Which grinder should I get?

[General Lee]

I've been wanting to get a grinder, just never needed one very often. Now I need one because I am cleaning up an old steel wagon wheel. Need to get the rust off before painting it. I envision a standard angle gringer preventing me from getting in between the spokes, especially at the ends where they meet the wheel and hub.

I picture using a good sized dremel but have never seen one that would take a decent size attachment that won't leave me grinding for days. What do you all recommend?

 

[newbury]

GEN Lee -
Needle scaler looks good. Or sandblasting.
Wel-Bilt Air Needle Scaler — 5 CFM, 90 PSI | Air Needle Scalers| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Soundguy]

die grinder.. angle grinder and a needle scaler.

probably get all 3 for 60$ from harbor freight...

between the 3 you will be a rus removing sob....

 

[swick1]

Another vote for needle scaler...

Put knotted wire wheels on your grinder

 

[mikehaugen]

Unless you are envisioning a lot of projects like this in the future (which it sounds like you don't) I would get an angle grinder just because they are good to have around but would take the wheel in to get it sand blasted. It will do the best job and would cost less than buying any purpose built item to use one time.

 

[General Lee]

I have the option to sand blast it, a friend of mine has a machine. That was my original plan but I wanted to work on it this week and not sure if I'll have access to the sand blaster.

I'm liking the needle scaler. I've seen them before just didn't know what is was called.

 

[Soundguy]

any results?

 

[SPIKER]

just a note:

sandblaster will remove rust quickest with least amount of material removal, the surface will be very good for painting afterwards, just be sure to use good material, sand is generally silica based, bad for lungs and painting on.
grinders of any type will remove material leave scratches and hard to get into all areas easy.

I would suggest getting a 4-1/2" one from HF 20 bucks well spent.

same for air tools die grinders etc they all remove metal but work well, hard to get into all areas. I have a pretty good set all from HF and have not had an issue with them yet.

anyhow spokes are an issue for ANY type of rust to get off, takes a while for sure... I bought one of the HF cabinet blasters to do a bunch of small brackets for a car rebuild. happy with it, but have blasted outside with hood and disposable type blasters that work as well.

MARK

 

[Soundguy]

i like a knotted cup on a angle grinder.. less metal removal.. if any.. but eats rust and paint.. 3m black pad works good too.. but goes away in bout an hour..

 

[swick1]

Any grinding wheel is the wrong tool by the way. You want it sandblasted or, if you have a good compressor, you want wire wheels and a needle scaler.

 

[General Lee]

any results?

I'm either going to try and find a needle scaler tomorrow or sand blast it. I have to rely on my buddy for the sandblaster, so depending if he's available I may go that route. A part of me wants to just do it myself and not rely on anyone so I may just get a needle scaler. No HF near me, so whatever I can at find at Lowes or Sears. I want to get it done soon, don't feel like waiting on mail order.

 

[len10]

What about using an acid wash. KBS makes a product called RustBlast. I just made a backhoe subframe for my tractor and used Rustblast. The final finish was great and it saved a lot of prep work.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Cup knotted wheel and normal knotted wheel on angle grinder is all you need. You can get cheap ones from HF and dedicate each to one wheel, it saves time.
Goggles and gloves (welding gloves) mandatory, wire wheels eat skin of your hands faster than anything else. Also the wheel can shoot wire missals, dont take chances with your eyes.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm either going to try and find a needle scaler tomorrow or sand blast it. I have to rely on my buddy for the sandblaster, so depending if he's available I may go that route. A part of me wants to just do it myself and not rely on anyone so I may just get a needle scaler. No HF near me, so whatever I can at find at Lowes or Sears. I want to get it done soon, don't feel like waiting on mail order.

if you don't have a hf nearby... go get it sand blasted. you will pay 2x to 3x for the same tool at sears... etc..

 

[General Lee]

So this morning I head to Lowes, no needle scaler. So I get an air powered angle grinder to add to my air tools. I pick up a couple wire cup wheels, 1/4inch to match the 1/4 inch collet. Get home and the shaft on the cup wheels won't fit into the collet on the grinder. The shaft on the wire wheels were hex shaped, apparently I need the smooth rounded shaft.

I ended up using my buddy's portable sandblaster and almost finished up until the valve which regulates the sand flow stopped up. Despite taking it apart to find what was clogging it, nothing was found. Put it back together and still no sand flow. Touched up the wheel with an electric grinder and called it good.