Grinder help.

[Pr3ssure]

So I took my bench grinder apart to paint it, I got it all back together but when I went to thread the nuts on the ends to tighten the wheels. The left handed but got stuck, now when I wedge something in the right wheel, the shaft on the left is spinning. I thought that wasn’t supposed to happen. What do I do? Does the whole shaft spin out of the center piece? The nut was working before I took it apart, that’s what’s puzzling me. 

[the iron dwarf]

did you put it back together correctly?

one nut will have a left handed thread and the other one will be right handed,

are all the spacers / washers in the right places?

did you cross thread the nut?

[Pr3ssure]

I put it together right, it’s the one that’s left handed threaded. I don’t think I cross threaded it. I’m just hoping I can get it off. 

It went on, got a little over half way through the threads on the nut though. Just don’t know why the arbor/axle whatever it is called is spinning independently now. Does it screw out of the center piece?

 

Never mind, i thought I had the right nut right all the way, it was spinning. I just was locking the wheel. I’m just trying to get this but off now. 

Well I just saw that the left handed nut looked a hair smaller, it’s 17.32 mm or so and the right handed one is 17.52 or so according to my calipers. I just don’t get it. It was going on before I took everything apart. Did it shrink? I guess I just need a new nut. 

Also can you run a 10 inch bench grinder with one wheel? Or is it going to spin too fast. 

[Frosty]

This is a lesson about NOT FORCING THINGS. Talk to the guys at the real hardware/tool store about dies to chase the threads. It's not dead IF you don't kill it. You might need to take it with you so they can get the correct dies. 

It'll probably be okay running one wheel but maybe not if it's a cheap grinder. 

Keep your eyes open, bench grinders are pretty cheap at yard, garage, etc. sales. Even new you can buy a one for under $175.  even here. That's IF my memory serves, I might be off by $25. or so.

Don't feel like an idiot, left handed threads get everybody, we've all been where you are right now, they're just part of the dues. Welcome to the brotherhood, only eleventy thirteen hundred more dues payments to go! 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Pr3ssure]

I think I figured it out. I used a hammer on the end to knock a piece loose and it bent the threads. So I’m just gonna get a dye so I can clean up the threads or something I guess. Unless there’s anyway to just cut off the bent threads without messing up the ones beside them. I believe I’ll need 3/4 dyes though. 

And it’s not a cheap grinder, it is a little old though. 

[Frosty]

You used a HAMMER? Okay, for that bright stunt you may feel like an idiot! 

The reason there is a right and left hand threaded end to the shaft on grinders and the like is so they're self tightening. Even if you have to put some torque to them use  . . . A . . . . WRENCH!

Kids these days, sheesh!

Frosty The Lucky.

[Pr3ssure]

I used the hammer taking it apart, the cone piece that holds the bearing, well the bearing wasn’t coming out so I hit the end of the drive shaft or arbor or whatever it’s called. I didn’t have a rubber mallet near by and I didn’t think it would mess the threads up, lesson learned though. Well the cone piece may have been stuck on the other side. I did something else to break the bearing free. Either way I was trying to knock something loose. Sucks it happened. 

You think I can fix it with a dye though? I’d like to find one I can put on further up the threads and go backwards to make sure I’m lining them up. 

Think this will work without messing more up? Found a video of someone who demonstrated the exact thing I did and he used a dremel to just taper the end and take off the bad threads. 

[Pr3ssure]

Well between my dremel and hacksaw I got it. 

[Glenn]

Paint the left handed thread nut a certain color to remind you that it is LEFT handed thread. Or take a metal stamp and mark it with an L.

Anything to remind you to slow down and jog your memory. (grin)

[Pr3ssure]

I was thinking about doing that actually, painting them the same colors I painted each wheel cover. Just tape up the threads. The threads are working better now then they were when I got the grinder though. 

[Frosty]

I was thinking a different mistake that involves left handed threads and a hammer but that was a good one. Next time you don't have a mallet use a piece of 2" x 4" or other piece of wood. I pick up wood baseball bats at yard, garage, etc. sales when I see them for cheap, they make excellent mallets and thwockers. During the season you can find abused ones in trash cans outside the boy's gym at high schools and at ball parks. I get abused hockey sticks at high school gyms and the city ice rink. I use hockey sticks for top tool handles where you don't need a very strong handle.

