Tungsten grinder
 

Has anyone ever built there own tungsten grinder? I can't see spending
minimum of $200 for a pre-built one. I have all the tools, but have
never seen a tungsten grinder before. Could I just use my dremel and
build a collet system to cut off, then grind a point? I can polish on
the small wheel I have been using. I also have a flax adapter from the
small grinder I have, maybe that would be an option for a t-grinder?

Thoughts?

Thanks,
rod

Rod Richeson wrote:
Has anyone ever built there own tungsten grinder? I can't see spending
minimum of $200 for a pre-built one. I have all the tools, but have
never seen a tungsten grinder before. Could I just use my dremel and
build a collet system to cut off, then grind a point? I can polish on
the small wheel I have been using. I also have a flax adapter from the
small grinder I have, maybe that would be an option for a t-grinder?

Sure.

http://www.drizzle.com/~dantzler/ima.../W_grinder.JPG

$15 yard sale grinder not powerful enough for real work.

I use a medium/course silicon carbide green wheel for roughing
and a medium/fine (120) aluminum oxide wheel for final grinding.

Had to make a new side guard.

Nothing touches this grinder except my tungstens. If I have a blob
of metal contaminating the tunsten, that gets ground off on the
belt grinder first. Belt grinder is also great for roughing the
point in.

The one special thing I did on this grinder was to install one of
those "one-way" balancing systems that Lee Valley sells. It was
expensive, but I can balance a nickel on the grinder while I turn
it on and its still there after the wheels stop turning. This along
with a good dressing wheel makes it easier to grind tunstens.

Jeff Dantzler
Seattle, WA

Jeff, can you tell us some more about this balancing system? How does it work?

Grant

The one special thing I did on this grinder was to install one of
those "one-way" balancing systems that Lee Valley sells. It was
expensive, but I can balance a nickel on the grinder while I turn
it on and its still there after the wheels stop turning. This along
with a good dressing wheel makes it easier to grind tunstens.

Jeff Dantzler
Seattle, WA

The unit has a flange that grips the grinding wheel.
It also serves to reduce the 1" hole in the wheel to
the size of the spindle. Much more accurate than those
little plastic rings they give you.

The flange has a "circular T-slot" so you can position
weights (= bolt, nut wshers)around the circumfernce,
much like balancing a car or motorcycle wheel.

It is kind of spendy, but it does work very well.

I think I had to machine 0.065" off the end of the flange
to get it to work with my grinder.

On my big pedastal grinder, I rotate the wheel and dress
to get it "good enough". On that grinder I don't do any
kind of precision work--just ginding off burrs and using
a wire wheel.

JLD

"Lane" lane (no spam) at copperaccents dot com wrote in message
...
Grant
Here is the web page
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...26&cat=1,43072

If you go down to the list of the three models, you'll see that the 1/2"
one has "Instr" that you can click on to see the instructions. It's
basically two screws with washers that you move to balance the wheel.
Pretty neat idea. Too bad it costs so much. The balancing arbor would be
easy for anyone to make up. But the part that attaches to the grinding
wheel itself would be another matter.

Lane




Here is a web page with a better description and pictures;
http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/onwybalrvu.html

And from the manufacturer directly:
http://www.oneway.ca/sharpening/balancing.htm
Something I found very interesting, they have a copy of the instructions for
a prior version: http://www.oneway.ca/pdf/balance_kit_old.pdf This version
uses a series of threaded holes for the balancing screws rather than the
sliding T-Slot system. This is a method that I can replicate with the tools
I have.

Lane

"Jeff Dantzler" wrote in message
news:1113934293.330029@yasure...


Nothing touches this grinder except my tungstens. If I have a blob
of metal contaminating the tunsten, that gets ground off on the
belt grinder first. Belt grinder is also great for roughing the
point in.

I've been using the belt sander that I use for everything else for
sharpening my tungstens. I'm relatively new to welding and have been
wondering what I've been missing by not having a dedicated grinder for
tungstens. How would I see the difference between using the belt sander and
the system you describe?

Peter

I found another method of balancing grinding wheels, see Static Balancing of
Grinding Wheels, you'll need to scroll down a little more than half way to
see it. http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/news/sep04/sep04.html

Also very interesting to look through the other newsletters.
http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/news/news.html as they are full of personal
projects and shop aids and demonstrations; everything from CAD-CAM and metal
casting, to items for the novice. Examples: how to polish and buff metal,
make an electronic cutting tool offset indicator, and how to make piston
rings for model engines. Anyhow, you get the idea, lots of information. Is
anyone here a member?

