You should be able to make the tool arms yourself and save a bit of money. The small wheel adapter isn't hard at all to make either. The wheels are a tad harder to make without access to a lathe.
You gonna really enjoy that grinder!
Is that 1/2" or 3/4" aluminum plate that grinder is made from? I used 1/2" which is just fine, but that looks almost on the thick side for 1/2"
I believe the main plate is 3/4" I'll check it over the weekend. This machine is put together very nice. Hope it runs as good as it lools!
Truthfully don't know why? I was looking to purchase the wheels and emailed Oregon Blade Maker and asked them what the advantage to the Glass filled wheels were besides the price (they were 1/3 less) the gentlemen from OBM answered me with "the Lightning Wheels are superior in every way to aluminium wheels" he continued and said that's all they use on their machines and on the machines they sell. I believed him because they sell both! At the point I am at with what I spent for the grinder 30-50 bucks more would not have made a difference to me. If he had told me the Aluminium were better and it was just a price thing I would have spent the extra money! But when the rep of a company tells me the less expensive item is better I listened to him!!Can you fill us in as to why the plastic wheels are better? I prefer rubber contact wheels over aluminum, but I'm curious as to why those wheels are better than aluminum.
Well, I kept waiting for some of the other more knowledgeable folks to respond about metal vs covered wheels. My experience is the solid metal wheels are just harder to grind on. Yes, the work, but just don't feel as good. I made aluminum wheels for my first grinder, but was never really happy with them. I finally went with longboard wheels (3" diameter, 2.1" wide) that are 72 hardness range. No comparison. MUCH better grinding.
I think it's the metal has no give, and any little imperfection (splice joint, etc) in the belt shows shows thru as a bump while grinding. So much so, my 1/2" small wheel is solid metal, but all the other sizes I've covered with rubber.
Ken H>
Well John - once you get to 2" and larger, I'd go with skateboard wheels. I've got 3", and should be able to find 2" also. They make GREAT wheels for grinding. The hardness is usually in the 70-80 duro range, and price isn't too bad.
wheels less than 2-1/2" it's hard to find them wider than 1-3/4", but that would work just allowing a tad of belt to hang over the side. Typically these type wheels are not doing LOTS of heavy grinding, just a tad of profiling in curves.
Here is a set of 62mmX51mm: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361971182736?