Shopsmith Forums

Since I got my first ER I had been wanting to use grinding wheels on it. Because I have more arbors than I know what to do with now, I decided to buy some stabilizer washers from a radial arm saw and use one of my 5/8" arbors for grinding wheels. I bought two cheap outer (right side) grinder covers off Amazon and bent a sheet metal strip I already had to follow the contour. Then I got some split 1 3/4" collars off eBay. I'm going to flatten out the middle of one of the covers and cut out the center, then drill and tap the split collar to fix the guard to the collar. I think I have a total of $35 into everything for this mini project so far.

I've also got a set of 6" covers from one of my father in law's old grinders with a failed motor, so I may make a second smaller version.

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Be careful! Make sure it is stout enough to withstand the wheel fragmenting.

Why?

JPG wrote:Be careful! Make sure it is stout enough to withstand the wheel fragmenting.

The guard sides will be bolted through just like a stock harbor freight style bench grinder. It's really only the attachment point to the split collar that will be that much different than a typical bench grinder guard.

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I love that color on the Shopsmith...


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ChrisNeilan wrote:Why?

Once you experience a wheel flying apart, you will both understand and never forget.

JPG wrote:

ChrisNeilan wrote:Why?

Once you experience a wheel flying apart, you will both understand and never forget.

No, I meant why use a Shopsmith as a grinder? I find a bench grinder so much easier to set up.

ChrisNeilan wrote:

JPG wrote:

ChrisNeilan wrote:Why?

Once you experience a wheel flying apart, you will both understand and never forget.

No, I meant why use a Shopsmith as a grinder? I find a bench grinder so much easier to set up.

So far each of the 3 ERs I've bought have come with loose or mounted 4-6" grinding wheels and various sizes of wire wheels (but no guards). Shopsmith themselves sell guards and wheels. I will be able to mount this setup with two set screws total and use the lathe tool rest.

Why would I not want to use a multi purpose tool for multiple purposes?

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I cut a 1 1/2 hole in the center of one guard, set it over the collar and hammered it flat around it. Then I drilled and tapped the collar, not getting to close to the split or recesses for the bolt. Now just to drill through the guard and bolt it all together. After I mount the inside guard to the collar I'll enlarge the 1 1/2" hole a bit with a Dremel, but it's larger than the base of the arbor, so it's not a critical diameter.


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Here's after I bent the sheet metal around the bottom bolt. That made it more secure, as well as shortened up the length so that I could slip in a wheel or wire brush from the front with no disassembly.

I'm going to pick up a piece of plexiglass today and fix it to the top bolt, which I'll switch to be held in by a wing nut. I have plenty of extra arbors, so I'm planning on just leaving one wheel always mounted on an arbor, one with a keyed washer. As far as switching between functions goes, it will just be as simple as unthreading the top bolt with wing nut, sliding both the guard and the wheel on together, and tightening the collar bolt and arbor set screw.

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