Convert a bench grinder into a disk sander?

The bearings in a bench grinder only takes radial forces. The thing you want has taper bearings to take axial forces. So forget it. Just go out and buy one.

or use a drill

NT

I hadn't realised the difference in bearings. Thanks for the info - idea now forgotten!

DDS

In message , Duncan DiSaudelli writes

Slight tangent. I have a few hand sized metal bits to clean, and first thought was to hold them in a vice then attack with a rotating wire brush in an ordinary B&D drill. However, I do have a pillar drill. Could I mount the wire brush in the pillar drill, and hold the metal bits against the brush or what that also risk ruining the pillar drill bearings? The pillar drill is a cheap but great for my simple needs Silverline.

A more significant point is that bench grinders usually run faster than disk sanders.

I am fairly sure that my cheap Machine Mart combined disk and belt sander is based on a standard electric motor with simple has deep groove ball bearings at both ends. The axial load (and also the bending moment) which you apply to a disk sander is usually not particularly high, and I would not expect any problem with deep groove bearings for normal domestic use.

The "drive end" bearing is often larger than the non-drive end. Also, the drive end bearing is usually the "locating" bearing. At the other end, one race of the bearing will usually be a sliding fit with no shoulders either on the axle or in the housing, to accomodate thermal expansion.

If it's a ball race, it won't make any significant difference, Harry has sleeve bearings in mind I think.

Its not ideal because the access isn't particularly good, but unlikely to do much harm. Do you mean one of the "disk" type brushes or one where the "bristles" stick out at the end opposite to the spindle?

Pillar drills usually have a thrust/tapered bearing at the top of the shaft and a "normal" bearing at the bottom (next to the chuck).

I mean the type with bristles sticking out at 90 degrees to the shaft/spindle.

I'm talking about Victorian door furniture which has been allowed to rust over too many years. Plan is to remove all traces of old paint and rust, then treat with gun blue or Zebo.

There are quite a few DIY from scratch disc sanders on youtube:

Search youtube for rust removal, there are easier more thorough methods.

NT