Quantity:
Generations ago, just about every workshop had a manual grinding wheel. Much quieter than a power grinder, they need no electricity, so you can work just about anywhere, and since you control the speed, it’s easier to avoid overheating the steel.
Despite its rough appearance, this grinder has a precise all-steel gear drive that yields 20 rotations per turn of the handle. Using the grinder free-hand works best for coarse shaping (e.g., restoring the edge on a spade or removing a nick from a hatchet), though it comes with a serviceable tool rest for basic guidance. For fine sharpening tasks, such as hollow-grinding plane and chisel blades, it’s best to substitute the included tool rest for one with an accurately machined table to ensure square registration against the wheel.Â
The 7 1/2" tall grinder has a cast-iron housing with a wrinkle-coat finish, a plastic handle, and a 5/8" arbor that accepts 6" or 8" wheels (minimum 1" wide). Four mounting holes in the base let you fasten the grinder directly to a workbench, or you can screw it to a board, which can then be clamped to a work surface.
Options:
Variations:
Hand-Crank Grinder
Generations ago, just about every workshop had a manual grinding wheel. Much quieter than a power grinder, they need no electricity, so you can work just about anywhere, and since you control the speed, it’s easier to avoid overheating the steel.
Despite its rough appearance, this grinder has a precise all-steel gear drive that yields 20 rotations per turn of the handle. Using the grinder free-hand works best for coarse shaping (e.g., restoring the edge on a spade or removing a nick from a hatchet), though it comes with a serviceable tool rest for basic guidance. For fine sharpening tasks, such as hollow-grinding plane and chisel blades, it’s best to substitute the included tool rest for one with an accurately machined table to ensure square registration against the wheel.Â
The 7 1/2" tall grinder has a cast-iron housing with a wrinkle-coat finish, a plastic handle, and a 5/8" arbor that accepts 6" or 8" wheels (minimum 1" wide). Four mounting holes in the base let you fasten the grinder directly to a workbench, or you can screw it to a board, which can then be clamped to a work surface.
