Grinder Bead Reamer

[ksalomon]

I picked up a reamer for my grinder this weekend. Since the bit stands up higher than my current water supply can keep wet, I figured I need to fashion some water drip system to keep everything wet.

I started looking around for what others have done but kept running across the following statements about using these bits.

"Just soak the head in water, attach it to your grinder, and ream!"

This seems like it may work for 1 small spacer bead, It does not seam reasonable to assume a single soak is going to keep it lubricated for a bucket of beads.

Does anyone else use these? Am I correct in assuming I need a constant stream of water on the bead and bit?

Here is a picture of what I am talking about http://www.warner-criv.com/product.aspx?id=4180-16.

ps: And no I did not spend $56 on this thing.

Thanks for any advise.

[Mitzy B]

I would use glastar sponge, which is different composition than a regular sponge. It holds a lot of water, and I would hold it up against the shaft while reaming. I think the best of both worlds though is the flexible shaft for my dremel where I can hold bead in container of water and use the diamond shaft directly on the bead.

[squid]

I wouldn't clean bead with that reamer - I use a dremel and keep the bead underwater the entire time. You will wear the reamer out really fast without keeping it very wet.

[Mitzy B]

Actually that reamer is so dangerous I wouldn't use it unless I had a foot control on the machine, so I could slip the bead on the reamer, hold the bead by the side and then turn on the power with foot control. When Glass Star initially had a head mounted 1/4 inch grinding head - it was so you could drill a hole in a fused piece for hanging. A sponge worked nicely with enough water to keep head cool cause the glass was at an angle so the head was partially exposed where the water could coat it.

I shudder to think of the engine going on your grinder with this reamer whizzing around and you putting your bead onto it while spinning, trying to control the bead from flinging off and slipping it down to where the diamond abrasion will remove your bead release.

It is worth the money to buy a dremel and perhaps the flxible shaft, worth it both in safety and in time spent cleaning the actual beads when you consider the steps to both methods (grinder head versus dremel).

[houptdavid]

Just a tip for water...

Get a disposable plastic container (about as tall as wide)
Pick up a 1/4" drip system mini valve... http://www.dripirrigation.com/drip_i...products_id=65
And some tube

Poke a hole in the side towards the bottom of the container, cut a piece of tube at an angle and shove it in the hole, add valve and another piece of tubing.

Easy peasy drip water system just install the container above where you are working.