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I run a glass supplies studio and one of the most commonly asked question is about which grinder is best for my customer. Since I can understand what a large purchase it is for my students, I like to ask them a series of questions to determine which one is best for their needs. There are plenty of models to choose from so it could be a hard decision.

A stained glass grinder is used by an artist to shaped stained glass as soon as its been cut into a rough shape using a glass cutter. Since your finished product is dependent on all the glass pieces fitting neatly, its probably no wonder that you want to have a tool that will make it easier to reach that goal. Grinders use a diamond coated bit to grind away all the extra stained glass and prepare the edges for the copper foil. The grinder will help you smooth the rough spots of your piece and lead you to a nicer looking end product. Typically, you will get 2 grinding heads with your purchase of a stained glass grinder. One is used for detailed jobs and the other is used to shape large pieces of glass.

While you can get away with a certain amount of time without a grinder,i bet that you'll find that its worth every penny. At some point every glass artist will want to invest in a grinder. Its money well spent with the time that they can save from doing it by hand.

When choosing which grinder, you have to consider what your planned use is. For my students, I always recommend something they can use as their skills grow. Its an expensive investment, but once you've spent the initial money you'll find that you can get more features for just a little more money. You want to make sure that the grinder can withstand the amount of work you will be doing over the years.

There are only a few things that you want to think about when you buy a grinder. Price is dependent on your budget and your expected annual use of the grinder. RPM's measure how fast the bit turns and torque measures how strong the resistance to stained glass.

How much you plan on using the grinder will determine which grinder is ideal for your needs. If you are planning on using it only a few times annually, then a good option is the Wiz CG by Inland. For someone taking their hobby a little more serious then i would recommend The Wizard IV. And for the serious stained glass artists, the G8 All Star by Glastar is a fantastic choice. This is typically the choice of serious artists and professionals

With these tips you should be well on your way to choosing the right grinder for your budget.