MINI-GRINDER - SUPPORT CENTRE
The following information answers common general, technical and fitting queries about the Mini Grinder Attachment and Power Tool. If you need further information, or if you have a question that isn't answered here, please email us.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!
|
Parts List and Key for the Mini Grinder Attachment
Fitting Instructions for the Mini Grinder Attachment
Download Pre-Assembled Power Tool Instructions
Will the Mini Grinder Attachment fit my angle grinder?
How do I attach the Mini Grinder Attachment to my angle grinder?
My angle grinder doesn't have a collar!
The collar on my angle grinder is too small!
Questions regarding the Pulley Belt and Wheels
My Pulley belt has broken prematurely?
How do I correctly align the two pulley wheels?
The belt has worn into a round profile and no longer has a V shape?
The belt has flipped inside out during use?
Large Pulley Wheel & Pulley Alignment Ring won't fit onto spindle!
Questions about the accessories
The blade is not turning freely? (stops instantly when I turn the grinder off/or I can hear a binding sound)
The blade has cut into the guard casing?
The blade has sunk back into the safety guard housing and I can smell burning!
Maintenance/Replacing Parts
Replacing the bearing/spindle assembly or small pulley wheel
Will the Mini Grinder Attachment fit my angle grinder?
The Mini Grinder Attachment is designed to fit most 4" (100mm), or 4-1/2" (115mm) angle grinders. Read the following instructions, and use the diagram at left to check your grinder's measurements to ensure that the Attachment will fit.
Collar Mounted: Measure your angle grinder's collar. It should measure 1-1/2" (38mm) to 1-3/4" (44mm) and have a minimum height of 8mm (see illustration at left).
Grinders with a 5/8" spindle require Arbortech MIN013 pulley adaptor kit.
Plate Mounted: If your grinder does not have a collar, check the dimensions shown below to see if the MIN017 adaptor is suitable for your grinder.
Need help? Contact our Customer Service for more information, or if you prefer, this product is available as a pre-assembled power tool for your convenience.
How do I attach my Mini Grinder to my angle grinder?
There are two methods for attaching the Mini-Grinder to a 4" or 4 1/2" angle grinder.
1. The collar fitting method
The collar section of the Mini-Grinder is fitted onto and over the collar of the angle grinder and then tightened in place with the Clamping Bolt.
2. No collar method
If the angle grinder does not have a collar then the MIN017 Universal Adaptor Plate may be compatible with your grinder. Click here for notes on "will the Mini Grinder Attachment fit my angle grinder".
The Adaptor Plate is screwed into place on the angle grinder and the Mini Grinder is then attached to the plate with three screw bolts through the Mini-Grinder Housing.
My angle grinder collar is too small?
My angle grinder collar is too small and the Mini Grinder collar will not clamp tightly enough?
There are two solutions for this problem.
1. Use either the .5mm or 1mm thick emery cloth to increase the diameter of the grinder collar.
2. If the grinder collar is considerably smaller use part number MIN015 collar enlarging adaptor, this enlarges the size of the grinder collar considerably.
The MIN015 Collar Enlarging Adaptor is needed if your angle grinder's collar is too small.
The Pulley belt has broken prematurely?
If the two pulley wheels have not been correctly aligned (horizontally) with each other, a Pulley Belt will break after only a few minutes, or hours, of use. They MUST lie flat and level with one another.
This is of KEY importance.
How do I correctly align the two Pulley Wheels?
A Pulley Belt will break quickly if the two pulley wheels are not aligned (horizontally). They must be flat and level with each other. You can prevent belts from breaking by making sure that the two pulley wheels are horizontally aligned (flat and level with one another).
Problem:
The Pulley Belt is higher at the large pulley wheel end
Solution:
1. Remove some/all spacer washers from under the large pulley wheel
OR
2. Turn the large pulley wheel upside down (cavity facing downwards) and then test fit onto the spindle. Now, it will probably be too low so place some spacer washers UNDER it to raise it to the correct level.
TIP: To check that the pulley belt is accurately level, raise it to eye level and sight off the top of the belt edge and compare to the top edge of the Mini-Grinder casing.
Alternatively, use a measuring device such as a ruler or vernier scale.
NOTE: If the pulley belt is HIGHER at the large pulley wheel end by even 1/64" or 0.5mm, the belt will break. Sometimes the belt will flip inside out first and then break.
NOTE: If the pulley belt is LOWER at the large pulley wheel end.
Solution: Place spacer washers under the large pulley wheel to raise it up level with the small pulley wheel. Sometimes pulley wheel alignment can be achieved by turning the large pulley wheel up side down although you may still need to place spacer washers under the large pulley wheel to raise it more exactly.
