I picked up a 1956 Baldor bench grinder and need a base for it. The previous owner rigged up a box but I’m restoring this and would like to go with original parts if possible. Mine is model S6826 but it’s the same size as S7146. Anyone have a junk pile with an old base sitting around ?
Show us Your Vintage Bench Grinders!!!!
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Mike'smeatshop
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Hello.
Yes I'll go with Wissota. Solvent might get the paint off the tag.
twagler
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Cheating a bit with this one, since it is actually a pedestal grinder, not a bench grinder. But thought I would show it off anyway.
The grinder is a Ford-Smith Model 41 manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with dual 12 inch wheels, 2 hp, 1750 rpm, 3 phase, 550 volt motor. The motor has a separate tag indicating that it was manufactured by Robbins & Myers in Brantford, Ontario. This is an extremely heavy machine, probably about 400 lbs. I'm guessing the motor weighs about 200 lb just by itself, so definitely a lot heavier than any modern 2 hp motor. It appears that Ford-Smith sold pretty much strictly into the heavy industrial/commercial market, mainly in the 2 - 10 HP range, no fractional horsepower bench grinders to be seen.
I do not have 550v, 3 phase power available, so instead I installed a cheap chinese voltage step-up (boost) VFDs; the kind that is advertised as 220v single phase input/380v 3-phase output. It turns out that the VFD worked even better than I expected. It actually has the capability to double the input voltage and go well beyond the listed 380v output. In my case, my 240v main voltage actually usually measures about 248 volts and the 3-phase output from the VFD measures about 485 - 500 volts when set for 60 Hz speed. This starts and runs the 550v grinder motor no problem. I can push a chunk of metal pretty much as hard as I can against the grinding wheel and it doesn't slow down in the slightest.
Here's a picture of the VFD, just temporarily installed for testing. I'm going to need to put it into an enclosure to protect it against grinding dust (and also to make it safe, since as can be seen the terminal strips are not covered and are pretty close to the run/stop button.
Thanks, Tom
The grinder is a Ford-Smith Model 41 manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with dual 12 inch wheels, 2 hp, 1750 rpm, 3 phase, 550 volt motor. The motor has a separate tag indicating that it was manufactured by Robbins & Myers in Brantford, Ontario. This is an extremely heavy machine, probably about 400 lbs. I'm guessing the motor weighs about 200 lb just by itself, so definitely a lot heavier than any modern 2 hp motor. It appears that Ford-Smith sold pretty much strictly into the heavy industrial/commercial market, mainly in the 2 - 10 HP range, no fractional horsepower bench grinders to be seen.
I do not have 550v, 3 phase power available, so instead I installed a cheap chinese voltage step-up (boost) VFDs; the kind that is advertised as 220v single phase input/380v 3-phase output. It turns out that the VFD worked even better than I expected. It actually has the capability to double the input voltage and go well beyond the listed 380v output. In my case, my 240v main voltage actually usually measures about 248 volts and the 3-phase output from the VFD measures about 485 - 500 volts when set for 60 Hz speed. This starts and runs the 550v grinder motor no problem. I can push a chunk of metal pretty much as hard as I can against the grinding wheel and it doesn't slow down in the slightest.
Here's a picture of the VFD, just temporarily installed for testing. I'm going to need to put it into an enclosure to protect it against grinding dust (and also to make it safe, since as can be seen the terminal strips are not covered and are pretty close to the run/stop button.
Thanks, Tom
Steve from Socal
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That VFD is interesting, I bought a Hammond grinder that is 550 volts. I have 480 three phase and used two small tranformers to boost the voltage but for a single phase option that is great info!
Steve
Steve
jd5000
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I just picked this used grinder / buffer. There is no tag on it. I was hoping someone might be able to tell who the manufacturer is, a date range when it may have been made, and what the model number may be? Trying to find out a little info on it.
genog
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Looks like the Baldor that I picked up yesterday....I just picked this used grinder / buffer. There is no tag on it. I was hoping someone might be able to tell.....
slowtwitch73
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The raised casting around the switch and wide spaced rivets for the tag are Baldor features.
genog
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Last edited:
Prototype
Member
I was in the market for a bench grinder and was checking offer up for some. I saw an old Craftsman block grinder at only $20 so I watched it. The next day I got lucky because the guy posted the grinder for free pickup or he was going to trash it. So I rushed over to grab it. I wasn't expecting much for a free potentially "trash" grinder.
This machine turned out to be great, I've tested it and it has great power at 1 hp. Not much noise. I'd like to try to fix it up and make it look great again. Definitely need to find new wheels for it.
This machine turned out to be great, I've tested it and it has great power at 1 hp. Not much noise. I'd like to try to fix it up and make it look great again. Definitely need to find new wheels for it.
