[Midlife]

I bought a wire wheel for my bench grinder, primarily to dress nuts and bolts. There's a nut on the end of each side of the grinder axle, and I took a wrench to it. Unggghhh, the wheel just spins. OK, how do I keep the wheel from spinning? I know! Put on a glove and hold it. Nope, that nut is on there tight! All righty then, I'll go to the other side, and put a wrench on that nut. Hmmm....that one goes off easily, but not the wheel I want to replace.

Time for the big guns: the air impact wrench! Aha! The nut it beginning to move, but it still won't come off. WTF? Now, the wheel won't spin! What? Careful inspection shows the wheel is now put hard against the inside flange. Huh? Am I screwing the nut in instead of out? Yes, you got it: the nut is left-handed! Reversing the impact driver made quick work of that nut.

Now the inside flange has been severely deformed, and the nut is severely compressed, so I'll have to order replacement components.

What I can't understand is why there would be a left-hand nut on the left side of the grinder, and a right-hand nut on the right side of the grinder, when both wheels turn in the same direction!

Grrrrr....

 

[cpegram]

What I can't understand is why there would be a left-hand nut on the left side of the grinder, and a right-hand nut on the right side of the grinder, when both wheels turn in the same direction!

That's a good one! ::
I hate reverse threaded nuts....there should be some kind of law against them. You know it's bad enough when you are trying to tighten a nut from the front by reaching around...I have to do all kinds of mental gymnastics to remember which way tightens...throw a reverse thread in there and my brain just shuts down.

 

[lotharthered]

It HAS to be that way, if it was right hand like the other side it would slowly unscrew itself each time you used it.

James

 

[Feex]

when both wheels turn in the same direction!

They DON'T turn in the same direction! One spins clock-wise in relation to the threads, and the other turns counter-clockwise. If the left one was a righty-tighty, it would loosen every time there was torque applied to the wheel.

 

[CantedValve]

No really? That makes to much SENSE!!

*Points at Mid and laughs*

 

[bosscars]

it sure is a bitch to grow OLD(er).....

randy

I'm there with ya bro!!!!!

 

[johnpro]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I went through the exact same thing with mine about 3-4 months ago when I put a wire wheel on mine. Funny how all of a sudden I don't feel quite as stupid

 

[johnpro]

oh, and while we're on the subject of bench grinders, I discovered last night that they're really good for putting an edge back on dull as hell kitchen knives.

SWMBO asked me to slice a roast. After muscling the nife through the roast about 3 times, I said "time out". Took the knife to the garage, put it on the bench grinder, and had that roast sliced up seconds later ::

 

[Midlife]

I use it to sharpen the lawnmower blade as well! Works Great!

 

[66CoupeNW]

What I can't understand is why there would be a left-hand nut on the left side of the grinder, and a right-hand nut on the right side of the grinder, when both wheels turn in the same direction!

It's really not so tough to comprehend Randy. You see, if you take the earths rotation into consideration it makes perfect sense. Relative to, say, Mars, you're spinning in one direction while the grinder is twirling in another. Now when you go over to the OTHER side of the grinder, the earths rotational axis is skewed by an amount equal to your latitude and longitude change, hence that Martian observer would see you twirling while the grinder spins, hence the need for reverse rotating nuts!

Honestly Randy, you surprise me sometimes!

 

[bosscars]

I use it to sharpen the lawnmower blade as well! Works Great!

Lawnmower!?!?!?!?! I thought the sheep kept your grass groomed??????

randy :: ::

 

[Midlife]

Actually, the lawnmower blade belongs to Bishir, and he uses it as his C4 kickdown lever. We keep it sharp as an anti-theft device.

 

[baracu]

Geez! The next time I give you one of my "helpful hints", remind me to give you explicit instructions in "MORONESE"!

 

[John68]

Now I don't feel so bad, I have an understudy.

Picture this (dodge/chrylser never did) 1966 Dodge Dart. One side fo the car has left handed threads. I am not aware of this strange thing. So, I put the Ingersol Rand in high gear and shear off a stud. Oh well, that one must have been rusty, so I put it to the next one, and crack... there it goes. I went through 4 out of 5 before I stopped to examine the threads on the broken studs.

how's bout that...

 

[cpegram]

Do you have a sharp lawnmower blade? When I get through eatin my biscuits and these french-fried taters I need to borrow that blade. I used to have a sling-blade, some people call it a kiser blade but I've always called it a sling blade uh huh...
And mid...I like the way you write.

 

[twotoots2]

Left side: Lefty Tighty, Righty Loosy...
Right side: Lefty Loosy, Righty Tighty... ::

Man, why does your story read like something that would happen to me regularly?!?!?

 

[CobraSix]

Well...I wouldn't call it the curse of midlife...maybe just senility...Even I knew that Mid...

Slade