RFGuy wrote:

jsburger wrote:I have two work benches.. The out feed table on my cabinet saw also serves as a work bench. The small bench on the right was made when I was still working in my garage. The large bench on the left was made after the dedicated shop was built. It has dog holes in the top and the full width Veritas twin screw vice jaw. I also have a pattern makers vise to mount on the left front.

The small bench and out feed table are 1 1/2" thick laminated Maple. The large bench is also laminated Maple. It is 2" thick in the center with 4" wide aprons.

I like the compactness of the dual wheel grinder on the pole stand you have. Is it stable on that stand or did you need to mount it to the wall on the back or bolt it to the floor to keep it from tipping over? What brand is it? I am in the market to get one and yours looks very interesting...also very nice looking shop! Thanks for sharing.

That is an old picture. Yes it was stable but... The grinder was a freebe and had a terrible harmonic vibration starting and stoping. I took the wheels off but it was still there.

So I bought a 1HP Rikon slow speed grinder from Woodcraft when they were on sale a few years ago. Then I bought 2 CBN wheels from Wood Turners World.

https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/cbn-wheels

I bought an 80 grit and a 220 grit. I have a Wolverine sharpening system on the way from Peachtree so it should work great.

The pedestal is from Harbor Freight but it is OK and stable. The Rikon grinder is silky smooth with the OEM wheels so I think it will be even better with the CBN wheels since they are dynamically balanced.

Hey Gang
I too have the Rikon grinder but I have the 1/2 horse model. Recently I did equip the grinder with CBN wheels. one is a 180 grit and the other a 600 grit. These were chosen at the suggestion of Vince who owns the woodturnerswonders website. That 600 grit leaves a virtually razor like edge on my lathe tools without honing. I have said before that I would like to have half of the money I have spent on under performing sharpening systems back in my pocket. I now have the Rikon grinder with the Oneway Wolverine tool holding system. This system is the system I would recommend to anyone starting out in lathe turning. You will only have to spend your money once.
Bill V
Bill V

Thanks guys. Those CBN wheels look nice! I have been hearing a lot about them lately. Do you ever have to true a CBN wheel like you do with other materials? I thought I read somewhere that you never have to, but I don't understand that since CBN is slightly less hard than diamond and even diamond wheels have to be trued up from time to time.

I don't own Rikon tools, but I like their reputation a lot. I briefly had looked at a Delta grinder only because it is the only one on the market with variable speed. Reviews were terrible on that Delta, so I will likely go with the Rikon instead. Thanks for your help.

rpd wrote:I made a Paul Seller's bench from 2x4's several years ago, I use it all the time and it works great.

I have been watching the Paul Sellers builds and he does a good job of breaking the build down.

Thanks all for the input.

RFGuy wrote:Thanks guys. Those CBN wheels look nice! I have been hearing a lot about them lately. Do you ever have to true a CBN wheel like you do with other materials? I thought I read somewhere that you never have to, but I don't understand that since CBN is slightly less hard than diamond and even diamond wheels have to be trued up from time to time.

I don't own Rikon tools, but I like their reputation a lot. I briefly had looked at a Delta grinder only because it is the only one on the market with variable speed. Reviews were terrible on that Delta, so I will likely go with the Rikon instead. Thanks for your help.

CBN wheels never need to be trued. The CBN material is just a thin coat sprayed on the metal wheel. The Woodturners Wonders wheels are guaranteed for life.

I didn't own any Rikon tools either. I looked for months at slow speed grinders. There is not much out there. Then a year or so ago Woodcraft had them on sale. My local store only carries the 1/2HP model but they ordered a 1HP for me. Back then Rikon and others I guess were having problems getting product out of China. It took almost 6 months for Woodcraft to get the grinder. I was in no hurry so it wasn't a real problem.

RPD...really like that English style bench...would enjoy hearing your comments on how it works for you. Always thought I would like to have one...Until that day, here is what has worked for me for a long time.


A bonus of having drawers on the front of the bench is that they can be used as board jacks:

My bench is 5’X9’ with a top of two layers of particle board. The top sheet is sacrificial and I replace it periodically. The lower bench area will store 4’X8’ sheet goods etc. The dust collection boom is a recent addition.
Paul

My workbench is small. It is about 2'x4'. It has a woodworking vise on it and it bolts to one wall of my shop. It folds down against the wall if I need more space for something else.
If you are building a bench, build it to suit the space you have and your needs.

complements on the work benches , they all look like they work well , haven't seen my'n in a while but looking at the build up of stuff laying on them I am sure they are still there .

masonsailor2 wrote:My bench is 5’X9’ with a top of two layers of particle board. The top sheet is sacrificial and I replace it periodically. The lower bench area will store 4’X8’ sheet goods etc. The dust collection boom is a recent addition.
Paul

I like your dust collection boom arm. Hey, do those 2 portable AC's work well enough in your shop there in Nevada? I am in your neighboring Arizona and I am about to bite the bullet on a mini-split ductless HVAC for my shop. It gets brutal here in the summer time and this past winter has been very cold (for us desert creatures).