Most Wanted Accessories for Stained Glass Grinders

Most stained glass hobbyists and crafters eventually find that they can’t get along without a stained glass grinder in their glass workshop. After exploring the many options for glass grinders on the market, many choose a mid-range glass grinder that offers the features they need most, but not the bells and whistles that come on the super-deluxe factory models of stained glass grinders. Many of them do come with little added extras – built-in eye shields, for example, or splash guards to keep water and glass grit confined to a small portion of the work surface. There are, however, many accessories and stained glass supplies a glass worker might want to add to their stained glass workshop.

Magnifying Face Shield

A face shield or eye shield is essential for working with glass grinders. Without it, you risk getting glass dust in your eyes, which is not only uncomfortable, it’s dangerous. Entry level base models of glass grinders seldom come with an attached face shield, so it’s up to the user to don goggles, which are unwieldy, uncomfortable and can make it more difficult to see the details of what you’re doing. That’s why the first upgrade purchased by most users is a face shield and face shield support. A magnifying face shield, such as the Inland MagnaShield, goes one better than the standard face shield because it’s made with a convex magnifying surface that allows you to get a good, close look at your work. It’s especially helpful for doing detail work on small glass pieces.

Splash Guard

Working with glass grinders can be messy, making a splash guard a necessity for safe, clean working. Few entry level glass grinders include a built-in splash guard, and most users get by with creating their own out of cardboard or plastic. An actual splash guard, such as the Inland Grinder Station, is designed to fit around any grinder and keep the overspray safely confined.

Specialty Bits for Glass Grinders

While an expert glasscutter can create nearly any shaping using standard bits, specialty bits for glass grinders can make it easy to create beveled edges and rippled surfaces, as well as to drill holes through glass beads or glass pieces for jewelry work. In addition, a glassworker might want a variety of bits with different grits to work with different types of glass. An ultrafine grit bit, for example, makes it easy to work with the delicate glasses that require special handling to avoid chipping.

Glass grinders are the base of a fine glass hobby workshop, but when you add the most wanted accessories to your stained glass supplies and workshop, you can really take your hobby work to the next level.

Tips for Buying the Best Glass Grinders

If you’re a stained glass hobbyist, you’ve probably explored stained glass grinders as tools to make your work easier. Glass grinders make it easier to shape and smooth the edges of your glass pieces, cutting the amount of time it takes to complete your artwork. While glass grinders aren’t an essential glass working tool, they can make your crafting more professional and more enjoyable by reducing the parts of it that are purely labor intensive.

There are many glass grinders on the market, ranging in price from about $100 to nearly $500. They each offer the same basic features, but the more expensive ones offer additional features or higher quality that gives you more versatility and use from your grinder. If you’re considering purchasing a glass grinder for your hobby, understanding the different features and specifications of stained glass grinders can help you decide which grinder is the right one for your use. These tips can help you figure out what your needs are and which glass grinders will best suit your needs.

Consider Your Volume of Work

If you only do a few pieces of stained glass art a year or if you’re just beginning and don’t know whether you’ll enjoy the craft enough to continue, you may do best with a budget-priced glass grinder.  Look for an inexpensive grinder with the most powerful motor you can afford. Choose one that accepts multiple bits, and, if possible, pick an entry level glass grinder manufactured by a company that offers a full range of grinders, accessories and stained glass supplies. Those are most likely to be expandable so that you can upgrade quite a bit before having to invest in a more expensive machine.

If, on the other hand, you are starting off on a big project or produce a higher volume of work from your workshop, invest in a higher quality machine. Glass grinders in the $100 to $500 price range deliver professional results, and are often the choice of many professional glass artists. These machines have more powerful motors and are made with higher quality materials that will last longer than the cheaper machines.

More expensive stained glass grinders also provide you with other features that are nice to have, such as a larger work surface, dual bits, extra bits, accessory drawers, foot pedals and safety accessories like eye shields.

Specs for Glass Grinders

Torque measures the amount of resistance the drill bit exhibits against glass. If you mostly work with small, fine pieces of glass, you can get by with a hobbyist’s grinder with a torque value below 20. In most cases, though, you’ll do better with a glass grinder that has a torque between 21 and 29. There are more powerful glass grinders available for those who do heavier glass work.

RPMs stands for revolutions per minute and it measures who quickly the bit turns. RPMs range from 2,850 to about 3,600. In general, the higher the RPM value, the better for your work.

Next to glass kiln and glass saws, a good glass grinder can be the most valuable investment you make in your hobby. Consider carefully when choosing among the many glass grinders on the market to make sure you get the best value for your money and the best choice for your art.