Plastic CM grinder, 1/3 HP 257.190470 Vari Speed

Here's the subject of this thread.


It looks like a metal CM flat top Block grinder.


It has the same goose-neck light with shade.




It uses CM grinding wheels.


There ends the similarities; oh, almost forgot. It uses the same funky rubber feet.


The wheel guard is held in place by a machine screw and then it twists off.






The plastic body is held together with 6 screws.


Inside view, nothing like the metal Block grinders.




Brushes and an armature.





So, as shown, the only things this model shares with the metal CM Block grinders are shape and minor parts.

This is not a Block grinder.

Thanks for looking.

TM: another quality thread with good information and pictures. so the conclusion is that the plastic body one is really a toy as we call them on the block thread.

they might still do light duty work for most homeowners, but you'd never be able to build a BLOCKMEISTER like McB built with his block this month.

thanks again and looking forward to another great year on the block thread and GJ with you and the members.

I wonder if the eye shields are the same as any of the blocks?

bluebolt said:

I wonder if the eye shields are the same as any of the blocks?

Click to expand...

This question got me thinking. TM: are the rubber feet on the plastic CM identical to the ones on the CM Block grinders? What about as bluebolt asked, the shields? Tool rest? Light Assembly? Etc.

My thoughts, if these parts are compatible to the CM Block grinders maybe when one finds one of these plastic versions dirt cheap, one can salvage the parts. Use them for ones self or resell them here for those missing these parts since most of these part are "unobtainium". Just a thought.

A month ago saw one of these plastic grinder at a pawn shop for $45.


I "see" said the blind man to the deaf man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

Hi everyone.

I'll post my comments in Blue, below.

Thanks for looking/commenting.

drivesitfar said:

TM: another quality thread with good information and pictures. so the conclusion is that the plastic body one is really a toy as we call them on the block thread. Yes! I am waiting to hear from a OWWM moderator about this little investigation. While this model is clearly a poser, I am not ready to pronounce all plastic 'Block' grinders are posers. We need more information and pictures.

they might still do light duty work for most homeowners, but you'd never be able to build a BLOCKMEISTER like McB built with his block this month. Agreed!

thanks again and looking forward to another great year on the block thread and GJ with you and the members. Same here, the grinder threads and fellow grinder fans make it enjoyable.

Click to expand...

bluebolt said:

I wonder if the eye shields are the same as any of the blocks? I sure wish they were, but they just snap into a plastic boss on top of the wheel guard and are retained by the spark arrester machine screw.

Click to expand...

Pupuhd said:

This question got me thinking. TM: are the rubber feet on the plastic CM identical to the ones on the CM Block grinders? I think they will work. I just snapped some more pictures.

Top - washer that was on top of the rubber foot on this Vari Speed, rubber foot from Vari Speed, bottom - rubber foot from a 1/2 HP m-397.19430 from a woodworkers shop.

Left - Vari Speed foot, right - m-397.19430.

What about as bluebolt asked, the shields? Tool rest? They don't look like any of the tool rests from real Blocks. There's a shot of the RH one, just above.Light Assembly? I think so, but the mount is different. It would take some fiddling with the mount.Etc. That's just about all this model has as possible donor parts.

My thoughts, if these parts are compatible to the CM Block grinders maybe when one finds one of these plastic versions dirt cheap, one can salvage the parts. Use them for ones self or resell them here for those missing these parts since most of these part are "unobtainium". Just a thought.

A month ago saw one of these plastic grinder at a pawn shop for $45. I saw one just like this 1/3 HP 257.190470 Vari Speed, in a CL this morning for $15. I was a bit sad to think how cheap it was. But it does reflect the quality. If I come across the CL ad again, I'll post it up here.


I "see" said the blind man to the deaf man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

Click to expand...

Here's the Akron-Canton OH, CL ad for a 1/3 HP CM Vari Speed 'Block' POSER.
$15 - posted 4 days ago.





http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/tld/4822821905.html

drivesitfar said:

they might still do light duty work for most homeowners, but you'd never be able to build a BLOCKMEISTER like McB built with his block this month.

Click to expand...

I can't believe that thing has plastic circlips. Geez. I think if I started with a plastic grinder, something similar to this would have happened. "One Multitool please!" lol_hitti

View media item 46623

McB: that is too funny. now i'll have that song in my head all day which isn't a bad thing.

Happy new year to you and your soon to be famous if not already Blockmeister

I sent OWWM/Vintagemachinery moderator Brian Kachadurian an eMail about the plastic bodied CM grinder manufactures.

Here's his reply:

{{Hi Mike,

Happy New Year!

397 is Delco (Division of GM)

257 is Paramount/Allegretti & Co.

The composite body grinders with sleeve bearings were less costly than the die cast aluminum construction ball bearing machines. IIRC, there are no common parts between the two constructions. Even the rubber base bushings had a different part number, but still work in a pinch. It was a marketing thing to offer grinders at several price points.

Hope this helps.
Brian}}

There we have it from the go-to-guy, in my opinion, for CM grinders.

I say that the CM m-257.190470 Vari Speed 1/3 HP grinder is NOT a Block grinder.

I reserve judgement on the other plastic bodied CM m-257.xxxxx grinders.