Sound like you got the problem taken care of, glad it wasn't too badly damaged to dress up.  Painting the left hand nut and arbor is a good way to keep mistakes from happening. After a while you learn to spot thread direction automatically. . . almost.  The easy way to tell is hold the bolt straight up in front of you, if the threads slope up to the left it's left handed, if they slope to the right it's right handed. On your grinder just tilt your head, it doesn't matter if which way it's pointed.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Pr3ssure]

Yeah, I stopped for the night but I’m trying to get the right side as smoothe turning as the left. Using the dremel with like a nylon wire wheel, it seems to be working well for cleaning the threads. Can’t wait to get some new wheels and an expander disc. Just found out about those. 

[Frosty]

Most grinding wheels are a little off center, they're not perfectly centered because there has to be clearance to slide onto the arbor. Get it reasonably tight and it'll wear round for you. This is normal, it's not broken stop trying to try fixing it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Glenn]

If the wheel is badly warn or out of round, it may need dressed with a wheel dresser. 

Any time you start up a grinding wheel, let it run for a full minute while you stand to the side our of harms way. This will allow the wheel to come up to speed and if there any defects, cracks, etc, they should be apparent either by wobbles, vibrations, or disintegrations.

[Pr3ssure]

I’m talking about an expander disc, it’s like a rubber wheel you put sanding belts on, it expands when it spins so the belt stays. But I do need a new wheel, the one that was on the grinder is worn in the middle about a half inch more than the sides. Not sure a dresser will do the job. 

[Pr3ssure]

Got it all back together after painting it, fixed the threads and it’s all up and running. Really need a new wheel, gonna get a dressing tool first and see if there is any hope for the one on it. It’s pretty bad though. The wheel on the left is like a plastic wire wheel or something. Not sure what I would use it for. Wanna get a scotchbrite for the left though. Well I want a lot, so we will see where this goes. 

Any hope for that though^^^^

[Daswulf]

What sort of things you use it for determine wether you try to fix that wheel and what to put on the other side. Looks like a pretty coarse stone to begin with.

The "plastic " wire wheel looks like one that is impregnated with metal or abrasives and is less agressive. 

[Frosty]

Sorry, I had to go do stuff. When I said wheels are usually a little off center I meant NEW wheels. What you're talking about is something else, I've seen them but don't have much experience.

The wear pattern in the right hand wheel is an example of not knowing how to use a grinding wheel. You need to move the part being ground back and forth SLOWLY across the wheel so it wears evenly. And don't push into the wheel, let it do it's work all you  need do is hold the work against it gently. 

If you hear the motor slowing down you're pushing too hard. You'll  hear it change pitch as it picks up the work but if it slows ease off.

Slow up, there is NO good reason to get in a hurry. Oh I know what it's like you're dying to jump into the craft but all rushing really does is make your mistakes permanent more quickly. Slow and steady wins the race is an ancient adage for a good reason. I'm not saying think things to death, it's easy to get stuck in that corner too. 

Just keep in touch, we'll help, we LIKE helping folks. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Pr3ssure]

Yeah, I don't know who had it before me. My dad got it off CL in Ohio for cheap. So who knows what the guy he got it off of used it for. I've got a pretty good grasp on most kind of power tools, at very least a basic understanding of them. Hence why I take everything apart when I get it used. If it doesn't go back together than it probably should have been used. Except in the instances where I messed up, like that thread thing.... I'm just trying to think it was like that when I got it and I learned from their mistakes. lol Anyway, I've been looking online trying to find more about the grinder, I found out it's a Dayton. I found the exact one in pictures on another forum site, but the pictures didn't show the label unfortunately. Any ideas on what HP and RPM it might be? I'm thinking between 3/4 and 1 HP. I think I'll be good with most kinds of wheels I just wanna make sure I'm not putting anything on it that can't handle it.

Having trouble finding this style Dayton through google, at least a direct photo.

4 hours ago, Daswulf said:

What sort of things you use it for determine wether you try to fix that wheel and what to put on the other side. Looks like a pretty coarse stone to begin with.

The "plastic " wire wheel looks like one that is impregnated with metal or abrasives and is less agressive. 

Basically gonna be used for whatever, If the wheel can be saved I may need one that coarse at some point. I really just want to get a little of everything, no distinct plans on where I'm going with all this. Just trying to see what I enjoy to do the most. Although I am definitely getting one of the rubber expander wheels you can put a sanding belt on. That's gotta be the coolest thing I've seen for a grinder. Could definitely be a decent substitute until I can afford to make a nice belt grinder and I might not have to buy a cheap one.