How To Use A Bench Grinder To Remove Rust From Tools

In simple terms, a bench grinder is a large motor that spins two grinding wheels and is primarily used for sharpening bladed tools like shovels, chisels, gardening hoes, and even lawn mower blades. Though not as mobile as its chief counterpart, the angle grinder, the power and capabilities of a bench grinder not only make it great at sharpening tools, but also at removing rust.

Rust forms on tools when the iron in the metal chemically reacts with water and oxygen. The new material that is formed, iron oxide, is a flaky brown material, or rust. If left unchecked, the rust will eat its way through the metal, harming the structural integrity and making the tool useless. While there are common kitchen ingredients like vinegar that will help remove rust, using a bench grinder is a great option if you want the job done quickly. 

The thing is, though, you need to modify your bench grinder before starting this process. Standard bench grinder wheels are made of compressed fiberglass and abrasive grains, which are brilliant at cutting and sharpening, not removing fine layers of material. You'll want to use a wire wheel instead to remove rust from your tools and have them working like new.

The reason you want to use a wire wheel is that the wires are just abrasive enough to get the rust off the tool, but not strong enough to harm the metal that's been covered. The three main types of wire brushes you'll find are made from steel, nylon, and brass. Steel is best for hard metals like iron, nylon works well on wood, furniture, or shoes, and brass suits softer metals like copper or aluminum. You can find bench grinder attachments on Amazon, or shop wire wheels at a local hardware store.

Before using the bench grinder for rust removal, you need to swap out the aggregate wheel by taking off the wheel cover, loosening the nuts and washers holding the wheel on the rotating spindle, and replacing it with the wire wheel. To get the rust off your tools, turn on the bench grinder so the wheels are spinning. Hold the rusty tool level with the wheel and run it gently from side to side to remove the rust. Make sure you are wearing hand and eye protection, as small bits of the wire can fly off of the wheel itself. The time length of the job will depend on how much rust there is to remove, though it shouldn't be long. In the end, you'll have a tool that will likely look as fresh and new as when you bought it.