Small wheels are useful any time you need to grind an internal radius. Great for grinding finger notches in a handle, notching the end of a pipe to form a T-joint, or just general fabrication of parts. The small wheels themselves are interchangeable and fit into a holder, so you can use any size from a tiny 1/4″ (6mm) diameter up to 2″ (50mm) or larger. The designs for both my Gen 1 and Gen 2 Small Wheel Attachments used proprietary machined aluminum holders, made by a specific manufacturer in the US. These were the source of frustration for many customers, as they frequently went out of stock, and they weren’t available in all countries. I’ve designed this Gen 2.1 Small Wheel Attachment to eliminate those proprietary parts.

Design highlights

The small wheel holder is now made from plain steel and is part of the welded assembly, so this new design is not reliant on any specific manufacturer for the components. This also reduces the cost. The small wheels themselves are somewhat standardized across brands, so there are several manufacturers to choose from.

With Gen 2.0, the interchangeable small wheels were only held in place by the belt tension. This meant that when the belt was removed, the wheel could fall out. Several times I dropped the wheels on the floor because of that. The Gen 2.1 design has a “snap-fit” for the wheels, so they stay in place until you give them a deliberate tug.

Gen 2.1 has the deflector wheels tucked into the frame, making it more compact and easier to store. It is 4″ wide by 3.75″ high, compared to Gen 2.0 at 4.625″ wide by 5.75″ high.

The bearings on the small wheels are 0.875″, but the old holder sides were much bulkier with a 1.125″ end diameter. That meant they could be in the way for certain operations, like grinding a cove with the XY Table. On Gen 2.1, nothing sticks out beyond the wheel bearings.

With the Gen 2.1 Small Wheel Attachment, you can grind the inside of slots as narrow as 0.5″ or 12mm, and up to 2.25″ or 50mm deep. Gen 2.0 had a thicker, bulkier plate between the top & bottom of the belt, so the smallest slot they could fit into was about 0.75″ or 19mm.

The plans include a list of all materials and hardware needed to complete the build, 1:1 printable templates for the parts, and detailed, step-by-step instructions with pictures to help you assemble your Attachment. They also include DXF drawings that can be used to CNC cut the parts, if desired. The Gen 2.1 Small Wheel Attachment plans are bundled with plans for the Gen 2 Contact Wheel Attachment and the Adjustable Angle Table. You can purchase and immediately download the plans using the buttons below. (Note: if you already purchased the Attachment Bundle with the Gen 2 Small Wheel Attachment and would like to upgrade to the Gen 2.1, send me an email with your order number, or attach the Gen 2 plans for verification. Then I’ll send you the Gen 2.1 plans for free)

Want one for yourself?

Like the Belt Grinder, the Gen 2.1 Small Wheel Attachment is designed to be as easy as possible to build, without compromising on performance and versatility. The only power tools required are a drill press, angle grinder, & welder, and you should be able to finish the attachment in a day. Clicking the button below will take you to Etsy to complete the transaction and download your plans.

If you have any questions, please see the FAQ page, or contact me.