I saw a hand held guidefoot grinder on this site somewhere. It was about $25. Anybody have any ideas as to how they smooth their guidefeet?

The biggest drawback to grinding wheels for this job is that unless you're using the better AL or SIC wheels which are "Friable" (particles break away and constantly expose new cutting edges) your grinding wheel will load up with metal particles and lose cutting efficiency. At this point, you really just generate heat and such heat is not good for your guide feet.

A sanding disc is the better way to shape your guide feet. A hard rubber wheel with a disc of about 100 to 110 grit will do wonders for guide feet. They're not very expensive and you can replace the discs in seconds when needed. You can chuck these in a drill or a lathe. Even better, is a sanding belt, but you'll have to buy at least one of the cheaper sanding belt machines and they'll run you aroud $60 to start.

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If the ginder holder is what I think it is I have one. It does not work on small guides. I find that cheap sping loaded clamps work much better to hold small guides. I also use a dremel tool for grinding prep.

I have my Dremel tool mounted horizontally in a Dremel table top drill press and use a sanding drum to shape guides, hold them with small Vise-Grip needle nose pliers with masking tape on the jaws.

I've tried everything - files, dremel (with the diamond and various grinding bits), my grinding wheel (with friable wheels) and they all work well.
But my preference is for a small belt sander 1X30. It is difficult to overgrind, and works quickly. Delta and Harbor Freight sell them for under $50.

My second choice is a Good file. A little bit more of an investment will get you a file that will last years.

Christian

On those small guides, try this: go to your local hardward store with one of those small guides. Get a plastic bolt and nut to fit into the guide ring. Put it in the guide ring and hold the end of the plastic bolt while grinding the foot. I caught the idea on this site and have been using it very happily since!!

Putter
Williston, ND

Ditto Randy!

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

I also use the nylon bolt and nut (and sometimes a nylon washer) as mentioned on this site to hold small guides (Lowes has quite an assortment). I use a hand-held dremel tool for grinding and have learned the hard way to wrap the base of the frame in tape to prevent slips from marking the pretty guides!!

How long woudl it take you to put 50 of those small guides on that Nylon Bolt contraption? It seems like it would add an extrordinary amount of time to a process which takes too long to begin with.

I tried the slow speed grinder with white wheel - and HATE it. I went the belt sander route, adn am much, much more satisfied & get better results with much less Ooops!! I pressed too hard and fried the guide.

Billy,
It takes no more than 20 seconds to mount a size 6 single foot on a nylon bolt even at my advanced years. It will come off just as quick!
Stan Grace

PS..... I don't have to look for as many "fliers" with the bolt arrangement which saves time.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

That would be 40 seconds per guide, not bad - need a qick lock nut. I'd love to see a picture of how this little attachment works. Why even bother with a nut - just press teh guide up to teh lip of the bolt with a fingernail, or even another object wich slips on and off quickly.

I use UN's for most of my smaller guides which my fingenail fits into teh space behind teh double leg behind the eye - and that works good enough, but I think I can see how I could use a bolt to make it a little easier. I have a couple sets of T-LDBSG 6's which were a bit easier to grind since the ring is 45 degrees instead of 9- degrees to teh guide foot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2005 06:27PM by Billy Vivona.

I use a Dremel with the flexibe shaft handle held in a woodworking vise and the Dremel diamond disc. I also use the small nylon bolts but don't use the nylon nut, but rather just use finger compression against the guide ring. I use an Optivisor to help see what I'm doing.
Stan

Billy
I don't use a lock nut.. Just a tight fitting bolt and a finger nail hold as you suggest. The time taken to slip the guide on the bolt is negligible compared to the time gained by having a firm grasp on the guide during the grinding operation.
Stan

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Ball peen hammer and just pound it till it gets flat! One good lick by a subway rider ought to do the trick! For you Mr. V!

Gon

The nylon bolts with the ' recessed " head fit into the ring better then the hex head bolts. More room to grind.

I'm a Dremel user too, mounted in a table top Workmate with a Dremel cutoff disc mounted in the tool. I hold the guides with the guide holding tool from Mudhole and use the flat side of the cutoff wheel. I also thought that mounting and un-mounting the guide in the tool would slow me down but instead the amount of control that the tool gives me allows the Dremel to run at higher speeds and has cut my grinding time in half. The extra control has also improved the overall "quality" of the taper and finish.

The Mudhole tool works in a similar way to the nut and bolt method.

Harbor Freight has or had thir Central Machinery 1"x 30" table top belt sander on sale a couple of weeks ago for $29.99.....................the sale may still be running if anyone is interested?

Harbor Freight has or had their Central Machinery 1"x 30" table top belt sander on sale a couple of weeks ago for $29.99.....................the sale may still be running if anyone is interested?

sorry for the double post.