/diy/ - Do It Yourself

A bench grinder is a spinning fucking wheel. What feature is a "better" one going to have that a "worse" one won't? Just get what's cheap.

You are aware that some products are hunks of shit, right?

That's why I asked. Looking for reviews.

Don't get one new under $100.

But see if you can snag an old one at a garage sale. They're beautifully made.

>>519691
You are aware that working on guns requires expertise and a working knowledge of machining, right? You are also aware that there are litany of different types of "bench grinders". Also, it's called google.com dumb fuck. Go find it yourself.

>>519703
Chill out dude.

Secondly, I have been around guns my entire life. Grinding a little material off an AK mag so that it can fit into a shitty WASR 10 is not a major task.

I deal with out of spec parts every now and then that require a miniscule amount of metal to be removed.

>>519699

Thanks.

I'll hit up some of the estate sales and shit around here.

Gun parts-Grinder-Inexperienced

Start gently with a hand file on scrap bits you have laying around, check your progress with a micrometer. When you feel ready start working on real items.

And don't ruin nice knives. There's a reason why people still to this day use water/oil stones. You can keep a steady temperature that way and you get a good idea on how you form edges, no one should start with a grinder.

For lock picks and general shit a bench grinder is a necessity everyone should have one. 100 bucks look on the used market, garage sales, auctions.

With a low budget you have two alternatives
1. Buy some cheap Chinese made grinder that is going to be a pain in the ass and then buy something decent.
2. Buy some decent used grinder and live happily ever after, and the best thing is if you're going to buy something else you still have a viable back-up.

>>519910
Thanks.

When it comes to gun parts, it is mostly just AK mags. If there is any real work that needs to be done it goes to an FFL.

I don't really intend on using it on knives (got a carbide sharpener for that)...though I probably will use it on axes.

>>519910
not OP but can anyone drop a brand name
i was looking at a cheap clarke wheel and sanding belt combo or this expensive swedish one that was about 300

the 300 implies quality and peace of mind whilst all the shitty $50 i saw on ebay implies that everyone had the same idea of buying a cheap one and realised they were a bag of wank

>>519933
Don't sharpen an axe on a bench grinder. You'll ruin the temper on it.

And then you'll have a temper tantrum when your edge doesn't stay sharp.

OP here...wound up getting a Ryobi cheapo...it works well for most things.

As for the rude guy that was in here earlier claiming I need special knowledge to work on gun parts, I fixed up an AK mag that wouldn't fit my Romanian shitstick.

>>521207

Thanks, I'll heed your warnings.

The $30 harbor freight grinders can work well enough for most things. And they're so cheap even if they only last a year you still got your money's worth. If you worked on a factory floor and used the thing 8 hours a day it prolly wouldn't last too long, but how many hours do you really think you will use it each week? Or even each year? Nowhere near as much.

The harbor freight grinding WHEELS are usually horribly unbalanced (which is why lower-speeds is good, if you go cheap on the wheels...) and you should dress (balance) them outside, because you're going to grind off a LOT of dust to get them straight.... I prefer the carbide dressing sticks myself, I find the little spike-wheel dressers to be useless and the diamond-tip ones don't help with getting a flat surface.

That said,,,,,, I have a variable-speed one and MUCH prefer it. I rarely use it at more than half-speed, just to lower the risk of wheels shattering.

>>522676
doesnt the diamond come in a slide to get a flat surface?

>>519800
used = it's old but works

which can mean, it doesn't break in a second
unlike the new cheap ones

one of my mottos to save money

not familiar with grinders but any reason a simple dremel tool wouldnt be ideal for OP?

>>522951

OP here. I have a dremel, and shake like Michael J Fox. For very fine jobs like lockpicks, the grinder has suited me well thusfar.

If you are willing to improvise, get a cheap ten-dollar grinding bit for a power drill at your local hardware store. A vice or clamps and a bench could be used for a base.