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Home Repair

How To Start Grinding and Sharpening

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STEPS

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SKILL LEVEL

Grinding and sharpening are skills that’ll come in handy in any DIY project. Whether you want to shape bathroom tiles, sharpen your hedge shears, or smooth protruding screws, your Dremel Multi-Tool and grinding/sharpening accessories will make quick work of it. Follow our beginner’s guide to learn everything from choosing the right accessories to clamping objects securely while you work. Let’s get grind it out!

by Dremel B

2 PROJECTS

Tags

grinding and sharpening

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Supplies Needed For This Project

TOOL

Dremel 8220 Cordless Rotary Tool

Model # 8220

TOOL

Dremel Lite Cordless Rotary Tool

Model # 7760

Rotary

A550 Shield Rotary Attachment

Model # A550

ACCESSORY

2500-01 Multi-Vise

Model # 2500-01

Rotary

Dremel A576 Sanding/Grinding Guide

Model # A576

ACCESSORY

A679-02 Sharpening Kit

Model # A679-02

Tools & Accessories

Materials

  • 1

    Dust Mask

  • 1

    Safety Glasses

Let's Get Started

To reduce the risk of injury user must read instruction manuals for all tools used in this project. Wear eye and respiratory protection. Use clamps to support work piece whenever practical.

STEP 1

Understanding Grinding Versus Sharpening

What is the difference between grinding vs sharpening? When grinding, you’re smoothing over rough areas or sharp edges, aiming to get a sleek finish. When sharpening, you’re doing the exact opposite: your aim is to create a thin point or a sharp edge. Dremel’s grinding and sharpening tools help you with both activities, whether you’re deburring metal after cutting it, smoothing welded joints or sharpening secateurs. You can use these tools on glass, ceramics, stone, and porcelain too.

STEP 2

Choose the Right Grinding and Sharpening Accessories

For every job there’s a Dremel accessory, choosing the right one will put you on the best starting path. For hard, non-ferrous materials such as glass, stone, ceramics, and porcelain, Dremel’s green silicon carbide grinding stones are the way to go. They’re highly durable and perfect for removing stilt marks on ceramics or engraving glass. Dremel’s orange aluminum oxide grinding stones cover virtually all your grinding needs, from sharpening screwdrivers to removing flash from metal castings. They can be used on most materials, including stainless steel.

STEP 3

How to Work Safely While Grinding and Sharpening

It’s a law of nature: when you hold ferrous metals like steel or cast iron to a grinding stone, sparks and dust come flying. Luckily, it’s easy to protect yourself from these tiny particles. Protective glasses will shield your eyes, while gloves will safeguard your hands and a dust mask will keep you from breathing in any tiny bits. Many Dremel toolkits have a Shield Attachment for deflecting sparks and dust. If you have one, make sure to connect it as an extra precaution.

STEP 4

Turn Up the RPM

For easy handling and sleek results, set the speed on your Dremel tool to a minimum of 15,000 RPM when using grinding or sharpening tools. When the rotation speed is too slow, these accessories may start ‘bumping’, causing unevenness or dents in your object or material. So this is the ideal time to put your Dremel’s speed to the test. The grinding stones and points can take speeds of up to 20,000 and sometimes even 30,000 RPM. Check the instructions for the individual accessories so you stay within the safety limits.

STEP 5

Go For a Golf Grip

Control is key when you’re grinding or sharpening. A one- or two-handed golf grip offers stability and support, ensuring you keep your sharpening tools level and your grinding attachments firm. Not into golf? Don’t worry, it’s easy. For a one-handed golf grip, hold your Dremel Multi-Tool in your dominant hand with the thumb on top, pointing towards the shaft of the tool. For a two-handed grip, hold the tool as described before, only in your ‘weak’ hand. Now overlay your dominant hand so that its thumb overlaps the ‘weak’ thumb. Both thumbs are pointing towards the shaft. That’s all there is to it.

STEP 6

Secure Your Tool or Object

In order to work on your object safely and precisely while grinding or sharpening, you can either: Secure the object safely to the workbench, for instance with a clamp or vice. Bring the tool to the object using the golf grip (see tip 5). Attach the Multi-Tool securely to your work surface using a DREMEL MULTI-VISE (2500) and bring the object to the tool with both hands. A Dremel Multi-Vise functions both as a clamp and as a tool holder. Its 360° rotation allows you to rotate it any which way you like, so you can approach your object from a comfortable angle. Make sure your hands stay well away from any moving accessories or sharp objects.

STEP 7

Work with the Right Attachments

These handy tools and attachments will make your first grinding and sharpening project run even more smoothly: Shield Rotary Attachment (A550) – protects you from flyaway particles, rust, and dirt. MULTI-VISE (2500) – offers optimal stability; can be used as a stationary vice, stand-alone clamp, and tool holder. Rotates and tilts, so you can work from a comfortable angle. Sanding/Grinding Guide (A576) – enables grinding at perfect 45° and 90° angles. Sharpening Kit (A679-02) – for quick and easy sharpening, whatever size chainsaw you’ve got. Includes grinding stones.

STEP 8

Pick Your First Project

Well done, you’re now ready for your first project. Pick one of these foolproof beginner’s activities to get the hang of grinding and sharpening with your Dremel tool: GRINDING • shaping bathroom tiles • deburring a copper tube after cutting it • smoothing welded joints • smoothing protruding screws • smoothing mosaic tiles after cutting them SHARPENING • sharpening an axe • Sharpening hedge shears • sharpening DIY items such as scissors or slotted screwdriver tips

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