bench grinder purchase

Re: bench grinder purchase

CharlieL

( Howard Pollack writes : I've been looking at 3/4 hp bench grinders and many of them look exactly the same, from cheap no-name grinders to Rikon. ) I would consider the Rikon's to be cheap also. If your looking for a more durable bench grinder, then look at the Dayton's, Baldor's, Palmgren, etc.

Re: bench grinder purchase

John in NM

It wouldn't surprise me a bit if they were mostly made in the same factory and labeled for the vendor like most other machines are. That said, I've never had a grinder go bad on me, even the one purchased in 1983 from Woolco in Bangor Maine that was from "King Feng Fu Machinery Works" (I did NOT make that up! ). I just gave that grinder away to a friend who volunteers restoring trolleys in Tucson. Grinders see such light use that they never seem to wear out in a hobby shop.

If you want to go really deluxe, find a 3 phase industrial grinder and run it on a VFD - as low speed as you could want! (Really speed is less of a problem once you're used to a friable wheel, light touch, and keeping coolant handy).

Re: bench grinder purchase

Larry

I have a bench grinder I got from Sears 50 years ago, still going strong !

Re: bench grinder purchase

Dick Coers

Woodcraft may have been the first supplier of a useable cheap Chinese grinder quite a while ago. They were great until they got a container of really low quality ones. They had a mess on their hands with accepting all the returns. So yes there can be some real differences.

Me too!

Re: bench grinder purchase

Kevin French

I have 5 grinders (I hate to change wheels) from course stones, cool running fine stones, wire wheels, felt wheel and cloth. There's a DeWalt *" a Baldor 6", and cheapoes. They all run great.

That might be a record!

is this a grinder contest?

John K Jordan

I have 5 grinders...

That might be a record!

Is there a prize?

I have four bench grinders, five if I count one for buffing only, six if I count a spare on the shelf, and seven if I count the Tormek. Four CBN wheels for lathe tools, some stones, cloth, wire brush in the metalworking/welding area. (Also four angle grinders for metal work but that's a different story. I REALLY hate to stop and change disks, brushes, and flap sanders when welding.)

Is that excessive, sign of a problem, too much shop space?

No Baldor, but I do have a nice Metabo which I can recommend, except the arbor size is a little non-standard.

JKJ

Re: is this a grinder contest?

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

Think I can come close to matching you! I have a Boyer Schultz 6" X 12" Surface grinder, A Baldor 6" (or 8") grinder on a stand, a small wet grinder with hone, one 6" with Wire wheels, a 4" with a craytex wheel and a grinding wheel, and a 6" with rough grinding wheels. I keep only one on the bench, rest are in the cabinet.

Re: is this a grinder contest?

John K Jordan

>>>I keep only one on the bench, rest are in the cabinet.

They might get lonely in the cabinet and feel abandoned and unwanted and afraid of the dark. Grinders like to be out in the light where they can hope for a fulfilled life. If I'm real quiet I can almost hear them whisper: "Pick me, pick me."

Re: is this a grinder contest?

Kevin French

Mine may not be as Purr-ty as John's but they are mobile and don't take up bench space.

caught my eye

John K Jordan

I like that white grinder in the middle, with the disk with miter slot and the belt/linisher. I want one! (where do I find it?)

Does it run at the typical bench grinder speed or half-speed? Did it come that way or are those parts available to add to any grinder?

JKJ

Re: caught my eye *LINK*

Kevin French

It's a Shop Fox and that's the way it comes.

The belt is a bit of a PITA to get to run straight and even harder if you put the outside guard on.

I got it for my wife for her drift wood projects, like all the other small disk/belt sanders it doesn't have a lot of power. But it does round over the ends of her piece and she likes it.


Shop Fox

Re: caught my eye

John K Jordan

>>>It's a Shop Fox and that's the way it comes.

The belt is a bit of a PITA to get to run straight and even harder if you put the outside guard on.

I got it for my wife for her drift wood projects, like all the other small disk/belt sanders it doesn't have a lot of power. But it does round over the ends of her piece and she likes it.

Thanks. I was hoping it was a high-quality linisher; been keeping my eye out for one for a while. I have four belt grinders that work well and a couple of disk sanders and probably don't need one that's tricky to adjust!

I mostly use a Rikon with a 6" belt and 10" disk with plenty of power and another Rikon with a 1" belt and both have always been easy to adjust.

JKJ