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Hi,
Was looking for advice on the best bench grinder that is avalable on the market.

I'm based in the UK and I am using Everflex orthotics which are carbon fibre. So looking for both a coarse and fine wheel, along with a horsehair wheel.

Also if anyone knows the best type of glue for adaptions and top covers for these types of devices.

Much appreciated

Elaine Hoey

 

Carbon fibre is much more tempramental/impossible to adjust.....I make all my devices and for reasons of ease of use do not use carbon fibre.......why do you prescribe them? New top sheets are easy enough but changing profiles is not really possible.
regards Phill Carter

 

Hi Philip,

thanks for the reply.

I find Everflex orthotics excellent for most patients and can be easily modified with a coarse and fine permanent gritted wheel on a grinder. I'm just trying to source one over here as I don't have access to the previous one I had used.

Kind Regards

Elaine

 

Carbon fibre used to be a one time moldable substance that could not change shape after initial molding. As far as grinding it goes there are a number of reasons why you need to be careful about inhalation of dust from it. It is also less easy to grind to a good finish than other materials, maybe you have something which is different to how it used to be??
regards Phill

 

Hi Elaine.

I own an orthotics lab in the u.k and think i can help you.


We have used many different grinders since our inception, now using industrial units because of continuous use.

We used to use the combi 10 from algeos, its a great unit as it has 2 grinding wheels and two polishing wheels and has a port at the back for dust extraction unit to be fitted. Its fairly priced and we ran it every day for years without any problems.www.algeos.com.

Give them a try.


Scott

 

Hi Scott,

many thanks for your reply. It was good to hear from someone with the experience.

I had spoken to algeos to see if i could get 2 permanent gritted wheels on a grinder, one coarse and one fine. Not heard back yet.
Do your wheels require adding sandpaper or are they a permanent grit?

What type of glue do you recommend for the Everflex-cabonfibre orthotics?


Regards

Elaine

 

Hi Elaine.

The wheels on the combi 10 unit from algeos are rubber and you can choose which grit of caps you want. I use a light grit for finishing and heavy grit for removing most of the excess material, its pretty easy to replace the sand caps and they usually last about a year.

I use colle de cologne by renia, works for bonding pretty much any material, you will require good ventilation and a respirator/extraction unit though its pretty nasty stuff. More importantly it depends what material you are bonding to the shell. Neoprene, eva and foams bond nicely. poron must be abraded, coated with a pu primer before adhesion and vinyl can be difficult too. Just make sure that the layer of glue is thin and evenly spread, allow it to dry completely then rectivate with a short blast from a heat gun.

good luck

scott

 

Out of our sanders my favorite machine in the Podo Mini from a German maker. It has far better rotary power than the Sani-grinder, et.al. It also has a vacuum that actually sucks virtually anything, including carbon and fiberglass.

I like Scott's mention of Renia's Colle De Cologne. It is the best cement I have experienced for shoe soling modifications, but it is ridiculously intolerable to air exposure. Maybe that's what helps it hold for so many soling types. For orthotics I have good success and far better resistance to unwanted coagulation with Renia's Ortek cement.

 

Hi Scott,

I have spoken to algeos.

What grit of sand caps do you use for a coarse finish and what one for a fine finish. I will be grinding carbofibre, poron and EVA predominantly.


Regards

Elaine

 

Hi Elaine.

For the combi 10 use course grit 80 on the big wheel and fine grit 24 on the thinner wheel.

for working with poron and incorporating forefoot extensions into the carbon use a lamelle wheel on the right side of the unit. personally i think horse hair wheels are pointless, unless you want to polish the surface.However as the combi 10 is a constant speed motor it tends to tarnish the surface rather than polish it!!

Happy grinding!!

scott

 

Hi Scott,

thanks for that. I spoke to Algeos and unfortunately one doesn't get the chance to try the sand cap grits out first. So its good to be recommended what will work.

I previously found the horsehair good for removing poron additions that i had glued onto the carbonfibre shell. Thats why I was keen to retain it .

I'm sorry but what is a lamelle wheel?

Kind Regards

Elaine

 

Well, you've got space for 2 wheels on the righthand side so fit a horsehair wheel too.

Lamelle is like scotch brite (think abrasive polishing wheel used to shine up floors on industrial floor polishers) it's great for incorporating poron/cork/Eva into the shell as it's slightly rounded in shape and flexible unlike a hard sanding wheel.

Wire wheels work for this too but are slightly too harsh.

Scott