Bench grinder operation
Bench grinder operation
ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHEN USING THE GRINDER.
Keep a steady, moderate pressure on the work piece and keep it moving at an even pace for smooth grinding. Pressing too hard overheats the motor and prematurely wears down the grinding wheels, so take your time. Note the original bevel angle on the item to be sharpened and try to maintain this shape. The grinding wheel should rotate into the object being sharpened. Keep a tray filled with water and dip your work into it regularly to prevent overheating. Overheating can weaken metals.
Scissors sharpening
If possible, take the scissors apart to make the sharpening operation easier and safer.
Remove material only from the outside surface and work from the heavy end of the blade toward the tip.
Knives sharpening
Remove metal from both faces of most knives, working from the heavy end of the blade toward the tip.
Screwdriver sharpening
The end of a properly sharpened screwdriver will be a perfect rectangle, absolutely flat and perpendicular to the center line of the shank. The two sides and two faces will taper outward from the edge of the shoulder or shank. They should be flat with intersecting faces perpendicular. Hold each face of the screwdriver against the wheel to true it up, and then ease the end straight into the stone to grind it true.
Knives sharpening
Drill bits are best sharpened on a sharpening jig, available at most hardware stores, but can be “dressed up” on your bench grinder. Begin on one side of the point at the existing angle, and then twist the bit while maintaining a constant angle with grinding surface.
Sharpen only the tip. This technique requires considerable practice, so take your time and make a few “dry runs” first with the grinder off. Be sure to maintain the original cutting edge angle as this is important to the efficiency of your bits. One tool rest has a V-groove that is correctly angled for most drill bits.
Lawn mower blades sharpening
Lawn mower blades are usually sharpened on only one side and dressed up slightly on the other. After sharpening, be sure to balance the blade by removing additional material from the heavy end. There are a number of inexpensive cone balances on the market for this purpose. Unbalanced blades can cause serious crank shaft damage to your lawn mower. Always remove spark plug wires from the mower before servicing the blades to prevent accidental starting.
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