Thread: Small bench grinder for home use/drill bits

One of these should do, I’ve got 2 of them in the 200mm version and one of them is nearly 30yrs old and still going strong.

Abbott & Ashby 230W 150mm Bench Grinder | Total Tools

I've used one of those 370W Ryobis with the belt sander attachment at a men's shed and I was quite surprised at how much grunt it had for a 6" grinder.
It would be fine for drill bits.
The belt sander is also often a much better option for things like corrosion and burr removal than a grinding wheel. It's also much quicker to change a belt than a wheel.
Of my 3 grinders (6 wheels) the sander attachment is by far the one that is most often used.

I also have an old 8"Abbott and Ashby' and agree these are very good grinders but I'm not that convinced by the newer ones.
Like the Ryobi they are all made in China and they don't look like they will last as long as the older ones

Originally Posted by Acco

One of these should do, I’ve got 2 of them in the 200mm version and one of them is nearly 30yrs old and still going strong.
Abbott & Ashby 230W 150mm Bench Grinder | Total Tools

Thanks for the link, I checked this grinder from them but I'll keep looking around to see if I can find a 4" grinder.
Aldi just two weeks ago had a mini grinder but it looked like a toy.

Originally Posted by BobL

I've used one of those 370W Ryobis with the belt sander attachment at a men's shed and I was quite surprised at how much grunt it had for a 6" grinder.

I think that these Chinese products are a hit or miss depending on what you buy.
I bought the cheapest Ozito mitre saw from Bunnings and I'm "very" happy about the quality (for what I paid) and it does the job very well.

Another vote for a decent quality belt/disc sander. Swapping grits on one of those is a POP compared to swapping and truing grinding wheels. Plus a belt sander will grind away non-ferrous material like brass, copper or aluminium. Most bench grinders have rubbish tool rests, a decent quality belt sander and aftermarket or home-made toolrest can be made to outperform a quality bench grinder quite easily. Plus high quality belts are cheaper than cheap wheels.

I currently run a Triton disc and belt sander which covers all my woodworking needs and the occasional bit of metal grinding. Alongside this is a 30yo “Wolf” 6” grinder matched with an aftermarket toolrest for hand grinding tool steels. I also have a generic $30 value 6” grinder with wire wheels, this is my “cleaning up” tool for planes etc as it is very underpowered and can’t burn anything. Lastly is an old GMC waterwheel which I am turning into a Tormek style honing tool.

Originally Posted by allfix

Thanks for the link, I checked this grinder from them but I'll keep looking around to see if I can find a 4" grinder.
Aldi just two weeks ago had a mini grinder but it looked like a toy.

It's all a bit relative. I've had grinders ranging in size from 4" to 12" and anything smaller than 8" looks like a toy to me.

Perhaps before offering further advice, what else apart from drill bit sharpening do you intend using it for?

Originally Posted by BobL

Perhaps before offering further advice, what else apart from drill bit sharpening do you intend using it for?

Mainly drill bits rebuilding and shaping, occasionally chisels, small hardware and tools like screws or screw drivers.

Originally Posted by allfix

Mainly drill bits rebuilding and shaping, occasionally chisels, small hardware and tools like screws or screw drivers.

In many cases, because of the flat surfaces available, shaping can be done better/easier with a sander.

Have you looked at trade tools direct ? They have a copy of the drill doctor for about $60 or something.

I bought a new 6" grinder from them years ago but wouldn't do that again. You can pick up second hand grinders on gumtree for almost no money. Obviously you'd check it before buying but you should be able to pick up an old A&A 8" for a decent price and provided it's not shot it'll last you a lifetime. Personally I think an old quality grinder is a better buy than a new one built down to a price but that's me.

Or get a belt sander and mount it and put your money into an aftermarket rest, or make one. I haven't had a bench grinder set up for years, space problems, so I just clamp a drill and put a wheel in it. It's harder obviously but for those of us old enough to remember not having quality tools and dedicated workshops at home you learn to make do... I remember having a whole kit of attachments for a B&D drill, turned it into a circular saw, orbital sander and all sorts of things. It's all we could afford in those days...

Originally Posted by damian

Have you looked at trade tools direct ? They have a copy of the drill doctor for about $60 or something.