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larry4406
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You ****!I was in the market for a bench grinder and was checking offer up for some. I saw an old Craftsman block grinder at only $20 so I watched it. The next day I got lucky because the guy posted the grinder for free pickup or he was going to trash it. So I rushed over to grab it. I wasn't expecting much for a free potentially "trash" grinder.
This machine turned out to be great, I've tested it and it has great power at 1 hp. Not much noise. I'd like to try to fix it up and make it look great again. Definitely need to find new wheels for it.
1 free 1 HP grinder withe the heavy duty rests! Nice score!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Ditto! Prototype *****
Prototype
Member
I found another grinder on offer up, this one is missing it's badge so I might need help identifying it. I bought it with the hopes of it being a Baldor. To me it looks very similar to the Baldor 7307D. It runs extremely smooth but needs a paint job, a couple new wheels, and a new power cord. I measured the arbor is 5/8 so according to the warning label it should be a 7inch grinder. Max 3600 RPM. Not bad for 50 bucks.
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slowtwitch73
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^^ Baldor
NoahG
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Outlawmws
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Too bad they are so proud of it. I've used a similar tiny 4" grinder for years for light wok, mostly with a fine wire wheel as it stalls before it starts marking things up. I don't think I've paid more than 5-6 bucks for any of them. (they do wear out with my use..)
I also use it to "buff out" rusty black oxide finish tools and the black oxide just comes back unless the rust has pitted the steel. I just did a pair of K-D snap ring pliers for some rust on the black oxide parts.
I also use it to "buff out" rusty black oxide finish tools and the black oxide just comes back unless the rust has pitted the steel. I just did a pair of K-D snap ring pliers for some rust on the black oxide parts.
jc4635
Well-known member
$20 garage sale find that my dad restored and turned into a buffing machine for my new shop. Love it!
I just bought an early 1930s Sears Companion ready to use and it is very similar to this one. Aren’t you a little concerned about the safety of the wire wheel with no cover? I’m thinking of putting a fiber wheel and buffing wheel on mine.
Provincial
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Wire wheels throw individual wires as they fatigue and separate close to the base. I've had the embed in my skin. I always wear eye protection.
Even with guards, they will ricochet and fly toward you. Assume some will hit you eventually.
Even with guards, they will ricochet and fly toward you. Assume some will hit you eventually.
Nutria
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You bet. Guards would be ideal, but a face shield and leathers will go a long way. I wear the face shield, and often the leathers, when I use my wire wheels even though I have the guards.
Mike'smeatshop
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I have looked everywhere for a wire wheel. Harbor Freight has none. I thought the companies are doing away with them due to eye injuries.
genog
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Mike, I have bought a couple Weiler wire wheels on Amazon.
Made in USA
Provincial
Well-known member
Your local welding supply is the best place to shop for wire brushes and wheels. They will have products that are made for professionals, which will last much longer and perform better than the consumer grade products. You will pay more, but be rewarded with much better quality and longer service life.
Mike'smeatshop
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I will give them look tomorrow. Thanks.
Mintgrun
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This grinder followed me home from an estate sale recently.
I don't really need another grinder and the condition is a bit rough, but I couldn't resist when I learned that they only wanted ten dollars for it and I heard how smooth it ran. The wheels are 8" and I'm guessing it's a 3/4 HP motor. The shafts are 5/8".
I've done a bunch of online image searching, but the only other one I found with a quench trough cast into the base was shared in this thread over in the General Tools forum, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/bench-grinder-identification.516479/; in which it was identified as a Baldor. The ID tag is far from legible on this one. A previous owner had lined the trough with epoxy, but thankfully, it'd come loose and lifted right out.
Someone had it apart and reassembled it with the right side casting upside down, putting those two divots on top; so I loosened the four long screws and spun it back around. I did a bit of scraping with a razor blade to remove loose paint and rust scale and here's how it sits now.
The stamped-steel wheel covers are unusual for the Baldor grinders I've seen. Usually, they're made of cast iron. This is my favorite tool rest design. I bought it on day five of the sale (second weekend). I'm surprised no one else saw the value. Rust is awesome camouflage.
I don't really need another grinder and the condition is a bit rough, but I couldn't resist when I learned that they only wanted ten dollars for it and I heard how smooth it ran. The wheels are 8" and I'm guessing it's a 3/4 HP motor. The shafts are 5/8".
I've done a bunch of online image searching, but the only other one I found with a quench trough cast into the base was shared in this thread over in the General Tools forum, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/bench-grinder-identification.516479/; in which it was identified as a Baldor. The ID tag is far from legible on this one. A previous owner had lined the trough with epoxy, but thankfully, it'd come loose and lifted right out.
Someone had it apart and reassembled it with the right side casting upside down, putting those two divots on top; so I loosened the four long screws and spun it back around. I did a bit of scraping with a razor blade to remove loose paint and rust scale and here's how it sits now.
