Shopsmith Forums

You really should rethink using a grinding wheel without a guard unless the wheel is reinforced (fiber mesh inside the wheel to keep it together in case of a breakage). I still would not do it. A home made guard can be considered no guard as no testing has been done to confirm its effectiveness. It really at point is nothing other than a shroud and can give false security. A broken wheel can and has taken lives.

vanfox wrote:Yea I think I'm going to return the wheel guard. I'm just going to have to grin and bear it and just use a 6 inch wheel with no guard! I don't have the space in my basement for a bench grinder. Too bad they don't make a guard that can accept a typical size grinding or wire wheel. Its just not smart!

Now I am confused. What is wrong with purchasing a 5" x 3/4" grinding wheel from McMaster-Carr and using a bushing to change the arbor size? Sounds easy and much safer than using a grinding wheel without a guard.

Decades ago I was with a friend and we went to a friend of his who had a SS and had adapted the guard and tool rest from an old grinder (think the grinder motor had quit). He made a stand that rests over the tubes and then a couple metal straps that attached to the guard. He mentioned that an old gray wheel had come apart while using this setup and scared the heck out of him, but the guard kept the pieces from flying out at him. It's been a very long time, but I think I remember that it also attached to the head stock, though really fuzzy in how. I do remember a tray under the guard that had water in it, presumably to keep the wheel wet, but again still a fuzzy brain image.
I mention this because one of the jigs I plan to make when I upgrade to the PowerPro, is something like it. Rather than rely on wood to stop the flying wheel pieces, hopefully never happens but just in case, I'll use a metal guard.
Just my 2 cents.

hb2 wrote:You really should rethink using a grinding wheel without a guard unless the wheel is reinforced (fiber mesh inside the wheel to keep it together in case of a breakage). I still would not do it. A home made guard can be considered no guard as no testing has been done to confirm its effectiveness. It really at point is nothing other than a shroud and can give false security. A broken wheel can and has taken lives.

Hi,

I agree that grinding wheels can be dangerous, in our high school shop a wheel exploded sending a rather large chunk flying across the shop where it cracked a concrete block. I wasn't the one at the grinder but I never stand in front of a grinder when it spins up. One of those lessons learned. BTW the instructor was the one at the wheel and he followed posted rules and was not injured. Please note the grinder did have an approved guard so as you might guess, even that would not have done much if you were standing in front of the grinder....

I have the home made guard which I built way back when out of maple/? and sheet metal and used the lathe tool rest.... Mine will take a 6" wheel but not long after the build I purchased a grinder and discontinued using the shopsmith for this purpose.

One thing most grinder don't have is the ability to start up at 700 rpm and then slowly speed up to 1700 rpm or 3400 rpm. From what I know grinding wheels most often blow on the ramp up from 0 to 3400 ish rpm, that stress can be much less on the shopsmith.

So my thought is if you really need to use the shopsmith for grinding at least read and understand what you are doing and think safety first. I'd never run on open wheel without a guard, and a way to control the grit from flying all over the place.

Ed

I made one of the guards that appears in PTWWFE and it works great. That said, I have no idea if it will hold up to a broken wheel flying off; I suspect not since the shroud is made from aluminum flashing and held on with SS tacks!


Abrasive and Wire wheel Guard

Well that makes at least two of us who have made one.

See:

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=12306

Mine uses sheet metal and screws.

I've only experienced a grinding wheel disintegration once in my life, I don't believe they happen very often. But, I do respect that they happen and could pose a risk.

I'm in the market to replace one of my grinders this summer and have been looking at them for a couple of months now. So far as I can see they have done little to nothing to make them any different then they have been for the last 40+ years. What they have improved is the grinding wheels. Today's grinding wheel I believe are much safer, well at least the better quality ones....... Not sure I'd trust just any wheel.

Ed

easterngray wrote:I made one of the guards that appears in PTWWFE and it works great. That said, I have no idea if it will hold up to a broken wheel flying off]http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j209/ ... AG0185.jpg[/IMG]
Abrasive and Wire wheel Guard

Google "5" grinding wheel" and you'll find a couple of 5" wheels made by Norton.

anmius wrote:Now I am confused. What is wrong with purchasing a 5" x 3/4" grinding wheel from McMaster-Carr and using a bushing to change the arbor size? Sounds easy and much safer than using a grinding wheel without a guard.

On the surface there is nothing wrong, however if you mount the wheel and exceed it's speed limit (exceed the max RPM) you could blow up the wheel.

Most grinding wheels are 1750 RPM and the SS goes to 7000+ Power Pro 10000+ more that 4 to 6 times the stated max RPM.

I think that is why SS used a special 5 inch wheel to make people order from them and get a wheel that would/could survive the higher RPM.

Trust me if the wheel comes apart and you survive you will remember the event for a long time. A chunk can come off the wheel big enough to do you real harm.

If Shopsmith can't supply grinding wheels for new guard I think I would be asking for a refund.
+1 for a 6" or 8"

Not being able to find wheels is the reason I have decided not to buy the SS guard. I really wanted to purchase one! !