Ange Grinder Info

For those of you carvers, that have done some type of log carving.. Either with a chain saw , arbortech, or some other type of angle grinder,, or if you have knowledge of them....
I would like to carve a log with one of these items,so I would have to buy one....

In Power Carving Manual, Vol #2 , pgs 28 & 29 , show the 7 various types of angle grinders. On pges 60 to 65, tells all about the Arbortech.....
Following is a message that came to our attention from a carver who is looking for some information about angle grinders.

Would you enter in a little discussion , or debate, on the advantages or disadvantages that you my have encountered....Or , make some suggestion, that I should know in determining which item would be better....

I think that I became a Novice carver since Wood Carving Illustrated Magazine came out.. I made the Fireman, by Pete Ortel, ( for my Cap't, Son-in -law ), and The Wood Worker,by Joel Hull, ( for my Son , who runs a 5 man woodshop ).. I am very pleased with myself... And Thanks, Pete & Joel....
I'm 76 yrs young & would like to try log carving,, before too much time passes by....

[lorax]

Hey Admin, Sorry I dont have the power carving manual but I have had the Arbortech grinders since they came out. I think they are an invaluable tool, and have a hard time when either of them go down for maintenance. The most useful is the 2' mini grinder. I use that on even the smaller carvings for quick removal of wood. Two things I would say about the Mini grinder: 1) get the one with the grinder already installed with the carver. I have gone though 6 drive belts because I put the atttachment on a grinder I already had. 2) get the carbide cutter! The little stock blades just cant be sharpened good enough, and the cut is smoother with the carbide.
I have the 4' blade on a grinder and haven't ever had to sharpen it, and have never had a problem with it. It is a little big for shop use but for log work it would be a big asset.

I also have a carving bar for my chainsaw that I have used, but I am not the man to ask about that! Good Luck

This may not hit the target but the word Arbortech sparks this comment. I have several 4 - 5 inch grinders, mostly for welding, and decided to dedicate one to the Arbortech chisel attachment. I use several grinder wheels for 'makin sawdust' but wanted to see what 'makin chips' is all about. I bit at one of those trade shows and bought the attachment with four chisels. I go home, the circus leaves town, and a week later I can't get that thing on my Delta grinder. She acted as though she had the model that would fit my machine. I'm not going to give up but need to figure out how to mount that thing. Arbortech has a website at their Australia homeland. I did take a curved chisel, cut it down and welded it to a rod to fit their machine.... more metric sizing than I expected.

[davidinsarasota]

I recently purchased an inexpensive angle grinder and a too expensive Lancelot chain wheel (King Arthur's Tools). Initial experiment's indicate that it will do what I need it to: rough squared off logs to pre carving shape.

[nadcarves]

I sold the Vortex, which is a six cutter version of the Arbor tec ,3 carbide cutter for angle grinders.. At the time, The Oz grinder was about $85 plus age.. My price was $150, post paid with a profit of approximately 25 dollars..One of my customers who works for hours, claimed the additional weight of the vortex, plus smaller cutters made it well worth the money... He does 50K pieces on up...I finally got my hands on a Arbor tec cutting wheel and , for the average carver, difference in price was not worth it..I killed the price on the Vortex and have one left as a spare ..I sell a Tornado cutter for duplicarvers until I am out. and use a 2 cutter Tempest in a die grinder...Chain saws? Stick em.. The only one worth while, (and I used to use in a Foredom hand piece, )was the original Tempest chain saw.. Chain saws only worth their weight in wet wood.Replacement chains a total rip off. I paid two bucks to have mine made, sold for $4.00 Hard, dry wood ,go to a rotating chisel..Otherwise you burn them up, dull teeth. Had a machinist dream up a shaped carbide cutter for the mini grinder..There are two in the world, one in the Yukon, and mine. Excellent little toy.Actually, I prefer the Die Grinder and Tempest cutter..Even better would be the use of an air motor that was variable...Chips not dust...The rotating chisel cutters are not toys, they are serious tools. You need any better advice , e mail me .Too much "salesmanship" based on warm to hot air out there.One thing about the carbide chisels, they are metallic glass, so treat them like glass, no nails, dropping on floor etc,,,,,,,,,,.Cordially Nad