A couple of grinders I bought for $15 each at an estate sale. I didn't take a bunch of exhaustive pictures, just some befores and afters. If anyone's interested, here they are.
Grinder 1: Sears Companion 1/4 hp. Estimated 1941 - 1948. Here's what it looked like when I bought it.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/64ach.jpg"/>
I put all the body parts in the soup, separated and repacked the bearings, heatshrinked and liquid taped the wiring, couple new heavier duty wires, restored all the hardware, replaced some with stainless, stator and rotor cleaned, refinished the tool rests, new 14ga cord, paint and enamel.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Zniih.jpg" />
Grinder 2: Thor Speed Grinder 1/3hp buffer/polisher. No idea possible year.
Here's what it looked like when I bought it:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/ilVI1.jpg"/>
Shocked the body parts, cleaned the stator and rotor, new heavier wires, new 16ga cord, heatshrink on everything, quickconnects on switch, lubed bearings, cleaned all the gunk, found out bodyparts are aluminum (!), sandblasted and polished them, machinery gray enamel on the top.
Fun fact: I did a vinyl wrap on the label with some leftover graphics to obstruct the line of site to the anode, so I didn't have to take it off to put it in the soup
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/1Dltk.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/TMtfI.jpg" />
Finished product. I had to true up the felt wheel to make it not rock the bench into the next county. Did it by using a section of an old bandsaw blade as sort of a dressing bar.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/KJ7W3.jpg"/>
Pretty fun project. These are going right into the craigslist seeing as how I already have my Baldor. I'm thinking about doing the eBay thing, but it's gonna cost like $40 to ship the Sears grinder, which is about all it's worth, I would think.
Strangely enough, for only being 1/3 and 1/4, neither grinder bogs under load. Not even the Thor. Good old American made antiques, I'll tell ya.
I did learn that I don't care to rattlecan resto projects. This week I'm going to buy a decent powdercoater and a little oven. I'll still send anything I want to keep to my powdercoat guy so it will get done right, but on restos and resales, I'm sure I can homecoat anything just as nicely as I could paint and enamel it, with the upside to it being faster, cheaper, and better.
Grinder 1: Sears Companion 1/4 hp. Estimated 1941 - 1948. Here's what it looked like when I bought it.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/64ach.jpg"/>
I put all the body parts in the soup, separated and repacked the bearings, heatshrinked and liquid taped the wiring, couple new heavier duty wires, restored all the hardware, replaced some with stainless, stator and rotor cleaned, refinished the tool rests, new 14ga cord, paint and enamel.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Zniih.jpg" />
Grinder 2: Thor Speed Grinder 1/3hp buffer/polisher. No idea possible year.
Here's what it looked like when I bought it:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/ilVI1.jpg"/>
Shocked the body parts, cleaned the stator and rotor, new heavier wires, new 16ga cord, heatshrink on everything, quickconnects on switch, lubed bearings, cleaned all the gunk, found out bodyparts are aluminum (!), sandblasted and polished them, machinery gray enamel on the top.
Fun fact: I did a vinyl wrap on the label with some leftover graphics to obstruct the line of site to the anode, so I didn't have to take it off to put it in the soup
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/1Dltk.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/TMtfI.jpg" />
Finished product. I had to true up the felt wheel to make it not rock the bench into the next county. Did it by using a section of an old bandsaw blade as sort of a dressing bar.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/KJ7W3.jpg"/>
Pretty fun project. These are going right into the craigslist seeing as how I already have my Baldor. I'm thinking about doing the eBay thing, but it's gonna cost like $40 to ship the Sears grinder, which is about all it's worth, I would think.
Strangely enough, for only being 1/3 and 1/4, neither grinder bogs under load. Not even the Thor. Good old American made antiques, I'll tell ya.
I did learn that I don't care to rattlecan resto projects. This week I'm going to buy a decent powdercoater and a little oven. I'll still send anything I want to keep to my powdercoat guy so it will get done right, but on restos and resales, I'm sure I can homecoat anything just as nicely as I could paint and enamel it, with the upside to it being faster, cheaper, and better.
