A pencil grinder can do the job if you need to grind, sculpt, deburr, or polish. Unlike a typical sandpaper block, these air-powered tools run cool and easily handle.
Precision
A pencil grinder is an excellent tool for precision work. It is ideal for deburring, finishing, and engraving projects. It can also be used for cutting and shaping metal. It has many uses and can be applied in the automotive industry, brake shops, machine shops, investment castings, and metal fabrication. The tungsten carbide tip in a pencil grinder allows it to cut through steel without losing its strength and quality of finish.
In addition, pencil grinder bits can be coated for improved performance and extended life. Coated tungsten carbide increases density, which helps the bit resist overheating. This makes it a good choice for copper, bronze, and aluminum materials. Titanium nitride coating is another option for pencil grinder bits. It can last six times longer than standard HSS drill bits and cuts more precisely.
Some pencil grinders have a slide throttle and twist throttle actuation, allowing you to control your tool’s power easily. Its unique design eliminates the need for a gear train and has an internal air filter to prevent dust build-up. It has a 1/4″ collet diameter and can be used with various burrs and mounted points. It is available to stand alone or in a kit that includes the tool, a variety of carbide burrs and mounted points, and a blow-molded carrying case.
Flexibility
A pencil grinder offers much flexibility. You can use it to shape metal or wood, cut through a sheet of aluminum or cast iron, smooth rough surfaces, polish and deburr dies and molds, sculpt, drill, or engrave stone, and more. This tool is also lightweight and compact, so it can easily be carried around and used in various situations.
Unlike conventional power tools, a pencil grinder is designed in the shape of a pen and has long shanks that reach difficult-to-reach areas. This makes it ideal for jobs that require stability and precision, such as preparing bone and tissue or drilling through teeth. It is also useful for blending contours and shaping.
Pencil grinder bits are available in various shapes and sizes. Some of them have a single-cut flute style and are made from aluminum. This type can drill holes into metals such as steel, soft steel, zinc, and zirconia. It can also sculpt, grind, smooth surfaces, deburring dies, porting engines, and cleaning castings.
Other pencil grinder bits are double-cut and designed from titanium nitride (TiN). These flutes appear uniformly on the head of the bit and deliver better cutting results with reduced heat and vibration. This helps reduce clogging and allows for faster operation.
Safety
Pencil grinders use carbide burrs and mounted points to perform light material removal tasks in detailed grinding, sculpting, deburring, and polishing. These air-powered tools feature few moving parts and run cool, which increases their lifespan and performance. They are also lightweight and easy to control, allowing you to easily access tight spaces and reach areas where conventional power tools cannot go.
Regarding safety, pencil grinders are designed with a sturdy, tungsten-carbide body. This material is highly durable and next to the diamond in hardness and strength, giving you confidence that the tool will withstand any job. Protective accessories are available to keep your hands, face, and eyes safe using a pencil grinder. These accessories include protective gloves, eyewear, and a face shield to prevent particles from flying into your eyes.
Aside from cutting, pencil grinder bits can also engrave, carve, shape, mill, drill, and chamfer metals. They are especially effective in machining steel and other hard materials.
Choosing the right bits for your job will help you achieve better results and save time. Ensure you pick a pair of bits that fit your specific power tool. Also, inspect the tool and wheel before attempting to work with it. This will prevent any accidental damage to the tool and help you avoid injuries while working with it.
Durability
Designed with tungsten carbide, pencil grinder bits are incredibly durable and long-lasting. Their long shanks allow them to reach areas other cutting tools can’t easily access. They’re perfect for cleaning welds and removing burrs. You can also use them for metalwork, jewelry, woodwork, model engineering, and toolmaking.
Tungsten carbide is a solid, dense material that is extremely hard. Consequently, it produces precise and powerful results when used in a pencil grinder. They’re available in many shapes, sizes, and flute styles, so you can choose the one that suits your materials.
Pencil grinders are also easy to clean. They don’t generate much heat or vibration when you’re using them and have a low clogging rate. This makes them ideal for working with sensitive materials like glass or mirrors.
Besides being strong and safe, pencil grinders are great for deburring materials. Deburring involves smoothly removing ridges or contours on your workpiece, known as burrs. They usually appear after you perform tasks such as chamfering, cutting, shaping, turning, sharpening, and engraving. A quality pencil grinder bit will remove the burrs without affecting your final results. You can even use the same bits to drill or enlarge holes in your workpiece.
