On The Table By Rob Torres
Gryphon Corporation Since 1961, Presents…
“Gryphon Studio Grinder”

	Many products that enter the art glass domain, grinders in particular, are met head on with at least two major hurdles. What many people need to understand is plain and to the point, or put into layman’s terms. One question at the forefront may help. Q: Does building a new grinder and putting it within the financial reach of today’s crafter allow its presence? A: Yes and No. “Yes”, people are very interested in new products and as such they will welcome a new-comer or innovation mostly out of a mixture of advertising hype and curiosity.
“No”, I believe our market is much tighter than that of years past. Crafters want a good product and are willing to pay for it, provided certain expectations are met. Public opinion and retail supply houses account for much of the products success and or failure. Grinders on the market today must cater to the old adage of supply and demand. Case in point: A new company or seasoned veteran introduces a new addition or product and in turn want the public to welcome it and use it. Nothing special, just business taking its course. Consumer/Retail Perspective: As a commissioned studio owner and retailer I have had the experience of demanding the professional best of my tool purchases and supplying the public with a reputable product that is backed up by quality parts, durable and hard working motors, and a reasonable warranty. Crafters don’t want to spend hours on end grinding, they need the grinder to smooth out and fine tune the pieces of a puzzle quickly and with little effort. Were going to explore just how The Gryphon Corporation tackles this task. The Gryphon Corporation of Sylmar, CA has supplied me with “The Gryphon Studio Grinder” to demo for this review. No payments or exchanges of benefits were extended to The Oak Tree Studio of Wilmington, De.The grinder ships well packed in Styrofoam cushions and boxed in a 12”x13”x12” carton. You will also receive an instruction brochure and an Instructional CD-Rom on the Studio Grinder as well as other Gryphon Products. Inside the box you get everything needed to get started. Watching the video was a real time saver and expedited the setup process. I was up and running in less than 10 minutes. The Studio Grinder supplies the basics you would expect along with some new features to enhance the conventional grinder package.
Basic Specs & Supplied Components:
Plastic Face Shield allowing a swing up motion to access sponge, bits, work surface, ect. One-1” 40-grit Cylindrical Diamond Bit Cooling Tower reservoir, water fed by gravity Sponge for cooling the bit Allan Key for adjusting and or removing bits Clear poly drain tube with plug adaptor Heavy duty work surface Dimensions: 10 5/8” wide X 10” deep and 6 ½” tall to top of work surface Work Surface, 9.75” X 9” Conventional 5/16” shaft diameter which allows other manufactures standard grinding heads Motor Speed, 3000 rpm with a 1/5 HP DC motor
Grinder Heads:
	This model will support two heads on the shaft simultaneously and eliminates the need for a second story work surface. Something I personally never really liked setting up. The second story surfaces felt unnatural as I was always trying to attempt what Gryphon has engineered into the Studio Grinder. When using dual heads, both can be cooled by simply folding the sponge over. Keep it simple, no extra parts to buy or keep on hand. As far as bits go look no further,
Gryphon offers 22 different bits, all of which have a unique composition by bonding cubic crystals of diamond in several layers within a nickel matrix. What does all the technical jargon mean? Simply put they make a really good bit that lasts and one that is well within a crafters comfort zone. Oh yes these Gryphon Bits will also fit most Inland and Glastar models. Available are 1", 3/4", and 5/8" Cylindrical Bits, 1" and 3/4" Mirror Grinding Bits, 3/4" Tapering Bit, 1" Groove Bit, and 1/4" and 1/8" Grinding Pins, primarily used to drill holes in glass. Many of these bits are offered in a choice of three grits. Fine, Standard and Super Power.

 

Motor:

Gryphon has manufactured a conventional glass grinder with a high-torque 1/5 HP powerful DC motor. You are probably wondering, what’s the difference between AC & DC and a DC motor that runs on AC current. First off this grinder will plug into any ordinary house receptacle. The difference between AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current) is the grinders power supply does not fluctuate due to a heavy torque (pushing action) and with a DC motor they have a unique superior torque or stronger muscle under the hood.

