Replies

1. 
   MikeHennessy | Nov 23, 2005 03:58pm | #1

   Uh, your grinder is probably fine -- unless you just haven't mentioned that you dropped it and bent the shaft ;-). It's the wheels that are out of balance. Try dressing them or getting new ones.

   Mike Hennessy

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 23, 2005 04:11pm | #2

   The wheels are both new-- but haven't been dressed. What is required to do this?

    

   Thanks.

1. 
   Froed | Nov 23, 2005 09:05pm | #5

   Before you dress your wheels, mark them and end of the grinder shaft with a marker, pen, crayon, whatever.  Note the vibration when you fire it up.  Turn the grinder off, rotate the wheel 1/4-turn on the shaft, turn it on, and see if the vibration got worse or better.  Repeat a few times until you're satisfied you've reduced the vibration as much as possible.  Make sure the wheels are seated properly and mounted firmly when you do this - sometimes there's some slop in there, and if you just slap the wheels on, they'll wobble.

    

   Once you do that, get a diamond dresser for $15.  Dress the wheel by resting the dresser on the tool rest, and slowly brushing it across the wheel until the face is as true as you can get it.  Don't push it into the wheel, since it'll follow the wheel instead of making it round, and shorten the life of the dresser as well.

    

   You should be pretty darn close after that.

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 23, 2005 09:43pm | #6

   Thanks everyone, I'll give the rotation and dressing method a try.

    

   Randy.

2. 
   UnclePaul | Nov 23, 2005 04:11pm | #3

   I think it's your grinder. I have a similar set up with a newer grinder and there is little vibration.

   -Paul

3. 
   5418 | Nov 23, 2005 08:35pm | #4

   Try looking at the wheel straight-on while it's rotating. If you see a lot of wobble, it's probably the wheel. You can try shimming, or just rotating the wheel slightly and restart the grinder several times until you find the position with the least vibration. (Obviously, be sure the wheel is secured tightly before each restarting.) There's a commercial kit by Oneway that addresses this, but the rotating trick works fine on my grinder so I haven't had the need for it.

4. 
   saulgood | Nov 23, 2005 10:23pm | #7

   r,
   Ditto about the balance issue- even a cheap grinder should run pretty smoothly if the wheels are even. I found an easy way to balance the wheel, and it actually works quite well. I can't vouch for the safety of this method, so be advised...

   I was trying to find out if my grinding wheel could be flattened/restored in the same way I sometimes true my wet stones - by rubbing two similar stones together. I took an old wheel, itself badly misshapen, and stuck a pen (or some similar cylinder) through the center so it was fairly tight but still spun freely. I then turned on the grinder and, holding the "pen" in both hands, brought the two wheels together.

   . As the wheel in my hands began spinning, Something surprising happened. Not only did both wheels become flat within seconds, but there was an almost immediate end to the vibration that the grinder had been experiencing.

   If you attempt this, wear goggles and gloves and only use wheels of similar grit/quality. Grinders are inherently dangerous, so be careful!!!

   Oh yeah, another thing: I wanted to get my benchtop clear by mounting my grinder on the wall of my shop, and I'm really glad I did it. I dissassembled the grinder just enough to flip the motor 180 degrees on it's base so that the on/off switch would end up on top, then I bolted the whole thing through a 24" length of good 2x6 (I used carriage bolts and lock washers for this, and countersunk them in back). Then I screwed the whole thing to the studs between two doorways. I was a little worried about vibration transfer to the walls, but with the wheels trued the system works really well. You might add some rubber between the wood and wall for cushioning, but I didn't need this. saul

5. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 25, 2005 07:21pm | #8

   A old cement building block fed to the stones will flatten them both nicely...

   Just funnin' ya!

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 28, 2005 05:39pm | #9

   I dressed the wheels and the grinder is running smoothly! I first tried Saulgood's wheel method-- he was right, it isn't very safe! After the smoothing wheel shot across my shop floor at 3,450 rpm's I decided to buy a diamond wheel dresser. I will not be trying Will's cement block idea!

    

   Thanks to all,

   Randy

1. 
   saulgood | Nov 29, 2005 02:55am | #10

   Congratulations! High four!