Stained Glass Grinders

Those that work with stained glass as a hobby will find themselves in need of a stained glass grinder.  However, if they are new to stained glass, they might not know what to look for when buying something like this.  In order to avoid making a costly mistake, it is important to know what a stained glass grinder does, how much it costs, and how to shop for one.  It is often very daunting to shop for a grinder for stained glass because there are so many different sizes and price ranges to choose from.  Also, not everyone that is just getting interested in stained glass will be aware of the subtleties of these grinders and exactly what they are used for.  A stained glass grinder is needed to shape the stained glass after it has already been cut into its rough shape.  In stained glass projects, the pieces of glass fit like pieces of a puzzle.  Because of that, they must all be just the right shape and size to work with the other pieces that are being used in that project.  For small projects, a stained glass grinder may not actually be needed.  This is because many people still use a sickle stone to shape the glass for their projects.  However, this can quickly become very tedious. 

If someone is planning on working with stained glass as a hobby or plans on doing more than one or two projects, a stained glass grinder is definitely a worthwhile investment.  Most of them come with two bits.  One is used for fine, detailed work and drilling holes in glass, while the other one is used for the larger grinding tasks.  The grinders get the edges of the glass ready to accept the copper foil that goes around them, and this leads to better solder lines and a result that is much more uniform.  Because of this, these grinders are very popular with those that work with stained glass.  Choosing one, though, is sometimes very difficult.  If a person isn’t going to use it very much, there are smaller grinders that can be purchased for $150 or less.  For people that will be completing bigger projects and/or using their stained glass grinder more often, however, there are larger grinders priced up to around $350.  Commercial grinders also exist, but they are generally over $1000, and they are not designed for the regular market.  Instead, they are bought by individuals that own stained glass businesses, and not by those that are only working with stained glass as a hobby. 

How quickly the bit turns (RPM), how much the grinder costs, how much space it takes up, and how much use it will get are all concerns that should be addressed when considering which grinder to buy.  Generally, the more RPMs a grinder has, the better.  In addition, finding a grinder that can meet long-term needs is important.  You would not want to invest in a grinder and then find that you needed a better one.  It’s a much better choice to research what you need for sure, so that you can get the right grinder the first time.  If, however, someone buys a stained glass grinder and then later decides to upgrade, it can be done.  These types of grinders usually have good resale value if they have been properly taken care of, and they can easily be sold to someone else so that a larger one can be purchased.  Maintenance on these types of grinders is also relatively easy, so there is no reason not to keep them in good working order and keep their resale value high.  By doing this, not only will they last a long time for the people that purchased them, but they will also be able to be sold to other individuals when their owners decide that upgrading is a good idea.

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