Auction Purchase

[Stanger]

Well, I went to a huge auction today. I was watching the Snap-On tools and Devilbiss spray guns, but they went sky high. While waiting for the spray guns to sell, they sold this grinder. It was pretty cruddy looking on the trailer, but it is a Baldor, 1/3 hp. I didn't pay much attention to it, but I noticed no one was bidding on it. The auctioneer dropped down to asking $5, so I bit. That was the only bid he got. I brought it home, wiped it off, and fired it up. It runs great and is super smooth. I've already started disassembling it for a repaint. Just a quickie degrease, sandblast, prime and paint. It should be ready for paint tomorrow afternoon. Does anyone know where I can buy that color green in a spray can?

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2789.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2791.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2794.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2795.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2796.jpg

[back2class]

no sandblast! it will ruin the bearings and motor

[Stanger]

no sandblast! it will ruin the bearings and motor

I should have clarified. I'm only sandblasting the wheel guards. Nothing in the last picture will be blasted, only the removed parts.

[jetlag]

I like the color just like it is..... I wouldn't paint it, but that's just me.

[Stanger]

I like the color just like it is..... I wouldn't paint it, but that's just me.

I like the color too, but I'm not a fan of the surface rust. The guards are red(and they should be green), so they'll need repainted. Once I do that, I might as well scuff and spray the body of the grinder as well to make it look new.

[wyndycity]

$5!? :eyecrazy:

you suck! :)

My quest for a steal on a Baldor grinder continues...

Try some fine steel wool first and see how much of that surface rust you can get off. But if it were me, I'd probably just repaint it anyways.

It's easy to find unusual colors in spray cans at a model/hobby shop but I don't know how durable the paints are. If it were me and I couldn't get that green color, I'd go for the industrial grey. Kind of plain but I just like that color.

Show us the finished product.

[paramudduck]

Surface rust adds character. Shows it's not a shelf queen.

Oh by the way have I mentioned you suck?

[Stanger]

Surface rust adds character. Shows it's not a shelf queen.
Yeah, I don't mind it really. It's the damn red paint that is buggin' me. If it was all one color then I'd leave it. Once the guards are repainted, I'm afraid the fresh paint will stand out too much. I know I'm putting too much time and thought into this, but sometimes I enjoy using my tools to fix my tools.:lol_hitti

A month from now when it's painted and in use, I won't care anymore and it will be a mess.

[fatfillup]

:lol_hitti:beer::lol_hitti:bounce:Great buy! YOU SUCK!!!

[goodfellow]

Ditto!!!! What he said!

[Stanger]

Haha, thanks. I don't mind getting told I suck every now and then.

There's a sad story behind the auction though. The previous owner of the grinder was a bodyman, both at a bodyshop, and he did a little business out of his home from what I understand. He had two large, very nice outbuildings. He had three large Mac toolboxes, a ton of SO, Mac, Cornwell tools, etc... The home was nice as was the property it was on. I can't think of a "toy" this guy didn't have. Apparently all wasn't well in paradise, though. I was told that his wife wanted a divorce, and he ended up shooting her and himself. Just a bad deal altogether. I almost felt bad preying on his stuff, but whoever is in charge wanted an auction, so...

[paramudduck]

Better to go to some one who appreciates it. Then being trashed in a land fill.

Hey Stanger, Those red guards give me evil ideals. Combine OSHA and conspiracy theory with a touch of Naderism. You have everyone wearing tin foil hats in no time. ;0

[bushhawg73]

Nice haul, YOU SUCK !

[v8garage]

Would you like to double your money? ..........I thought not, You Suck!:lol_hitti

[lasteagle83]

Ditto on the suckage.

As for the paint, you might try hitting Home Depot to see what they can do to color-match the paint in an enamel (using their color scanner), and then spraying it with a touchup gun.

I had some "tool box red" mixed many years ago at HD by simply picking up one of their red hand toolboxes on the way back to the paint department, and telling them "match this" - they put it in the computer color-match machine, and mixed me up a gallon of industrial enamel for about $25.00. I then painted a freebie huge metal office supply cabinet to match my Husky toolbox - paint is a near perfect match.

