Tips for Changing Abrasive Wheels on Bench Top Grinders?

[Outahere]

In a few weeks I will be changing both 6" abrasive wheels on my 40 year old Milwaukee bench top grinder. Removing the old wheels will not be a problem. Just zip the nuts off the shaft with an impact wrench. Tightening the nuts after installing the new wheels will be more challenging, as this grinder does not have a shaft lock, or flats at the ends of the shaft that can grabbed with a wrench while tightening the nut. I do believe the inner flanges at both ends of the shaft are indexed to the shaft. (This will be my first experience changing wheels on a bench grinder)

I have read and seen various suggestions on how to tighten the shaft nut:
1. Use an impact wrench.
2. Remove both old wheels, wrap one end of the shaft with tape and attach a vise grip plier to it, then tighten the nut on the other end after sliding on the new wheel.
3. Remove, install, and tighten the the wheel at one end before working on the second wheel. Use a clamp or pliers on the second wheel to prevent the shaft from turning.
4. Jam a piece of wood between the old wheel and the tool rest while tightening the nut on the new wheel.
5.etc

What method do you like to tighten the shaft nuts?

How do you judge how much torque to apply while tightening the nut?

Do you install a "blotter" between the wheel and each flange?

Do you have a favorite youtube video about this?

The video below does not answer my questions about wheel installation, but I think it is a good video about truing and balancing grinder wheels.

 

[619DioFan]

I use a wooden wedge between the wheel and tool rest as my cheapo grinder has no lock .

 

[Wyoming09]

I've changed a few. 619Diofan has it correct. A piece of wood wedged in there will suffice. Never needed an impact to remove anything. Nuts were never that tight.

 

[Mr_B]

Yeah not too tight is right.
Just nipped up sensibly is sensible way do it, impact is best avoided and reality is tightening to much creates run out and vibration and potentially cracks in the stone and unpleasant experience for a user lol .
Most old timers I worked with wood wedged when trouble with nut and would generally tighten and counter hold it by the wheel itself .
wheels come with the paper blotter pads already on them. old wheels with these compressible paper padded areas loose or missing to some extent ideally need addressing before use for safest end use/performance .
Experienced machinist or factory worker who done lot of hours on professional grinders could throw in lot of useful info .
All my bench grinders are old from 60's to early 80's and small 6 & 8" and basic methods/gumption and using premium to mid range wheel hardware has got me through 3 decades of use problem free .
real low quality/poor service state wheel hardware is quick way really start loosing the love of a grinder ...

 

[seber]

I don't use anything. Hand tight is more than adequate. Just hold the wheel in one hand and tighten the nut with a wrench in the other. Even on my one hp grinder where I push damn hard. The nut will tighten as needed by itself. Any more than that is too tight.

 

[dogdog]

Left side left hand nuts, right side right hand nuts. Unless… your grinder sounds the other way.

 

[JradM]

I'm with seber on this one - they don't need to be that tight and I've never used anything to help me do it. They tighten as they spin.

I grab the wheel with my hand and unscrew the nut with the other hand.

 

[dutchgray]

Nip it up by hand, holding the opposite wheel, they need very little torque and will self tighten with use.
Make sure to do a ring test on your new wheels.
Start the grinder and let it run for a few minutes, stand to the side, not infront of the wheels.

 

[rsanter]

I grab the wheel on the other side and then snug the nut up.
The threads are directional so as long as the nut is snug it will tighten a bit more while running

 

[The Cobbler]

I agree, snug is all you need, the action of the grinder will tighten them as you use it.
and YES to spin it up standing to the side before you use the new wheels. a ring test is good practice too

 

[Outahere]

I found this 2006 document from Baldor that has suggested torque values for grinding wheels of 6-14 inches diameter (in their line of grinders equipped with dynamic brakes and castle nuts).

https://www.baldor.com/mvc/DownloadCenter/Files/MN903A

A 6" wheel with a 1/2-20 nut has a recommended tightening torque of 10-12 ft-lb

A 7" wheel with a 5/8-11 nut has a recommended tightening torque of 13-16 ft-lb

A 8" wheel with a 3/4-10 nut has a recommended tightening torque of 16-20 ft-lb

A 10" wheel with a 7/8-9 nut has a recommended tightening torque of 21-25 ft-lb

 

[Paul1963]

here’s what I think is a good question
my old school Stanley grinder which I just bought has one wheel that looks unused and like brand new it’s in the shape I’m sure it was in when it was put on the machine brand new the other wheel is worn down pretty good but I’m having trouble finding a 7 inch wheel that’s 1 inch wide with a 5/8 arbor that’s what I need if there’s room in the housing for an 8 inch wheel can you do that?
can I put an 8 inch wheel that’s 1 inch wide with a 5/8 arbor on this grinder?

Information plate that’s on the machine says nothing about wheel size,..it just says 5/8 arbor

 

[rancherbill]

I wouldn't use an impact wrench you could damage or create some defect for the future. Super Dangerous.

 

[Mr_B]

here’s what I think is a good question
my old school Stanley grinder which I just bought has one wheel that looks unused and like brand new it’s in the shape I’m sure it was in when it was put on the machine brand new the other wheel is worn down pretty good but I’m having trouble finding a 7 inch wheel that’s 1 inch wide with a 5/8 arbor that’s what I need if there’s room in the housing for an 8 inch wheel can you do that?
can I put an 8 inch wheel that’s 1 inch wide with a 5/8 arbor on this grinder?

Information plate that’s on the machine says nothing about wheel size,..it just says 5/8 arbor

I can't see any big issue with that if the 8" wheel going fit under guard and the rest etc can adjust to clear it .
You could dress a 8" down closer to 7" if wanted to with a decent stone dressing tool .

 

[Milton Shaw]

Don't forget that one side is left hand thread when you use an impact or you might strip the arbor. The thread reverse is so that the wheels tighten up when grinding, where right hand thread on both sides would spin loose a wheel grinding something.

 

[Paul1963]

Don't forget that one side is left hand thread when you use an impact or you might strip the arbor. The thread reverse is so that the wheels tighten up when grinding, where right hand thread on both sides would spin loose a wheel grinding something.

It is true that often times that gets overlooked and guys damaged their equipment because they don’t know I own a 67 fastback Barracuda formula S car I got it when I was like 19 years old and I decided it needed some brake work attention and I didn’t know what the L meant on the studs on the right side of the car so I broke two of them before I figured it out