So I have a bench grinder which has low and medium grit stones as well as several buffing wheels. Does anyone use bench grinders for repairs or polishing?
I built a variable speed belt sander with angle gauge for this purpose.. bench grinder runs way to fast …
Maybe I can buy a adjustable switch and cut it into the cord to turn down the speed
Those variable speed switches work only on AC motors with wound rotors and brushes. Not sure, but I think variable frequency drives usually require some form of feedback device (tachometer or position sensor) to work. I’m sure there are some cheap Chinese versions out there, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on one yet. I’d like to put one on my Buffalo drill press.
Bench grinders come in two versions - low speed (1750 rpm) and high speed (3450 rpm). I bought a Rikon low speed version last year. I use it for cleaning up damage in woodworking hand plane irons. I use very light passes, and with the low speed, I don’t see any discoloring of the steel.
That’s some good information tcmeyer. I have personally used a bench grinder for reprofiling some old knives at the tip where it broke off. It has helped with repurposing a good knife, but I would be hesitant to run it across the full length of the blade. I like the idea of the variable power adapter and the reviews for this model seem good given the feedback being used on all sorts of electronic equipment including routers.
Here is a link to a post with all the details of the belt sander I hacked together. It is near the end of a 3 page post so you can bounce back to the beginning to see how it all came about if you like. I use this for all sorts of stuff, have not used it for a knife in months.. love this little guy !
https://knife.wickededgeusa.com/forums/topic/belt-sander-grinder-sharpener/page/3/#post-51349