[Garage_Mahal]

We really need a You Suck smiley on this forum. Forum owners are you listening?

[senlow]

YOU SUCK

Those red guards look horrible. I think that it will look much better painted one color.

[wrenchr]

Rust oleum hammer paint!!

[Junkman]

I like the color too, but I'm not a fan of the surface rust. The guards are red(and they should be green), so they'll need repainted. Once I do that, I might as well scuff and spray the body of the grinder as well to make it look new.

Both the green and the red are Baldor colors. I have 2 green buffers, and one green grinding wheel, just like yours. Pick the color that you like, and then get painting.
That grinder sells for $280 on the Baldor Website.. (http://www.baldor.com/products/detail.asp?1=1&page=1&catalogonly=1&catalog=612&product=Grinders%2FBuffers&family=Grinders%7Cvw%5FGrindBuff%5FGrinders#)

[cnyeco1]

I'll paint it for free for ya. Just box it up and send it to me. :bounce:

YOU SUCK

[riley.m]

You really do SUCK,nice score!

[Stanger]

Thanks guys! I'll take it as a compliment.

Both the green and the red are Baldor colors. I have 2 green buffers, and one green grinding wheel, just like yours. Pick the color that you like, and then get painting.

The guards are supposed to be red? It looks like a very amateur spray paint job. There is green underneath the red, and the red doesn't cover all of the guard, either. There is red overspray on the grinding guides as well.

[Frank Elson]

it's a good job you were there. With no other bids that poor thing could have ended up in the crusher.

It's great to think it's been saved and will have a good life doing what it's supposed to.
Whatever colour you decide on.

[shovel]

X2 on the industrial gray.
But it is your grinder and color doesn't matter.
By the way YOU SUCK!
Good find!

[Stanger]

*UPDATE*

I took the guards down to my dad's work to use his parts washer and degrease everything. I then sandblasted them to remove the old paint and metal that was stuck on the inside. After sandblasting I wiped everything down with W&G remover and primed. So far...

Blasted:
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2799.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2800.jpg

Primed:
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2801.jpg


I went to O'Reilly's and found a color that should work. It's drying right now. Hopefully it doesn't look too goofy.

[Stanger]

Well, it's done. I'm happy with the color now that it's done. All I could think was Gumby at first. Looks fine on the grinder though IMO. Don't say anything about the guards. I accidentally put them on the wrong sides when re-assembling. Also, I noticed that the grinding wheels are "Baldor Electric". I'm guessing these are the original wheels.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2802.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2804.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2805.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2810.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2811.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2812.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2813.jpg


A little more assembly and it will be done.

Total Cost:
Grinder - $5
Primer(half can) - $3
Paint(half can) - $3
Total: $11

[arkangel06]

good buy man and real nice job fixing it up!!!

YOU SUCK

[Uncle Buck]

Man that looks fantastic. I am jealous. Now for the lecture. Those two flat pieces of steel you need to replace at the top of each wheel are called the tongue guards. Everyone that manufactures grinders call those tabs "Spark arrestors" they can call them what they want, but the ANSI standards that spell out the specifics of machine guarding of all such machines also refers to those as "Tongue guards".

When properly adjusted the purpose of tongue guards is to prevent broken pieces of the grinding wheels from being hurled into your gut in the event a grinding wheel breaks.

I hope you re-install your tongue guards on your grinder, the first pics showed them as being on the machine, though improperly adjusted, but your last pics showed them as absent. Most people have no clue what the top tabs are actually for, or for that matter how to properly install them. PM me if you have questions regarding proper installation of the Tongue guards on the machine.

I am sure you will re-install the tool rests. The proper gap for the tool rest as measured from the tool rest to the face of the wheel is 1/8" for the tool rest, and 1/4" gap for the tongue guard from the bottom of the tab to the face of the wheel .

[norry]

Dude. Just to put your $5 purchase price in perspective, I paid more for my Baldor grinder - and mine was made out of a salvaged Baldor motor from an old Montgomery-Ward air compressor (free), an old butcher block (free) ... and a $9 adapter from Eastwood so that I could run buffer wheels on it.

