Tightening bench grinder wheels??

[B17E1943]

Some of you may think this is a REALLY stupid question, but what the blankety blank is the trick to tightening the wheels after changing them on a bench grinder?

One side has reverse threads, so when you try to tighten one side, the other one loosens. There are no flat sides on the shaft to hold one side while tightening the other.

Maybe I'm just stupid ...

Thanks!

 

[Zeke]

Cordless impact set on light. Or even a cordless drill backed off on the torque setting. It doesn't take much. For decades guys just snugged them up holding the wheel and it worked fine.

 

[devoncoolman]

I usually just shove a screw driver in between the wheel and the guard or the rest.

 

[Chuck122]

you don't need to get them very tight. the point of the left-hand threads is that it is self-tightening.

 

[pepi]

I hold the wheel I am replacing in one hand and wrench the nut down, no brainer.

 

[rsanter]

Hold the grinding wheel and finger tighten the nut
Continue to hold with your finger and snug it up with a wrench
Turn grinder on
Use grinder

Bob

 

[RCStocker]

you don't need to get them very tight. the point of the left-hand threads is that it is self-tightening.

Little do you know. They are reverse threads so they don't come loose and through the wheel!

If you use an impact you are a damn fool. That will crack the wheel. They only need a snug down. You don't need to crank the hell out of them. After 60 years of one quick little jerk of the wrench I have never had one come off. I have 11 different types of grinders and 5 buffers. I also have a 10" Balder grinder and just a little tug on the wrench hold the wheel. You can hold the wheel and give a quick little jerk on the wrench and it is tight. ****** blazing saddles.

 

[G_P]

Mine wire wheel grinder is belt driven so I just put a hex key in the setscrew on the pulley and that stops it from turning. On stone wheels you dont want to be cranking down super tight on them as you could crack the wheel and end up with it exploding when you turn it on the first time!

 

[pepi]

Hold the grinding wheel and finger tighten the nut
Continue to hold with your finger and snug it up with a wrench
Turn grinder on
Use grinder

Bob

You forgot to tell him to remove the wrench b4 turning on grinder.

 

[B17E1943]

Thanks to the serious guys, and to the smartasses.

 

[OccupantRJ]

A wood wedge between the steady rest and the wheel.

 

[sc3013]

Just make sure you don't forget the blotters, they are there for a reason.

 

[Zeke]

Careful there pal, I'm pushing 70 and have been tightening these things since shop class in 1957. Some work better than others. On the cheap light weight machines there is no rotating weight to bump the wrench against. Depending on the washers and spacers you use, the wheel may not provide a lot of bind to get a cinch on the wheel.

What happens when you don't get it cinched up? Wheels like wire brushes and buffers will slip. Point one, not all wheels are stone. Point 2, not many want to crank it up until it breaks if it is stone. Tell me how many times you have personally witnessed that.

Read my post again before you come down on me for over torquing and breaking stone wheels and calling me a "damn fool." I take exception of that.

 

[woody 73]

Woody Tip:

In all my many years (only 21) cough ,cough, I learned if you take a small block of wood and cut it at a 45 degree angle (looks like a big version of a wood shim that you buy in package form from a Home Depot) you can take that small wedge and use it like a shim.

Put it under the wheel and just ease it under then turn the wheel until the shim stops the wheel.

Be sure and drill a small hole it the block of wood and place a string in the hole and then run that string around your grinder and leave enough room to be able and remove the (JIG) for future wheel removal jobs. The main reason for doing it that way is 99% of the time when you need that special JIG you can never find it.

Hope that helps you out.

 

[justanengineer]

You forgot to tell him to remove the wrench b4 turning on grinder.

Pfft. Not to mention ringing the wheel before to check for cracks and to step aside before turning it on in case the wheel lets go.

Personally seen it several times, tho it seems to be more common on surface grinders.

 

[B17E1943]

Thank you, Woody - much appreciated!