Products Reviews

Yeah, I've got the Multitool on a Craftsman bench grinder. I had it before they came out with the wide one. I absolutely freakin' LOVE it! Seriously, one of the best, most versatile tools in my shop. I use it all the time. Grinding, shaping, sharpening, and I've also polished some stuff with it. I used it to put a mirror finish on a piece of 6-inch C-channel for a project. I just wanted to smooth off the rougher high-spots, and before I knew it, it was clear and mirror-like.

I highly recommend it. I have a stone on the other arbor, and then I also have a grinder with fine and medium wire wheels on it. Of the four arbors, I almost never use the stone. In fact, I'd be better served if I got rid of the stone all together an put a twisted course wire wheel on it, to de-burr steel angle and flat stock when I cut it with my chop saw.

-Brad

I love tools that perform many tasks. I also love inventions that attach to an existing tool to expand its uses. The Multitool turns an ordinary 6- or 8-in. bench grinder into a belt and disc sander that grinds, sands or polishes metals, wood, glass, plastics or even ceramics and lapidary.

The Multitool fits all popular brands of grinders, 1/3 hp or more, that are equipped with screw-on wheel guards. Certain bench grinders, manufactured by Baldor, Wissota and Dayton, require purchasing an adapter ($20 to $45) from H & B Distributors before those grinders will accept the Multitool.

Installation takes 30 to 60 minutes and involves removing the wheel guard and grinding wheel, connecting a slotted ring (included) to the grinder and attaching the Multitool. Once it’s installed, just loosen a few bolts and the belt sander will tilt in any position between 0 and 90 degrees to present the best angle for sanding curved objects. Like the belts on a portable belt sander, the Multitool’s 2-in. wide belts change in seconds and track steadily, so there’s no wandering back and forth.
Two optional accessories can greatly increase the Multitool’s usefulness. The disc sander table (No. MTBL, $35, including miter gauge) provides an accurate, stable platform for taking full advantage of the 7-in. dia. disc sander. The sharpening jig (No. SJIG, $75) reliably sets the correct angle to hone chisels, knives and planer blades.

H & B Distributors has a wide selection of wood-working, metalworking, knife sharpening and polishing belts.

-John