You got the real thing and you still beat me by 4 bucks! You... Oh, you know the rest by now. =P

EDIT: Oh, I just saw the rebuild part of the thread. Phew. Well, now I can console myself with the fact that certain high-rolling Baldor fans spent an entire 200 cents more for their equipment than I did. Neener, neener.

[billymade]

Dang, that was fast! Looks great! :) I love those old school colors...

[Stanger]

I hope you re-install your tongue guards on your grinder, the first pics showed them as being on the machine, though improperly adjusted, but your last pics showed them as absent. Most people have no clue what the top tabs are actually for, or for that matter how to properly install them. PM me if you have questions regarding proper installation of the Tongue guards on the machine.
No worries. I disassembled and reassembled right after I posted those pics. What is the proper adjustment of them though?

Norry, sounds like we both got a good deal!

Dang, that was fast! Looks great! I love those old school colors...


Thanks!

hholmberg, I took pics for proof that I reinstalled the tongue guards. :lol_hitti
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2827.jpg

And a pic for fun...
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2829.jpg

[Uncle Buck]

No worries. I disassembled and reassembled right after I posted those pics. What is the proper adjustment of them though?

hholmberg, I took pics for proof that I reinstalled the tongue guards. :lol_hitti
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/stanger66_album/DSC_2827.jpg


All you have to do to put them in the correct position is to turn them down and cover the gap that shows between the underside of the wheel guard and the face of the wheel. You have them installed correct, just positioned wrong. When you cover the gap you should leave no more than 1/4" of gap between the grinding wheel face, and the edge of the tongue guard that is closest to the grinding wheel.

Simply put, the guard will be closer to a vertical position on the grinder instead of the horizontal position you see it in now. Seat the back of the guard against the front edge of the wheel guard housing, the edge that is actually a bit inclined.

[goodfellow]

Who needs "girlie pictures" when you can look at a wonderful Baldor refurbishing spread :thumbup:

Great job! That grinder will last for decades more.

[Junkman]

Here are the pictures of my RED Baldor grinder. I bought this off of Craigslist a while back for very short money. I haven't decided if it needs new bearings, or if the wheels are off balance. When you run it, it will walk all over the place unless you clamp it down to the bench. It is on my spring "to do" list, but I still have a lot of my winter "to do" list that hasn't been completed. If I take it apart for bearings, I will also do a repaint, but I intend to keep the color original. As an old friend once said.... Red is sexy.:thumbup:

[lbgradwell]

Good work!

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s39/cowmoos/emoticons/speech-bubble/you-suck.gif (http://www.pimpemoticons.com)

(Disclaimer: This seems to be more of a pissed-off "You Suck!", but it's the only one I could find!)

http://www.messentools.com/images/emoticones/frutas/www.MessenTools.com-Frutas-static20.gif

That's better!

[Stanger]

Here are the pictures of my RED Baldor grinder. I bought this off of Craigslist a while back for very short money. I haven't decided if it needs new bearings, or if the wheels are off balance. When you run it, it will walk all over the place unless you clamp it down to the bench. It is on my spring "to do" list, but I still have a lot of my winter "to do" list that hasn't been completed. If I take it apart for bearings, I will also do a repaint, but I intend to keep the color original. As an old friend once said.... Red is sexy.
Looks good, man! Let us know when you tear into it and post some pics.

[307WYLD]

Here are the pictures of my RED Baldor grinder. I bought this off of Craigslist a while back for very short money. I haven't decided if it needs new bearings, or if the wheels are off balance. When you run it, it will walk all over the place unless you clamp it down to the bench. It is on my spring "to do" list, but I still have a lot of my winter "to do" list that hasn't been completed. If I take it apart for bearings, I will also do a repaint, but I intend to keep the color original. As an old friend once said.... Red is sexy.:thumbup:

If it is bad bearings there will be a rattle upon turning it on as it spools up and also when you turn it off as it spools down. To be sure that the wheels are indeed out of balance (could be a cracked wheel which can be hard to spot but dangerous as hell) remove them and then turn the grinder on. If it still tries to walk then you either have a bent shaft (it will walk in a circle on the side that is tweaked) or bad bearings.