel on, or use the belt sander when the axe or lawnmower needs work. It's also going to remove less per second than the high speed if you use the wheel rather than the hone to freshen your edges. Since it's slow speed, you won't need one of those soft wheels that dish when you look at them cross-eyed and disappear rapidly as you try to dress them back into usefulness.
Workshop grinders are one place where size really doesn't seem to matter.

I agree with you! The 6" 3400 RPM is a great choice!
Ray

If you have to even think about bearing down on a tool while grinding.....something is wrong. The wheel is too fine.........the wheel needs to be dressed........someone turned your grinder off while you weren't looking......... :-)
Barry

MY DISCLAIMER...THE FOLLOWING POST IS A SLOWER GRINDER "IDEA" ONLY. I SHALL IN NO EVENT BE LIABLE FOR DEATH, INJURIES TO PERSONS O PROPERTY, OR FOR INCIDENTAL, FINANCIAL, CONTINGENT, SPECIAL O CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS POSTING. EVERYONES SKILL LEVELS VARY IF IN DOUBT, DONT USE THIS IDEA!! PURCHAS A PROFESSIONAL POWER TOOL (GRINDER) DESIGNED TO DO THE JOB CORRECTLY. I might purchase/use a dirt cheap or junk grinder. I will then remov the grinding wheel & tin wheel guard in full from the motor this migh allow for a V belt to be run. Next I will place/secure a pulley where the grinding wheel was usin either the grinding wheel washers & nuts. NOTE..THIS HAS NOT BEEN TESTED YET..IF I DECIDE TO USE THE PULLEY SE SCREW IRREVERSABLE DAMAGE TO THE THREADS WILL MOST LIKELY OCCU (earlier I said a cheap or junk grinder) I will then find a way to secure the bench grinder & tension a bel driven by a slow 1725 or 1750 ect old motor to a solid bench or plywoo base. The use of a step pulley on the motor will offer varied speeds. DO NOT EXEED THE GRINDING WHEELS MAXIMUM OPERATING SPEED .THE GRINDIN WHEEL COULD SHATTER. ALWAYS MAKE GUARDS AS WELL.
GOOD LUCK & HAVE FU