Lane

Peter Grey wrote:

I've been using the belt sander that I use for everything else for
sharpening my tungstens. I'm relatively new to welding and have been
wondering what I've been missing by not having a dedicated grinder for
tungstens. How would I see the difference between using the belt sander and
the system you describe?

Hobby weldors don't have to worry too much about their tungstens.
The main enemy is non-ferrous metals like aluminum or copper, etc.
These will embed in a grinding wheel and contaminate any tunsten
that is used on the bad wheel. That's why I grind metal blobs off
first on a belt sander.

I could probably get away with grinding clean steel and stainless
on my "tungsten only" grinder without much problem. Other metals
are another story.

A belt grinder would work just fine for sharpening tungstens. The main
advantage of a wheel grinder is the availability of a rough wheel
to point new tungstens (or salvage abused ones) and a finer wheel
to put a nice finish on the point. My belt grinder only has one belt
(grit) on at time and I'm lazy...

The goal is a *clean*, pointed tungsten with any grinding grooves
running pointing at the tip and not in rings. I usually blunt the
tip slightly. If I suspect any other gunk is on my tungsten or
filler (or weldment), I wipe with acteone. For hobby purposes this
is good enough. For nuclear power plants, there are strict codes and
guidelines.

JLD

In article , Lane wrote:

Grant
Here is the web page
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...26&cat=1,43072

If you go down to the list of the three models, you'll see that the 1/2" one
has "Instr" that you can click on to see the instructions. It's basically
two screws with washers that you move to balance the wheel. Pretty neat
idea. Too bad it costs so much. The balancing arbor would be easy for anyone
to make up. But the part that attaches to the grinding wheel itself would be
another matter.

Lane


So to make one you just need a milling machine, small T-slot cutter big
enough for a 1/4-28 nut, and a rotary table.



"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
Jeff, can you tell us some more about this balancing system? How does it
work?

Grant

The one special thing I did on this grinder was to install one of
those "one-way" balancing systems that Lee Valley sells. It was
expensive, but I can balance a nickel on the grinder while I turn
it on and its still there after the wheels stop turning. This along
with a good dressing wheel makes it easier to grind tunstens.

Jeff Dantzler
Seattle, WA

In article . net,
Peter Grey wrote:

"Jeff Dantzler" wrote in message
news:1113934293.330029@yasure...


Nothing touches this grinder except my tungstens. If I have a blob
of metal contaminating the tunsten, that gets ground off on the
belt grinder first. Belt grinder is also great for roughing the
point in.

I've been using the belt sander that I use for everything else for
sharpening my tungstens. I'm relatively new to welding and have been
wondering what I've been missing by not having a dedicated grinder for
tungstens. How would I see the difference between using the belt sander and
the system you describe?

Peter



I use my Burr King belt grinder for roughing and a 6" diamond wheel for
finishing.

"Ernie Leimkuhler" wrote in message
...

I use my Burr King belt grinder for roughing and a 6" diamond wheel for
finishing.

And if you didn't use the diamond wheel to finish the tungstens and just
used them as they came off the belt ginder, what would the effect be?

Peter

In article .net,
Peter Grey wrote:

"Ernie Leimkuhler" wrote in message
...

I use my Burr King belt grinder for roughing and a 6" diamond wheel for
finishing.

And if you didn't use the diamond wheel to finish the tungstens and just
used them as they came off the belt ginder, what would the effect be?

Peter



It wouldn't matter on heavy TIG welds, but on really thin sheet metal
you need as smooth a surface as possible on the tungsten.
It makes the arc smoother and more controllable.

Same reason you want any scratch lines going inline with the tungsten.
Smoother arc.

Thank you.

Peter

Hey Guys,

Off to NAMES right now. Hope to see anyone from here that shows up.
Just ask around for me, or have me paged.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.

The main enemy is non-ferrous metals like aluminum or copper, etc.
These will embed in a grinding wheel and contaminate any tunsten

You grind aluminum on your grinding wheel?
You bad boy!

Thanks Brian. Reminds me we looked for each other, unsuccessfully, at NAMES
a couple of years ago. Paging is a good idea. Don't look for me this year.
I'm going to a High School reunion.

Bob Swinney
"Brian Lawson" wrote in message
...
Hey Guys,

Off to NAMES right now. Hope to see anyone from here that shows up.
Just ask around for me, or have me paged.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.