The stamped-steel wheel covers are unusual for the Baldor grinders I've seen. Usually, they're made of cast iron. This is my favorite tool rest design. I bought it on day five of the sale (second weekend). I'm surprised no one else saw the value. Rust is awesome camouflage.
jc4635
Well-known member
If you bought something with that kind of build to it today it would be a $1000. The tool rest are what 1/4” thick steel? I’d say best $10 spent in awhile.This grinder followed me home from an estate sale recently.
I don't really need another grinder and the condition is a bit rough, but I couldn't resist when I learned that they only wanted ten dollars for it and I heard how smooth it ran. The wheels are 8" and I'm guessing it's a 3/4 HP motor. The shafts are 5/8".
I've done a bunch of online image searching, but the only other one I found with a quench trough cast into the base was shared in this thread over in the General Tools forum, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/bench-grinder-identification.516479/; in which it was identified as a Baldor. The ID tag is far from legible on this one. A previous owner had lined the trough with epoxy, but thankfully, it'd come loose and lifted right out.
Someone had it apart and reassembled it with the right side casting upside down, putting those two divots on top; so I loosened the four long screws and spun it back around. I did a bit of scraping with a razor blade to remove loose paint and rust scale and here's how it sits now.
The stamped-steel wheel covers are unusual for the Baldor grinders I've seen. Usually, they're made of cast iron. This is my favorite tool rest design. I bought it on day five of the sale (second weekend). I'm surprised no one else saw the value. Rust is awesome camouflage.
Mintgrun
Well-known member
I don't have buyer's remorse. The tool rests are 1/2" thick and the brackets they attach to are 9/16". Thankfully, they show little to no wear.
It's fun to compare that grinder to this little Rockwell 1/2 HP model. They both have stamped steel outer wheel covers, as opposed to cast iron.
The tool rest design is similar, but the Rockwell lacks the vertical adjustment slot and the tool rests are ambidextrous, with tabs on both sides. The wear on the right one suggests repetitive work at some point. I flattened the left one by clamping it in a drill press vise and using my Delta radial arm saw as an overhead grinder.
Speaking of tool rests, this old Craftsman wins the prize for the crappiest design. They don't allow for enough adjustment and the alignment is a bit off as-is. Otherwise, I find it attractive. It'd look better in the original dark blue paint though.
I shared this one on the Block Grinder thread a while back. Adding the top plates to the tool rests made it much more useful. I use that cut-off wheel quite often. The power switch is stuck in the on position and it's got at least six wires coming out of it, so I plugged it into that power strip and use it's switch instead.
Looking at that photo, I see that the mason bees have made use of the holes for the plastic shields.
I prefer to keep the gritty dust out of the shop. I've got a sheet of plastic to put over them when it's rainy. The beefy one on the far left is a newer 1HP Delta 10".
jc4635
Well-known member
Very nice collection. I just bought a Craftsman Block grinder like the one on the end and I got a really old Sears Companion that was refurbished but is missing any guards or rests. I also have a belt driven one that belonged to my grandpa that has really nice cast iron legs and the rest is homemade. It has 2 pillow top bearings and a shaft with a pulley and the motor is underneath with the other pulley on it. I post a picture later of it.I don't have buyer's remorse. The tool rests are 1/2" thick and the brackets they attach to are 9/16". Thankfully, they show little to no wear.
It's fun to compare that grinder to this little Rockwell 1/2 HP model. They both have stamped steel outer wheel covers, as opposed to cast iron.
The tool rest design is similar, but the Rockwell lacks the vertical adjustment slot and the tool rests are ambidextrous, with tabs on both sides. The wear on the right one suggests repetitive work at some point. I flattened the left one by clamping it in a drill press vise and using my Delta radial arm saw as an overhead grinder.
Speaking of tool rests, this old Craftsman wins the prize for the crappiest design. They don't allow for enough adjustment and the alignment is a bit off as-is. Otherwise, I find it attractive. It'd look better in the original dark blue paint though.
I shared this one on the Block Grinder thread a while back. Adding the top plates to the tool rests made it much more useful. I use that cut-off wheel quite often. The power switch is stuck in the on position and it's got at least six wires coming out of it, so I plugged it into that power strip and use it's switch instead.
Looking at that photo, I see that the mason bees have made use of the holes for the plastic shields.
I prefer to keep the gritty dust out of the shop. I've got a sheet of plastic to put over them when it's rainy. The beefy one on the far left is a newer 1HP Delta 10".
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fishwatcher
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Congrats! This look like they’ll clean up nice. Of course there are new stones, fine or course wire wheels or 3M radial brushes you could use in these grinders. Lots more possibilities to explore.Picked my first bench grinders very recently. I think I'm set for life. Just need to do a bit of cleaning/restoration and maybe track down some stands.