Tests:

1. I ran some grinding tests on this model. For my first run at glass grinding I selected a hand rolled type manufactured by The Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass Co. of Connellsville, PA. This is very demanding glass to work with and creates an abundant amount of slurry or glass particle by-product. Without proper moisture this by-product can coat or clog up a bit in no time. While grinding this glass or any glass a well remembered rule of thumb is: your bit must maintain adequate moisture or you will shorten the lifespan of the grinding head. The Studio Grinder did well not only keeping the bit wet but also made the glass yield to the grinder. The grinder held up under a good push of the glass and in its test made quick work of tedious job I don’t relish doing. It all goes to bear that a good craftsman should be able to cut glass well, but when things do the unexpected, that’s why there are grinders to help us smooth out the differences.

2. After about 5 minutes or so of grinding I shut the machine down briefly to feel the bit. I checked for excessive heat and found nothing out of the normal for the bit with respect to heat. This test tells me that the product is well engineered to do its job under normal conditions.

3. My next test was performed to demo the products ability to drill a hole in a piece of glass. Now in the past what I had to gauge this test on was a second story work surface where the water seemed to be less cooperative getting to the bit. Since the Gryphon Studio Grinder must only have the sponge folded over; it supplied an ample amount of moisture to the grinding pin. Drilling the hole became much easier and less frustrating as it did in past attempts. Keeping the bit wet and going slowly is the key to a successful drilling operation. (Drilling in glass is commonly used for authentic or lifelike eyes and other oddities that can have dramatic results in your art glass work).

4. Cleanup was very easy I simply poured a small pitcher of water slowly in the main reservoir, after removing the work surface. The excess water drained out the tube and into a small pail. The work surface can be taken to a nearby sink and rinsed off while the rest of the grinder can be wiped down with a shop cloth.

 

Sales Recommendation:

When customers call and ask what is the best grinder to buy. I ask two simple questions. What is your price range and how much grinding will you be doing. With this information I can then narrow down the possibilities, and steer them in the proper direction. For most of the crafters and especially those new to the craft, they really aren’t sure how to interpret Torque from Horse Power and AC Motors from DC Motors. When the curious ones ask I am eager to point out the obvious differences between the different manufactures. One of the highest selling points and truly an asset to The Studio Grinder is the 1/5 horsepower motor. The motor HP size can and is directly related to the actual power the grinder has. Most other products in Gryphon’s price range don’t even come close. In fact the higher end grinders of Gryphon’s competition only offer half the horsepower on average. With a 1/5 HP motor and DC architecture the crafter is treated to a powerful machine that can perform quite well under a demanding stress. One would almost say that the Studio Grinder is overbuilt to the needs of the average crafter. This is a big plus and should be considered when selecting your first grinder or even upgrading from a previous one.

 

Warranty:

Gryphon’s Promise states the following. All components are guaranteed against failure for two years. If such a failure occurs for any reason other than abuse or misuse during this period, it will be repaired (at our option replaced) free of charge FOB our factory. Grinding Bits will eventually wear, even in normal use. Their life cannot be guaranteed. Cosmetic damage is not covered under the warranty.

 

Replacement Parts:

Available through most retailers across the United States, Gryphon’s supplies a full line of replacement parts for The Studio Grinder, as well as an abundant supply of grinding bits to its retailers.

 

The Crafters Choice:

Before buying your first or next grinder spend some time, about 1/2 an hour or more, read up on the features the three major contenders offer. Make a check list, or a matrix of sorts. Note the horsepower, price, years the company has been around, rpm, availability of parts, bits and their quality. Also consider that a larger working surface does not always equate into a better grinding machine. The Grinder is only as good as the parts under the hood so to speak. For the cost, you won’t find a better grinder than The Studio Grinder for dependability, rugged construction, availability, price, quality engineering, and backed up by a 2 year warranty. For the new kid on the block “The Studio Grinder” I can only say trust it like the Gryphon Corporation name, a company that has endured and produced quality machines since 1961. For my review “On the Table” I gave this product 4-legs.

Rob Torres…