Joint Preparation

[hankj]

Hi, guys. Back already.

I read Hawk's account of a 4 1/2" angle grinder for joints. I had one, and got a wheel for it - works real well.

My bench grinder, on the other hand, is not so hot. It fell of a truck around '65 or '66, and I never had much use for it until now. It's a 6" with a small motor (3.5 amp). What should I be looking for considering that the thickest stuff I'll probably be able to hold up against it will be 3/8??

Thanks as always,

Hankj

[Paul Seaman]

Hank;
I generally put tools as a whole in the class of buy the best you can afford. That said now define the life expectance of a possible tool. Mine is a 6" craftsman that is a hand me down from dad on its 3rd or 4th set of wheels. My dad never spent a ton on tools so this is not comercial quality. I would say pick middle of the road price. I love Dewalt tools but I would not give $200 for a bench grinder, if you get my drift. Take a look at www.northerntool.com several choices, cheap to high end then go to your local store at least you will know what your looking at.

The bigger the motor the harder it is to bog the motor. Also stick with a 6" or 8" for ease of replacement and availability of repalacement wheels.

Mine has a coarse on one side and a fine on the other, this is for sharpening, in welding I now see a use for a wire wheel instead of the fine, for cleaning and finishing.

[hankj]

pjs,

Thanks. I agree that you you should buy the best that you can afford. I don't like to have to buy a tool more than once!

I've heard that a grinder with a Baldor motor is the best, but the ones I've seen start around 250$$.

Think I'll settle for a 1/2 hp. Delta I saw today for 60 bucks. At that price, if i don't like it, I'll use it for a sea anchor!

Later.

Be happy.

Hankj

[HAWK]

hankj,

I have a 6" 1/2 hp delta I found a garage sale. I does a good job for the money. I did not pay $60 but I think it's worth it.

[Paul Seaman]

hank: $60 sounds about right and the Delta should hold up pretty well if it does have any problems though Delta has a good parts availability, Probably the worst thing would be brushes which are a 5 minute job to replace. Weld well

[hankj]

Hi pjs.

Thanks. I'm stuck on honey-do's for a couple of days. Let you guys know how it is later.

Hankj

[ASKANDY]

I hate to sound like Mr. Cheapo here but at the risk of damaging my fragile image here goes.

My shop is full of Harbor Freight tools right down to the 6" grinders at $20 each. My Mill and Lathe came from there also along with most of my cordless stuff. Haven't missed a beat yet and if it did, it wouldn't hurt my feelings cause I saved so much on the initial purchase, I have doubles of everything.

Well now you all know the truth.

Andy

[SoCalTA]

I have to second Andy. Harbor has great prices when you get them on sale. See their website for online deals and their store circular. A race shop/team I worked for bought from them as well.

[hankj]

Andy, SoCalITA:

Well, well!

I'm about one hour from Sacramento, CA, where there is a Harbor Freight outlet. Guess I'll be taking a ride. At 20$ a pop, I can burn thorugh three grinders (ha!) before I spend the 60$ for the Delta, which obviously I have not done.

Thanks.

Hankj

[Blondie_486]

Hank,

I have a Delta grinder and wish I'd have bought something else. I live in Ohio where winters get pretty cold and it seems that when the temperatures dip below 30 or 40 degrees my delta won't run it just hums and sounds like it wants to go but won't. It'll hum till it smokes. If I had known about Harbor Freight when I bought the Delta I'd have saved my 40 bucks and tried a 20 dollar grinder first and took my girlfriend out to Lonestar with the 40 I saved. I have some stuff from Harbor Freight but you have to watch what you buy there, for the most part their power and air tools are fine but the hand tools like wrenches, hammers, punches and such I don't think they fair so well, I stick with Craftsman hand tools. I've never tried their drill bits so I can't say as to whether those are any good or not. Usually for drill bits I wait till people I know are throwing theirs away because they're dull and take them home and sharpen them with my Drill Doctor. Now there's a piece of equipment well worth the money, I wouldn't buy the version they have at Lowe's and Home Depot but opt for the Tradesman 500 or the 750 that I have. Basically the only difference between the 500 and 750 is the 750 has a 3/4" capacity where the 500 has a 1/2" capacity. However if you do have the 500 all you have to do is buy the bigger chuck for the 3/4" capacity and you have the same as the 750. Another advantage to the Tradesman series is that they will do both 118 degree angles and 135 degree angles as well as split point bits and masonry bits.

