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Which Way Should

a Bench Grinder Rotate?

M

ANY WOODWORKERS ARE CONFUSEDabout the proper rotation
of a bench grinder, whether it should rotate toward the opera-
tor or away.The majority of commercial grinders are designed to
rotate toward the operator while a tool rest supports the chisel or
plane iron at a fixed angle (see the drawing above). Maintaining a
proper grinding angle is crucial to sharpening success. With the wheel
turning down toward you and into the tool and the tool held firmly
on the tool rest, you can obtain a consistent hollow bevel across the
end of the tool.
If you reversed your grinder so that it rotated away from you, the
wheel (trying to carry the tool around in this rotation) would tend to
lift the tool off the tool rest. This would make it difficult for you to do
accurate work and could be dangerous if the chisel or plane iron got
away from you.

CHAPTER FOUR

When grinding, hold

the tool firmly

against the tool rest,

cutting edge up.

Bench grinders should rotate

counterclockwise, or down

toward the operator.