NOTE: Normally turning the large pulley wheel upside down only required when the grinder spindle is too short to begin with. Remember to position the pulley alignment ring as you would normally do, preferably
there should be at least one spacer washer positioned first to support this 'up side down' fitting.
Only the large pulley can be adjusted (that is, raised up by placing the provided spacer washers onto the grinder spindle and under the large pulley).
Please note that the small pulley is fixed in place and CANNOT be raised.
The belt has worn into a round profile and no longer has a V shape?
The belt was either fitted inside out, or, flipped inside out on it's own accord - see here.
Make sure the V belt was fitted with the V's fitting into the grooves of the pulley wheels. If fitted correctly, the serrated marks of the belt should face outwards.
The belt has flipped inside out during use?
This can happen for more than one reason!
Check the following:-
1. Check that the Mini Grinder set up complies with the points raised here.
2. The Mini-Grinder extension arm may not have been fitted in the same horizontal alignment to the angle grinder. If the extension arm is skewed (twisted forward at an angle), the belt will be forced to turn itself inside out.
Note: This should not be able to happen with an Adaptor Plate fitted because they are rigidly fixed and thus can not skew.
To prevent this from happening:-
1. Ensure you have properly and squarely seated the collar section of the Mini-Grinder down onto the collar of the angle grinder.
It may have worked loose and twisted while working with the tool.
2. Ensure that the clamping bolt is tightly done up. If it does not tighten sufficiently, use emery cloth strips (0.5mm/1mm thick).
The blade is not turning freely?
If the blade is not turning freely, or stops instantly when you turn the grinder off, or you can hear a "binding" sound, check the following:-
1. Check that the small pulley wheel is fitted the correct way up! The deep shoulder fits down onto the spindle and bearings.
2. The blade was not seated down properly on top of the small pulley wheel (this would make the cutter wobble). Take care to seat the blades down onto the shoulder/rim.
3. The large pulley wheel was positioned TOO LOW and is cutting/rubbing a wear track down through the Mini-Grinder casing! Please read and understand advice above.
Also, please read the fitting instructions that were supplied with the Mini-Grinder kit about correct pulley wheel alignment.
How do I fit a replacement bearing/spindle assembly or small pulley wheel?
Make sure the power is disconnected before handling the power tool
1. Remove screws from the belt tensioning cap (component No. 8) (see standard parts key)
2. Rotate to relieve tension from the belt and remove belt and remove the belt tensioning cap.
3. Set the Mini Grinder arm on a recess (such as opening the jaws of a bench vice) and use a screw driver or 7mm rod to push the centre bolt (Mini Grinder Spindle) down and free the small pulley wheel. The old spindle bearing assembly can now be discarded.
4. You can now press the small pulley wheel onto the replacement spindle bearing assembly. To do this re-fit the new spindle bearing assembly into it's housing in the 'back' of the Mini-Grinder. support the spindle bearing assembly hard against a firm surface and with a SOFT hammer or Mallet tap the small pulley wheel down onto the bearing assembly until it stops.
Caution. You must use a soft rubber hammer when striking the small aluminium pulley wheel down onto the bearing assembly as the cutter seating ring on the face of the small pulley may otherwise be damaged.
5. Now refit the belt tensioning cap (push fit) re-tension the belt and replace the front safety cover. Note. If you originally removed the Mini-Grinder extension arm from the power tool to do this job then fit back together in reverse order.
If you have difficulty please email our Customer Service for further assistance.
The blade has cut into the guard casing?
1. Please read and follow the advice here.
2. The Mini Industrial and Mini Diamond blade are fitted with a raising washer already in position.
If this problem is occurring when either of these blades are fitted, check to make sure that the raising washer is still fitted.
If you have lost this, email our Customer Service for a replacement.
After using the Mini Grinder for a short while, the blade has sunk back into the safety guard housing and I can smell burning!
The four small screws that fix the belt tensioning cap in place were either never fitted or not tightened fully down.
If those screws were not installed there is nothing to stop the blade and bearing assembly from forcing their way backwards into the casing thus melting the housing and destroying the Mini-Grinder.
CHECK THAT YOU HAVE INSTALLED AND TIGHTENED THE BELT TENSIONING CAP SCREWS.
Large Pulley Wheel & Pulley Alignment Ring won't fit onto spindle?
Your angle grinder has a 5/8" spindle (USA) please contact your Arbortech dealer or distributor as you will need the MIN013 Spindle Adaptor Kit.
This kit has a dedicated 5/8" hole in the pulley wheel centre.
Note: The standard Arbortech Mini-Grinder Kit is a metric kit and has pulley alignment rings for both 10mm and 14mm grinder spindles.
