Safety and grinding, just got HF 1x30

[Fitzhugh]

My 1x30 hf grinder-shaped-noisemaker arrived. I know it isn't up to par but it is what I could afford.

I've got some basic questions about it, mostly safety related.

I'm just starting out and appreciate the great help here. I've read the stickies through but don't recall these being addressed.

I see people with buckets below their grinders to catch sparks and dwarf. The small table the belt goes through will block and deflect most while the rest - or nearly all, if the table is removed - ends up in the case that covers the wheels. I now the grinder puts out as lot less waste per minute but over time it will add up. Plus the side of the case is light plastic, though this thing doesn't come close to making vast showers of sparks.

Any advice...

Should I leave the side cover off?

Can I hook up my shop vac to the dust collector pet in the cover or would it just be a matter of time before a spark got far enough that it caught the filter on fire?

What about taking the table off?

Also belt tracking: with the adjustment all the way to one side the belt is centered on the drive wheel and the next wheel (the adjustable one) but a bit off on the third, top wheel. That wheel axle is just a tad out of alignment and the belt end up maybe 1/16 or 1/8 off the platen. Can I sand the wheel to make up for it? I don't think the frame would take any attempt at bending it.


Thank you!

 

[Bob Ohlemann]

I have a Jet 1x42 belt grinder that I took all the covers off of the day I bought it. The sparks are generally not dangerous (obviously, keep flammables away) but the buildup of grinding dust in the housing can stall out the machine or cause belt slipping or breaking. With the covers removed the grinding swarf can just spill out onto the floor and I sweep it up.

Bob

 

[Fitzhugh]

I have a Jet 1x42 belt grinder that I took all the covers off of the day I bought it. The sparks are generally not dangerous (obviously, keep flammables away) but the buildup of grinding dust in the housing can stall out the machine or cause belt slipping or breaking. With the covers removed the grinding swarf can just spill out onto the floor and I sweep it up.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I'll take it off. It seemed to be a bad idea to leave it unless something was sucking out the port. I just used it a little outside and it makes more sparks than I remembered from when I used it a minute to see if everything functioned after it arrived. Still not huge showers of sparks, though I will certainly NOT use it over the vast pile of shavings on my workroom floor right now. Sweep, then grind.