TECH: Make a cheap tig tungsten grinder

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  • specialseventynine
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2009
    • 237

    TECH: Make a cheap tig tungsten grinder

    I try and try to grind my tungstens without contaminating them but sooner or later the wheel I use on my pedestal grinder with the "tungsten only" stone on it get used for other metal too. Well, I decided I wanted a tungsten grinder that I can have right next to me when I need it.

    I could buy one of these really nice HTP handheld pieces for $230+ but I'm cheap.


    Or I could spend $50 and 15 minutes to build something portable and simple that would do a good job out of these three cheap pieces from HF.


    Trim grinder arbor on the lathe to fit the diamond wheel. You could just file the hole on the diamond wheel to fit the arbor if you don't have access to a lathe.



    Drill a couple different size holes for your tungstens in the grinder guard. Make sure you run the drill bit at an angle once you drill through the material so you can angle the tungsten so the grind marks run longitudinally (towards the point). I use the router rheostat to dial down the rpm on the grinder a bit.



    Some results. Just need some adjustments to get exactly what I need.
    Last edited by specialseventynine; 12-14-2010, 5:06 PM.
  • imtheslime
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2009
    • 1206

    #2
    Pretty clever as usual. Thanks for posting.

    Comment

    • jrotten1369
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2009
      • 480

      #3
      Ya know I can't remember exactly how we did it but about 30 years ago when i was welding for a living, we used a can of some kind of compound and shorted out the tungsten,when it was red hot, then dipped it into the compound and it basicly ate it into a needle point. There has to be some old time welders on here that know what I'm talking about. It worked very well. Other than that, I always ground it just like you are doing.

      Comment

      • imtheslime
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 1206

        #4
        Originally posted by jrotten1369
        Ya know I can't remember exactly how we did it but about 30 years ago when i was welding for a living, we used a can of some kind of compound and shorted out the tungsten,when it was red hot, then dipped it into the compound and it basicly ate it into a needle point. There has to be some old time welders on here that know what I'm talking about. It worked very well. Other than that, I always ground it just like you are doing.
        It's still around. I wanted to try it but never have.
        Dynaflux DF 600-6 Chem-Sharp Tungsten Sharpening Pointing Powder at WeldingDirect.Com.

        Comment

        • philbey
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2009
          • 633

          #5
          that shit is pretty interesting.... Might try some, cheap too. Although with only 500 sharpenings per jar, I'll need another jar by the end of the weekend.

          I was just going to buy one of these for about 100 bucks on special. Cheap shit but keep a belt just for doing tungsten, cheaper and easier and nicer to use than a grinding wheel.

          Comment

          • carl609
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2010
            • 418

            #6
            Originally posted by jrotten1369
            Ya know I can't remember exactly how we did it but about 30 years ago when i was welding for a living, we used a can of some kind of compound and shorted out the tungsten,when it was red hot, then dipped it into the compound and it basicly ate it into a needle point. There has to be some old time welders on here that know what I'm talking about. It worked very well. Other than that, I always ground it just like you are doing.
            Chem Sharp is some cool stuff. The old timer that showed it to me said its what they use to sharpen hypodermic needles. It works great, but takes a little more time than using a grinder.

            Comment

            • mikeyfrombc
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2009
              • 131

              #7


              add this to the set-up and your styling , great idea i have to do something similar AC tig which i just started playing with seems more finicky when it comes to grind quality when compared to DC .

              Comment

              • TimB1640
                Senior Member
                • Nov 2009
                • 1102

                #8
                great info !

                Comment

                • imtheslime
                  Senior Member
                  • Aug 2009
                  • 1206

                  #9
                  Originally posted by mikeyfrombc
                  http://www.stilotig-tig-welding-accessory.com/

                  add this to the set-up and your styling , great idea i have to do something similar AC tig which i just started playing with seems more finicky when it comes to grind quality when compared to DC .
                  I think he's using one in the photo. I see a lot of guys chuck tungsten up in a screw gun to rotate while sharpening.

                  Comment

                  • specialseventynine
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 237

                    #10
                    Originally posted by imtheslime
                    I think he's using one in the photo. I see a lot of guys chuck tungsten up in a screw gun to rotate while sharpening.
                    I'm actually just using a pin vice but that stilo setup looks nice. The pin vice is really inexpensive and fits all the tungsten sizes I use most often.

                    I've noticed that I'm getting a better arc from the tungsten when I grind the point with the wheel spinning into the tip rather than away from the tip as pictured.

                    Comment

                    • mikeyfrombc
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2009
                      • 131

                      #11
                      the stilotig works really well we have one at work , it,s great for short tungstens and the fact the it spins by its self as the wheel rotates makes for nice consistent points and angles

                      i use a cordless at times but when you have a full length tungsten the drill becomes useless

                      Comment

                      • mikeyfrombc
                        Senior Member
                        • Dec 2009
                        • 131

                        #12
                        Originally posted by specialseventynine
                        I'm actually just using a pin vice but that stilo setup looks nice. The pin vice is really inexpensive and fits all the tungsten sizes I use most often.

                        I've noticed that I'm getting a better arc from the tungsten when I grind the point with the wheel spinning into the tip rather than away from the tip as pictured.

                        the burr is being ground towards the body of the tungsten and away from the tip instead of at the tip so the tip is a truer sharper point

                        Comment

                        • SDJose
                          Senior Member
                          • Aug 2009
                          • 304

                          #13
                          Nice little tool to help keep some money in your pocket!

                          Make sure you're wearing a dust mask when you're grinding those tungsten electrodes. The dust is hazardous. Many welders don't realize that the welding electrodes they use contain Thorium, a radioactive element added to the Tungsten material to improve the arc starting and welding characteristics. Thorium is a carcinogen and even though the levels in the dust might be low, over time it could possibly hurt you. Just a little safety tip to keep in mind.

                          Comment

                          • Wayland137
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 136

                            #14
                            Nice work

                            Comment

                            • 66triumph
                              Senior Member
                              • Aug 2009
                              • 390

                              #15
                              Originally posted by SDJose
                              Nice little tool to help keep some money in your pocket!

                              Make sure you're wearing a dust mask when you're grinding those tungsten electrodes. The dust is hazardous. Many welders don't realize that the welding electrodes they use contain Thorium, a radioactive element added to the Tungsten material to improve the arc starting and welding characteristics. Thorium is a carcinogen and even though the levels in the dust might be low, over time it could possibly hurt you. Just a little safety tip to keep in mind.
                              I thought you could lick the new orange banded shit? thats what I use on everything.

                              -A.

                              Comment

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