The cheapest they have costs $169, maybe that one is out of stock?

you should be able to pick up an old A&A 8" for a decent price

Yes there are good old bench grinders around but I'm looking for a little one, my problem is that I don't have a garage nor a shed.

I just clamp a drill and put a wheel in it

That is another option I'm considering, I can easily sharp drill bits with the angle grinder but still looking into a bench grinder due to its lesser noise compared to a drill or an angle grinder.

R2008 Renegade Drill Bit Sharpener Electric | Sharpening Tools - TradeTools | Huge Range, Great Service

69 atm, they come on for about 45 or something occasionally. I'm on their mailing list.

Personally I wouldn't use an angle grinder to do drills, I find a clamped drill easier but that's me. If all you want is a drill sharpener I'd just buy the litle second hand grinders, screw it to a board and clamp that to something solid when you need it, pack it away afterwards.

Oddly TTD don't list their renegade bench grinders atm. I think bunnings have a cheap one.

$25

Work zone bench grinder | Power Tools | Gumtree Australia Moorabool Area - Blackwood | 1208051199

Don't buy a hand crank grinder. I got one decades ago from a garage sale, useless...

Originally Posted by damian

R2008 Renegade Drill Bit Sharpener Electric | Sharpening Tools - TradeTools | Huge Range, Great Service

69 atm, they come on for about 45 or something occasionally. I'm on their mailing list.

Thanks very much for help.
I saw that one (or similar) on Amazon and there are good but also conflicting reviews so I don't want to risk buying it and then what?

Personally I wouldn't use an angle grinder to do drills

Believe me when you're not at home and you must finish a job and you don't have the spare drill bit, then the angle grinder saves your life.
I only buy professional electric and cordless tools so I got a Bosch angle grinder which saved my time already.

I think bunnings have a cheap one.

The cheapest they have is an Ozito and Ryobi, both garbage stay far away from them.
SupercheapAuto also have a super cheap 125mm grinder but not in stock also I got no replay from from my e-mail so forget about them.
I'm considering a diamond grinding wheel to use with the angle grinder so with it I'm able to do several operations: 5" Electroplated Diamond Cuttting Disc Grinding Wheel Cutter for Angle Grinder | eBay

I wouldn't use an angle grinder on a routine basis either are they are tricky to tie down, just way too fast and aggressive and a slightly slip and you have to start all over again, plus they spray blood all over the shed. They are not designed for or efficient when run slowly. I use a CBN wheel for drill bits and find I can get my fingers real close and if you slip they just trim your finger nails.

A diamond plate wheel may get clogged on mild steel and and are not really the right thing to use on HSS either although I not that doesn't not seem to bother some folks. I have a diamond coated cutting wheel for steel but it generates too wide a kerf compared to the thin kerf abrasive wheels which I have used 100's of and continue to prefer.

I have a diamond lapping wheel on the side of the CBN wheel and use that for TC tipped cutting tools and TIG arc rods.

Originally Posted by BobL

plus they spray blood all over the shed.

Laughing! Ha!

As I said you can get a dedicated clamp to attach a drill, corded or not, to a table and mount a wheel in that. You can even make a rest. I recommend against a grinder for precisely the reasons BobL gives.

I've got the old basic sharpeners that fit on the end of a drill. They don't do a fantastic job and they only go up to 10mm or something, but they will get the job done and you can tidy the drill up later when it suits. Aldi had them a while back for $10. A $25 bench grinder might not be very good but it will get the job done and if it fails chuck it and buy another. Still better than an angle grinder (which is one of my favourite tools but not the right choice for everything).

2c...

Trade tools probably lose some sales because their online catalogue is ‘quirky’... It doesn’t show their lower end 8’’ grinder at all, but I reckon it’s a bit of steal... rated for light trade/diy, Garrick BG8 UT (UT for ‘utility’). $109, and proper steel construction, great little motor that runs near silent- all you hear is the ‘thrumming’ of the wheels when spun up. 2 year warranty- can’t go wrong at the price, which is the same as Bunnings plasticy Ryobi smaller offering...knock up your own rests etc and you’re set for many years use. Very solid bit of kit at a stupid price point.7FE9838F-1AAB-4E37-8D05-1F5C5FA86519.jpg