As we all know, any stained glass artist has a number of tools at his or her disposal. A stack of unused glass over here, patina over there, grozing pliers, different cutting tools, and a bunch more that are just sitting there. This much stuff can grow over the years and turn our workshop into a big storage closet. But, even though there are some tools that we bought and we know that we will never use that much, there are always the ones that we use on a daily basis. They are the standby tools and the ones that we couldn't live without. The perfect example of that, for most artists, is the stained glass grinder. A stained glass grinder smooths out edges that are rough after you've made the inital cut. If there was a tool that was worth the extra clutter, this one is it. We'll run through some of the more popular models and what is appropriate for the beginner level.

When you are getting started, most people are just looking for something that's going to get the job done, be easy to use, and fairly inexpensive. There are a lot of grinders that are inexpensive to purchase, but not all of them are all that easy to use and can get the job done effectively. There are primarily three big players that manufacture grinders and we'll walk through each one. We'll discuss Gryphon first. On the beginner side, Gryphon has a very popular beginners grinder called the Gryphon Studio Grinder. This is a nice one and a very popular one for people just getting started, a lot of beginners actually come into my studio and know this one by name so they feel comfortable with it. It has a powerful motor, a nice little cooling tower, and two work surfaces. It also has a low pricepoint so its easy for someone to get started for a relatively inexpensive price. Another popular option is the Gryphon Gryphette Diamond Grinder . This is one of the more popular entry-level grinders on the market and with good reason. This grinder has a lot of nice features that make it probably the most popular grinder for beginners. It's a good possibility that anyone that has take a stained glass class has used this grinder in the classroom setting. It has a strong motor for one of its size and its smaller so you can store it very easily about anywhere or tote it around to anywhere you need to go. It also has a surprisingly strong motor for something so small. The real pluses of this model is that it is so easy to use.

Another market leader in the industry is Inland. They have been around for a long time and they have a great reputation with wholesalers, retailers, and artists for putting out products that are second to none. One of their popular entry level grinders is the Inland Aero Grinder. The nice thing about this grinder is that it has a fairly large work surface so its easier to work with large pieces of glass. It is also something that can be used for other crafts because it can grinder plastic, ceramic, and stone. This is good because it has more appeal to others if you choose to sell it when you upgrade. The low price makes this model affordable to about everyone who wants to get started with a quality grinder. Inland has a slogan that says "what we'd like to own" so you can be sure that they take their craft very seriously and has earned that reputation in their field. A very popular product they produce is called the Inland Impulse Grinder. The nice thing about this grinder is that it has add-ons available that can literally triple the power of the thing. One of the more popular add-ons is called the TWinspin. What this does is grind straight edge glass and allows you to miter the edges. It also has others, such as the Beveler Kit, which make it a good option for a grinder that's going to grow with you

Finally, Glastar is another quality company that produces grinders. They have been around since 1978 and they have attained a respect in the market that comes from producing the very best. Glastar has such a great reputation that its the brand that most advanced artists and full-timers use as their primary grinder. Fortunately, they also produce some quality entry-level machines as well. A popular one is called the Glastar G12 and its great for someone just getting into the hobby. This is a product that has a lot of power for an entry-level machine. It simply doesn't slow down once you've got the grinder going. Nobody likes to lose any steam when they are in the middle of a project so this is an important feature. Another great option from Glastar is called the Glastar G5 Diamond Star. This is your bare bones option for a grinder, but since its made by Glastar you can be confident of the quality. This option is great for a artist that is just getting started and doesn't want to jump right in and spend a boatload of money on a piece of equipment when they have only worked on a couple projects.

If you spend anytime looking on websites or reading reviews you can drive yourself crazy, so stick with the primary companies and find something that meets your needs and your budget. There are a few places you can look for a grinder, you can check out online auction sites, you can go to the nearest art supply stores, or you can order from one of the popular internet sites if you want some advice and the best possible selection Just remember, power and torque are the most important things so as long as you have that then you will be fine. The fancy features are nice, but when it comes down to it, its all about the basics so make sure your grinder has those, and you'll be fine.