Violin Forum/Message Board

[Cliff Green]

I'm looking for recommendations for getting a hand grinder. eBay has lots of used grinders from $10-200. What should I look for in a reliable unit? Also, most have the original carborundum wheels. Is there a recommended wheel size and substance?

Thanks
Cliff

[Michael Darnton]

Make sure all the parts are there and not broken. It's common for one of the clamping feet on top of the table to be broken off. A missing tool rest doesn't matter because you'll want to get a proper Veritas/Lee-Valley rest: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32973&cat=1,43072,45938

Beware of grinders with a lot of rust and dirt. Sometimes they clean up fine; sometimes they don't. Worn gears are not rare, but you can't tell in advance. So don't ever spend more than you can afford to lose. If you don't spend more than $15-20, you can try a couple until you find one you like.

It's nearly impossible to find appropriate stones less than 6" so get a big grinder. Most have small shafts that need to be bushed up with tightly-wound masking tape to fit modern wheels. I use a white or pink soft wheel, 120-180 grit. Most woodworking tool places on the web sell some variety of this.

I bought a new grinder from these people years ago, but I don't know if they still exist--you might try calling them on the phone: http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1459/3037.pdf

I just did an ebay search for hand grinder, and there are a whole bunch of good ones near the top right now.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

[Cliff Green]

Thanks for the in depth reply.m