Putting a Delta 7" grinder back together after cleaning it up and replacing a bunch of parts. I will post when it s all finished sometime in the next 2 weeks. In the meantime....
This collar was barely finger tight. How tight should it be snugged down. Locked down and tapped tightly kntk place? Finger tight? Just snug?
I don't want to put pressure on the bearings but I also don't want them working their way loose and I have never taken one of these apart before.
A couple of additional pictures to see what I am working on. All the other parts are in shelves until the paint cures for 5 more days. (Rustoleum gloss charcoal grey with 10% penetrol). The finish is much better than the pictures show.
Thanks!
This collar was barely finger tight. How tight should it be snugged down. Locked down and tapped tightly kntk place? Finger tight? Just snug?
I don't want to put pressure on the bearings but I also don't want them working their way loose and I have never taken one of these apart before.
A couple of additional pictures to see what I am working on. All the other parts are in shelves until the paint cures for 5 more days. (Rustoleum gloss charcoal grey with 10% penetrol). The finish is much better than the pictures show.
Thanks!
Mike'smeatshop
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I always snug, spin, snug, spin until it starts to drag. and then back off of snug. Works for me.Putting a Delta 7" grinder back together after cleaning it up and replacing a bunch of parts. I will post when it s all finished sometime in the next 2 weeks. In the meantime....
This collar was barely finger tight. How tight should it be snugged down. Locked down and tapped tightly kntk place? Finger tight? Just snug?
I don't want to put pressure on the bearings but I also don't want them working their way loose and I have never taken one of these apart before.
A couple of additional pictures to see what I am working on. All the other parts are in shelves until the paint cures for 5 more days. (Rustoleum gloss charcoal grey with 10% penetrol). The finish is much better than the pictures show.
Thanks!
Odes
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twistedstang
Well-known member
Not sure if this ones getting restored or not.
Outlawmws
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jc4635
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twistedstang
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Its almost too nice.
PowerWagonBuilder
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I am going to ride on your coattails here and post up the beast I am working on currently. I greatly appreciate you sharing the wiring challenge with yours as mine is a 440V unit and I was looking at Transformers before or after a VFD (no 3 phase here and my other bigger machines are on 3 phase with VFDs already) so your information is a great hack and an idea I had considered but was hesitant to test fully.
However, when tearing into this old machine of mine a few weeks ago, I did in fact find enough leads to see if I can reconfigure the connections and run it on a 240V service with one of my "on/off" VFDs. That is to say, I have 2 that are my universal donors for power where a device is just a run stop scenario. I have a drill grinder, small metal shaper, and now potentially this beast that I can just "plug in" to a 3 phase drop cord, and then I have a set of amphenol connectors that plug in for the controls.
Anyways, this thing has been following me around since I acquired it in 2018 but I haven't really decided to get it running until I fixed my Sterling drill sharpener recently. I reshaped a badly abused 1-1/4" diameter MT4 shanked drill and it took forever with the drill grinder... so this machine will be nice to get online for roughing in the really bad condition drills I have and then just finish them off / even them out on the drill grinder.
Its essentially a Cincinnati Machine Tools grinder, 12" wheels, and it weighs a ton. Tore it down, stamped the parts L / R and then put a groove in the LH nut for ease of assembly. Going to drop most of the parts with my buddy for him to blast them and I'll clean it all up and get it back in service, after testing the motor of course. Worst case is I replicate the idea shared regarding the step up VFDs.
Spare wheel I snagged at the Somerset Steam and Gas show for all of $5.00
It was 11 degrees F outside when I took this apart and didn't want to open the garage door to move my engine crane in from storage so I rigged up an A - frame ladder and used the Warn PullzAll as a hoist... the ladder was very unhappy. I am going to weigh just the motor this weekend once the weather breaks and I can get it over to my scales. I am going to guess that its 175 lbs.
Should be a cool old machine to get running and will compliment some of my other "big dumb tools" as people often call them.
Mintgrun
Well-known member
This one is a bit puny by comparison, but seems like a good deal for $95. NMNA FB Marketplace post listed four hours ago in Shoreline, Wa.
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Too far from me and I Do Not Need Another Grinder.
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Too far from me and I Do Not Need Another Grinder.
Definitely Wissota, and a very old version without the integral quench tray. It is missing ALOT of parts--rests, tray, and eyeshields to start---and I wouldn't pay more than $20 for it. I started a thread on Wissota grinders years ago and there's much info there. Attached is a pic of the same grinder you are looking at that was recycled with a new tray and makeshift rests.
The Unofficial Wissota Grinder Thread
Recently I've seen numerous Wissota grinders being displayed, yet there seems to be no common thread to discuss them. Wissota bench grinders are no longer made, but there are numerous versions available on the used market. Many Blue Point/Snap On, Milwaukee, Rockwell, and Wilton grinders were...
www.garagejournal.com
