I'm in the process of replacing a grinder that died, after a life of good service. Over the years of my wood turning efforts I've had to replace a few. Why do grinders come with mounted wheels that are never really the wheels you want? Why do some come with lights (even if they are not the best grinders) and others not? My basic question is why can't we buy a grinder with no accessories?
I understand that the stores want to sell a "ready to use" tool, but a grinder with even the best wheels on it isn't ready to use unless they were balanced at the factory. I'll admit that a "general use" grinder might be a good product for the casual user and perhaps should be marketed, but a VS or slow speed is aimed at a more sophisticated market and could easily be sold as a raw machine without guards or tool rests or wheels.
OK, I know the answer to my question, but I'll still raise the issue. I just bought a new Delta VS at my local Lowes (off the shelf) as my old one died. I spent hours setting it up (without first testing it from the package with the supplied wheels). I mounted it on my platform with the Oneway Wolverine jigs and realigned everything, and replaced the factory wheels with my CBNs. I spun it up and found an underlying motor "hum" at speed that increased in volume if I raised the speed (then dropped out when I reduced it and the wheels were driven only by momentum, but came back when they were driven by the motor). A light touch with an old tool on the wheel added enough to the load that the volume of the hum rose. At that point I decided I had a motor problem that would soon become expensive.
I am awaiting delivery of a Rikon 80-805 slow speed, which has lousy reviews for the tool rests and wheels (as do most grinders of any speed unless you can afford a Jet or a Baldor). I chose to go to the single speed as it has less electronics to go wrong (no potentiometer). I'll return my Delta to Lowes (I replaced the orginal wheels and it is so out of balance I can barely find the "hum" of overwork, but it is there).
I confess I'm an old curmudgeon, but I do hate waste. Every grinder I've ever bought had wheels I had to give away or throw away, and since I've been using the Oneway Wolverine jigs for resting my tools I've been throwing away tool rests. And since I've had my CBN wheels (about 4 years) I've had to throw away the wheel guards and associated stuff.
Why can't they offer us the option for a nice raw grinder?
Best, Jon
I understand that the stores want to sell a "ready to use" tool, but a grinder with even the best wheels on it isn't ready to use unless they were balanced at the factory. I'll admit that a "general use" grinder might be a good product for the casual user and perhaps should be marketed, but a VS or slow speed is aimed at a more sophisticated market and could easily be sold as a raw machine without guards or tool rests or wheels.
OK, I know the answer to my question, but I'll still raise the issue. I just bought a new Delta VS at my local Lowes (off the shelf) as my old one died. I spent hours setting it up (without first testing it from the package with the supplied wheels). I mounted it on my platform with the Oneway Wolverine jigs and realigned everything, and replaced the factory wheels with my CBNs. I spun it up and found an underlying motor "hum" at speed that increased in volume if I raised the speed (then dropped out when I reduced it and the wheels were driven only by momentum, but came back when they were driven by the motor). A light touch with an old tool on the wheel added enough to the load that the volume of the hum rose. At that point I decided I had a motor problem that would soon become expensive.
I am awaiting delivery of a Rikon 80-805 slow speed, which has lousy reviews for the tool rests and wheels (as do most grinders of any speed unless you can afford a Jet or a Baldor). I chose to go to the single speed as it has less electronics to go wrong (no potentiometer). I'll return my Delta to Lowes (I replaced the orginal wheels and it is so out of balance I can barely find the "hum" of overwork, but it is there).
I confess I'm an old curmudgeon, but I do hate waste. Every grinder I've ever bought had wheels I had to give away or throw away, and since I've been using the Oneway Wolverine jigs for resting my tools I've been throwing away tool rests. And since I've had my CBN wheels (about 4 years) I've had to throw away the wheel guards and associated stuff.
Why can't they offer us the option for a nice raw grinder?
Best, Jon
. This idea works great. I added an old aluminmum pie pan placed between the housing and jig to reach in front of the wheel to catch more metal dust. 
