# Hand Grinder and Wheel Size



## corpmule (Jun 9, 2012)

I've been looking for a hand grinder to use in sharpening tools (Axes, Hatchets, Chisels, Planes, etc). I've found many of them on ebay but, they all seem to have very small grinding wheels.

I would want to replace the grinding wheel with a new one but, I'm not sure a larger (6" or 8") grinding wheel will fit on those things. And I don't know if I can even get new a 3" or 4" grinding wheel, maybe they're available, I don't know yet. But, is a larger grinding wheel better? What difference does it make?

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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

The larger the wheel, the less "hollowing" there will be on the edge.

This site explains it with some detail, but at the top has a picture with captions on the side
http://www.amgron.clara.net/hollowgrinding74.html

As far as what would fit, I'm not the right person to be answering that


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

A 6" wheel will fit those old grinders you see on ebay. Those wheels seen on eBay are wore down 6" wheels. I just bought 2 grinders from there. I also bought a new Norton 6" wheel. The new wheel comes with arbor adapters to fit an arbor from 1" down to 1/2". My 2 grinders have an arbor of 3/8". So I will need to make an adapter to fit the Norton wheel. One of the grinders had an adapter made out of duct tape. I hope to do a little better than that or maybe not. I am using the old small wheels to sharpen some chisels. The wheels work fine after dressing but I will want to put the Norton wheel to sharpen the blades from the planes.

Even though both seller's descriptions said the grinders turned. Neither turned easy. I had to totally dismantle one of the grinders. WD40 and then oil got the other grinder turning smoothly. I am pleased with both of them and believe they will take my sharpening to a new level.


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## hhhopks (Nov 22, 2011)

The larger wheel should also run cooler as it has more mass, surface area and travel.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

As with new grinders there was different sizes. Some will take larger, some will not. 4" are extremely hard to find new, but can be found at flea markets and antique shops.


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## corpmule (Jun 9, 2012)

I found and bought one of those old grinders. I've put a 6" Norton 3x wheel on it and it fits just fine. But, I can't seem to mount it so that it doesn't wobble when it spins.

It came with an adapter for the arbor that seems to fit the wheel but, it has a slight wobble when I spin it. I don't think the arbor is bent.

But the arbor adapter doesn't go all the way through the thickness of the wheel. Do I need to add to it so it does? Will that help.

See the attached pictures.


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

You need to find out what is causing the wobble. Wheel, arbor or arbor adapter? Inspect the wheel. Crank the grinder with the wheel off to check if arbor is straight or not. But most likely it will be the old arbor adapter. If it is, read on.

The adapters that come with the Norton Wheel will fit a shaft as small as 1/2 inch. If like mine, your arbor is smaller than 1/2". I did not want to use the adapter from the old wheel. It was obviously improvised. (Part of the fabrication was duct tape.)

So I used the adapter that came with the new wheel. Here are two ways to get that adapter to fit on your arbor. One is quick and the other is slow. The quick one is to get some masking/painters tape the width of your wheel and wrap it around the arbor until the adapter fits snugly.

I went for the other fix for no good reason I can tell other than I just did not want tape. I got 1/2 inch PVC. Cut an inch off. It fit perfectly inside the adapter that came with the wheel. But it did not fit on the arbor. So I took it to the drill press to drill out the inside to fit. I could not control it and drilled off center. Second try with another piece of PVC was by hand. I used vise grips to hold the drill bit and also used a tap. I used the hand held drill bit and tap alternately till the PVC piece fit the arbor with a little grunt force.

The grinder works good. I am happy with it. Hope this helps.


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## corpmule (Jun 9, 2012)

My arbor is 5/16". The adapter that came with my grinder is factory manufactured. As I said earlier, the arbor appears to be straight. I turned it without the wheel or any other parts mounted and could not see any defects.

However, without the wheel, it wants to wind itself out of the grinder. But, it can't do that completely due to other parts interfering. Also, if I crank it in the opposite direction, the arbor winds itself into position …'onto' the grinder. I assume this is all normal due to the way the gears work.

I've noticed on a couple of youtube videos where people are demonstrating or, even presenting instructional material on sharpening or using these types of grinders, even those appear to have a little wobble. Maybe my wobble isn't too much. (*shrug*)

I may shoot a video of my "wobble" and post it later.


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

My arbor is 5/16" also. I suspected your adapter because from the photo it is rusty and may be worn. It is easy enough check for snug fit between adapter and wheel. If that is good, then put adapter on arbor by itself. Manually hold it on the arbor and slowly crank the grinder and look for wobble. And if that is good then check to see if the adapter is being held up tight against the wheel when assembled. The wobble has to come from one or more of the following; the arbor, the adapter or the wheel.

I have four hand grinders. None of them wobble. But there is play in them. My worst one has about 1/16" side to side play. I shimmed the one I mainly use with a washer. The play on that one is now barely noticeable.

"However, without the wheel, it wants to wind itself out of the grinder. But, it can't do that completely due to other parts interfering. Also, if I crank it in the opposite direction, the arbor winds itself into position …'onto' the grinder. I assume this is all normal due to the way the gears work."

Mine do the same. Cranking puts pressure on one side of the gears on the shaft. Actually they spiral around the shaft like threads on a screw. Opposite cranking - opposite pressure.


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