A Little Cleanup Goes a Long Way
If you work with stained glass, your grinder is probably one of the hardest-working tools in your studio. And like any hardworking tool, it needs a little attention every now and then to keep it running smoothly.
Stained glass grinders use a water-cooled, diamond-coated bit to shape and smooth the edges of glass. As you grind, fine glass dust collects in the water reservoir and eventually turns into a paste-like buildup. Over time, that buildup can interfere with water getting from the reservoir to the grinder bit and can slow down your grinder.
There are lots of grinder brands out there, but for this post, I’m using my Inland grinder to walk you through my routine maintenance. Because my grinder sometimes runs for hours a day, I clean mine more frequently than most hobbyists will need to.
Start With the Sponge
The sponge that feeds water to the grinder bit is probably the part you’ll need to clean most often.
One of the first signs that it needs some attention is a pasty buildup of ground glass showing up on the surface of your grinder while you work. When you notice this, remove the sponge, give it a good rinse or wash, and put it back in place.
Make sure the sponge is positioned so that it’s in direct contact with the grinder bit. This allows it to properly carry water from the reservoir to the bit.
If cleaning the sponge doesn’t solve the problem, it may be time to take a look underneath
Cleaning the Water Reservoir
Remove the grated cover over the reservoir and rinse it thoroughly with water. I like to use a brush to get any remaining glass residue out of the holes. You’ll also want to clean the ring that holds the sponge against the bit.
Once the cover is off, you’ll probably see exactly where all that glass dust has been going!
The glass paste that collects in the reservoir can be scraped out with a small, flat-edged tool, such as a putty knife. Dispose of the residue in the trash.
If everything else looks good, you can put the cover and sponge back in place, top off the water reservoir, and get back to grinding.
When It’s Time for a Deeper Clean
If it’s been a while since your grinder has had some attention, or you have quite a bit of buildup, it may be time for a more thorough cleaning.
After removing the majority of the glass residue, remove the grinder bit. On my Inland grinder, once the bit is removed, the reservoir base easily lifts away from the grinder.
This gives you a chance to thoroughly rinse and clean the reservoir base, wipe down the motor base, and clean all those surrounding areas where glass residue tends to find its way.
Once everything is clean, simply reverse the process to put your grinder back together.
Before replacing the bit, wipe the spindle clean and apply a small amount of grease or lubricant. This can help prevent the grinder bit from seizing onto the spindle and becoming difficult to remove later.
And don’t forget to refill your water reservoir before you start grinding again!
A Few Things to Keep an Eye On
Between deeper cleanings, a few simple checks can help keep your grinder working the way it should:
Check the water level regularly to make sure the bit is getting enough water.
Keep the sponge clean and positioned directly against the grinder bit.
Remove glass residue that builds up around the base of the bit spindle so it doesn’t interfere with the sponge’s ability to pick up water.
Give your grinder a more thorough cleaning whenever you notice significant buildup.
How often you need to do all of this really depends on how much you use your grinder. If you’re only working on stained glass occasionally, you probably won’t need to clean yours nearly as often as we do here in the studio.
The important thing is to pay attention to how your grinder is working. A little routine maintenance can keep things running smoothly and get you back to the fun part: making stained glass.