Sorry for straying so far off course here but Harbor Freight is well worth a look for some things, however I do wish there were more American machinery at an affordable price but we all must do what's witin our budgets.

Blondie_486

[HAWK]

Blondie_486,

I am off the course. However, are you really satisfied with the Drill DR.? I have always sharpened my bits in a bench grinder by hand. My sight is not as good as once was and may need a newer gadget for bit sharpening.

[Blondie_486]

HAWK,

The Drill Doctor is excellent. I had to flinch plate a load bearing beam in a house so that one of the jack posts could be removed so the owner could put his pool table in the basement. I used 3/8 x 8 plate and stacked them and match drilled them for 5/8 grade 8 bolts. I bought two 5/8 drill bits and had drilled 1/4 pilot holes and then drilled one 5/8 hole and started on the second when the bit became too dull to drill anymore. I used plenty of cutting oil while drilling but still it dulled rather quickly. At over $25.00 per bit and 15 holes to drill it was soon aparent that at that rate I'd go broke buying drill bits. So I went to my local tool supplier and stated my dilemma. The salesman recommended the Drill Doctor, I must admit at first I was skeptical but he assured me that if within 30 days I decided I didn't like it I could return it for a full refund. So I figured I'd give it a try, the Tradesman 500 only went up to 1/2 inch and I had a 5/8 bit so I needed the Tradesman 750. I took it back to the job and sharpened the bit and drilled the remaining 13 1/2 holes without having to resharpen the bit. I took it to my girlfriend's parents house on our next visit and showed it to her father, he was skeptical and I sharpened about a dozen of his dull bits. He had a need to drill a 1/4 inch hole in chrome plated tubing on a shopping cart and we all know how hard those holes are to drill without a pilot hole, he said the 1/4 inch bit went right through the tubing with no problem, now he's sold on a Drill Doctor. I've since taken it to work with me in the fabricating shop where I work and I'm sharpening all of the shop's bits with it.

Like you I'm getting a little short sighted and need a helping hand sharpening bits especially the small ones and the Drill Doctor is just the ticket. I usually convert the smaller bits to split point bits now as they work better at drilling pilot holes they tend to walk less, in fact you can drill a hole with a split point without a prick mark to start the bit in most materials, the harder steel alloys of course still need a prick mark though. The Drill Doctor will sharpen high speed steel bits, titanium bits and yes even cobalt bits as well as carbide tipped masonry bits. In my book it's the only way to sharpen a bit. By the way a lot of the places you can take bits to have them sharpened use a Drill Doctor to sharpen with there is a commercial grade that will handle up to a 1" bit but it's rather pricey. You can get a Tradesman 750 for under $150.00 if you shop around and for myself I saved more than that the first time I used it.

I hope this helps you decide on which gadget to buy to sharpen bits with.

Blondie_486

[HAWK]

Blondie_486,

Thanks for the in depth information. One more question: For 1/4", 1/2", and 5/8" I am using QCT CARBIDE bits. These are solid carbide-not tipped. Will the drill doctor sharpen these or will the bit eat the machine?

These are great bits and do not generally require sharpening often. I can drill about 150 1/4" holes in 3/8" mild steel per bit. At $12 per 1/4" bit that's a bargain. The 1/2" run aboyt $45 per bit and the 5/8" closer to $80. I have not bought any in a while and suspect prices have increased. If you ever need to do a quantity of the same hole size, give them a try.

Quality Carbide Tool
Elk Grove, IL

[Blondie_486]

HAWK,

The Drill Doctor uses a diamond wheel to sharpen with so I would imagine they would sharpen your carbide bits. Check with the salesman to make sure but I have sharpened carbide tipped masonry bits with mine.

Hope this helps

Blondie_486

[hankj]

Blondie_486,

Good info. Thanks.

I'll make the trip to H. Freight next week - let you know what I find.

Be Well.

Hankj