I Tried All The Cheap Bench Grinders....Here's what happened.

Comments · 493

• RE

  @RexKrueger · 2 years ago (edited) · pinned

  Links to Products I recommend (affiliate): <br>Dewalt 6” Bench Grinder: <a href="https://amzn.to/3WxHHVf">https://amzn.to/3WxHHVf </a><br>(Excellent for the money. Includes surprisingly good tool-rest.) <br>Grinding Wheel Dresser: <a href="https://amzn.to/4fvWTLd">https://amzn.to/4fvWTLd </a><br>(Tiny, but it works.) <br>Grinder Wheel Dressing Stick: <a href="https://amzn.to/4cea68I">https://amzn.to/4cea68I </a><br>(A cheap but effective alternative for dressing grinder wheels.) <br>Dewalt Medium Wire Wheel: <a href="https://amzn.to/3SG2BAh">https://amzn.to/3SG2BAh </a><br>(Good value; works well.) <br>Replacement Grinding Wheel: <a href="https://amzn.to/3LUL0B2">https://amzn.to/3LUL0B2 </a><br>(Affordable; reduces vibration.) <br>Safety Glasses: <a href="https://amzn.to/46BK4Li">https://amzn.to/46BK4Li </a><br>(This style is so comfortable, I forget I’m wearing them.)<br> <br>3D Printer File for upgrades to Dewalt Grinder: <a href="https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/p/dewalt-grinder-adjustment-and-spacer-kit-for-3d-printing">https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/p/dewalt-grinder-adjustment-and-spacer-kit-for-3d-printing</a><br> <br>Other Products (affiliate): &nbsp; <br> <br>WEN 6” Grinder: <a href="https://amzn.to/3yEx8HT">https://amzn.to/3yEx8HT </a><br>(A weak and flimsy grinder…that will work in a pinch). <br>Shopfox 6” Grinder: <a href="https://amzn.to/4fAwb43">https://amzn.to/4fAwb43 </a><br>(A generally good tool that only takes 5/8” wheels.) <br>Narrow wire wheel: <a href="https://amzn.to/3WDbewE">https://amzn.to/3WDbewE </a><br>(Fits the narrow arbor of the Shopfox grinder, but not very well.)

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• SH

  @shaynecarter-murray3127 · 2 years ago

  One thing i appreciate about this channel is that it has become clear over the years, when you suggest a popular brand (like this dewalt), we know you aren&apos;t shilling for them. You&apos;ve suggested many cheap options over the years, so when you suggest using the popular brand we can be confident its entirely because its legitimately the better product

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• 1V

  @1vpmark · 2 years ago

  As a toolmaker for 25 plus years who has precision ground all tool steels, from H-13 to A-2, even on a bench grinder, you need to dress grinding wheels often to prevent load up of your wheel, and to remove from the wheel, imbeded steel particles. This helps clean and true your wheels, and let&apos;s them grind cooler...

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• BA

  @BainesMkII · 2 years ago (edited)

  I know people don&apos;t like to bother with safety glasses, and 99.9% of the time you probably don&apos;t need them. But that 0.1% is very important. I&apos;ve worn corrective glasses for most of my life, so I often didn&apos;t bother. One time after a quick go with the grinder, I noticed a spot on my glasses. &nbsp;Taking them off, I saw a shard of metal had punched and/or melted its way halfway through near the center of the lens. &nbsp;It&apos;s the only time in my life that such an incident happened, but I can only imagine what would have happened if I hadn&apos;t been wearing anything.

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• PE

  @peteseddon5819 · 2 years ago

  I bought a used Baldor 6 inch grinder from the 60’s for $100. &nbsp;It runs as smooth as glass and takes close to 2 minutes to spool down. &nbsp;Vintage is the only way to go.

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• DA

  @dagorithe · 2 years ago

  I don’t know if anyone mentioned it yet but for the safety, two items were missed. &nbsp;1, stand to the side at start up in case the wheel is out of balance or damaged since last turning it on. &nbsp;Always perform the “ring” test before installing any wheel — if it rings, install it; if it thuds, throw it out.<br>We learned this at an adult education center, C-TEC, in Newark, Ohio.<br>I have three of various sizes: a 25 year old Harbor Freight, and two Chinese ones I inherited. I’ll set them each up with different wheels for both wood and metal work.<br>Great video.

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• ID

  @idaholives · 2 years ago (edited)

  Hi Rex! I&apos;ve gone down the rabbit hole of trying to balance bench grinders. One thing I&apos;ve found is that while stones can be balanced (especially with an adjustable aftermarket balancing hub like a OneWay), wire wheels basically can&apos;t be, and will always make a bench grinder shake like crazy. If stability is essential, you want to run two stones on the grinder and keep the wire wheels on a separate machine entirely.

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• GA

  @garydargan6 · 2 years ago

  For a specialist application my lab needed a precision diamond saw and grinder. The available models started at around $30k and went up.. we decided to build our own starting with modifying a bench grinder. Had the same problem with vibration and wobble and the speed was too high for the blade and wheel. Eventually found a guy who had tried the same. He used a motor used in machines for sharpening blades on fleece shearer combs. More powerful, the right rpm and less vibration. To get the precision grinding needed he inserted a large nylon pad &nbsp;and used three adjusting screws to true the wheel after it was bolted on. He was selling them for $15k and still making a profit and they were better than the $30k competitor because he addressed all the faults in it making it much easier to use.

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• S2

  @s2meister · 2 years ago

  Maybe donate the other two grinders to Demolition Ranch, and link the destruction video. &nbsp;Might gain a few extra million viewers.

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• L0

  @L0ND0NITE · 1 year ago

  What happened to part 2??

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• TH

  @thomasslate5341 · 2 years ago

  My grinder is a 1973 Craftsman. &nbsp; It had a wobble problem, maybe as much as 1/8 inch. &nbsp;Got a replacement from Sears, same problem. &nbsp; I literally went through every grinder they had and the last one was true. &nbsp; Turns out the arbor &nbsp;was ground at an angle . &nbsp; Put a wire wheel on the fine wheel side and been happy ever since. &nbsp;Tool rest barely useable from new. &nbsp; It does have a water trough on the front and a light. &nbsp; Couple summers back I picked up two off the curb, a Craftsman and something else. &nbsp;Both worked fine, gave the Craftsman away, &nbsp;nobody wanted the other. &nbsp;It still works fine.

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• KO

  @kobebenedicto9715 · 1 year ago

  What happened to part 2…

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