Grinding Lathe Tools?

[jouesdeveaux]

I am an ABSOLUTE beginner, and wherever I read about learning to work on a lathe, they begin by telling you how to grind tools on a grinder. I don't have a grinder. Why is it not possible to put a tool blank into the tool post, a grinding wheel in the chuck, and grind a tool on the lathe? I know I must be missing something big and obvious, but what exactly am I missing?

As it is, I decided just to by a few indexed tools and learn to grind them later on when I understand more.

 

[stupoty]

Main problem would be having to protect the ways from all the grinding grit. Bench grinders are quite cheep and very very handy. You can fit a polishing wheel to them also for buffing stuff also. Sharpen drills and lath tools, touch up the end of bolts that have been hacksawn shorter.

Stuart

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

A lathe spindle is entirely to slow for grinding for the most part and bench grinders are cheap.

 

[intjonmiller]

I see the main problem as the difficulty in adjusting the grinding angles. Left and right are easy enough, but others would be much more challenging.

Seriously, a bench grinder is very cheap. Also many people really like the Harbor Freight 1x30 belt grinder for this purpose. It's $45 with a 20% off coupon (available nearly everywhere if you keep an eye out for it, including on their website), and allows you to set your table to a 10 degree angle for the most common relief cuts. If you can't find a quality bench grinder (better than HF) for under, say, $70, I would recommend that grinder. I have done some on my larger 4x36 belt/disc sander/grinder and it works, but the narrow belt with wider table is far better suited for this task. I'm considering getting one in addition to my several other grinders (bench, surface, angle, die...) and just leaving it set to 10 degrees, for my HSS tools.

 

[intjonmiller]

Oh, also you would have to true up the grinding tool on the lathe, and that would be quite difficult at the speeds that metal lathes operate as just mentioned, not to mention the mess of abrasive everywhere, as also mentioned. I think I would rather do it by hand with a file than on the lathe.

 

[kd4gij]

Belt-disc sanders work also. Another tool is an angle grinder you could mount it to a bench or something.

 

[Al 1]

Try these cutting wheels from H/F
I use one to grind points on my TIG welding tungsten tips. It is mounted in a Rotozip with a rheostat speed control.

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• Large Diamond Rotary Grinding Wheel Set 4 Pc

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Large Diamond Rotary Grinding Wheel Set 4 Pc



Warrior - Item#69658


Grind, sharpen, carve and shape with tough diamond grinding wheels


Al

 

[Charles Spencer]

I know it's bad form to quote yourself, but I use a Harbor Freight mini grinder. I should add that I have an older Craftsman and a Dewalt bench grinder as well.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...acing-tool-questions.36687/page-2#post-314380

 

[TommyD]

Grinders are cheap, check out Harbor Freight

 

[intjonmiller]

Grinders are cheap, check out Harbor Freight

First check out the reviews on Harbor Freight grinders. They are not excellent, even by HF standards. There are plenty on Amazon with better ratings (over far more reviews) for comparable price.