Bench Grinder: What do you recommend?

[Wolverine]

Which bench grinder do you have? Is there any you specifically recommend and why? My goal is for basic home/auto use. Are their any units you can change a grinding wheel to a polishing wheel? Or, do you need separate units?

I prefer to order a unit that is made in the U.S.A.!

Much appreciated!

 

[Major Ramifications]

The only American made unit I know of are the ones made by Baldor. They are good, but they cost several times as much as the chinese units do.
My first bench grinder was a cheap off-brand 8" chinese unit from Home Depot. It takes a while to get up to speed, bogs down easily, and has crappy stamped tool rests. I finally got a Craftsman (made in china) 8" model, which is much more powerful and has nice cast tool rests. I put the coarse wheel and a wire wheel on the more powerful Craftsman, since they need all the torque they can get. I put a fine wheel and a deburring wheel on the H-D unit, for lighter work.
I suppose you could mount a buffing wheel on a bench grinder, but buffers usually have a lower speed and have the wheels much farther apart, so the motor is not always in the way.

 

[96MysticSVT]

I personally like the DeWalt one I have in this pic. I have used it for grinding and polishing. The main reason I bought it was the whole body is heavy steel, not like some of the cheaper ones that have metal wheel covers and a plastic or sheet metal body. It's also has a fairly quiet motor compaired to others I have had or seen.

 

[eschoendorff]

I have an old Craftsman (USA made) and it is a beast. Smooth but powerful.

If you are not in a big hurry to get a grinder, I would seriously check out some garage sales... my .02

 

[SANDOVAL]

I buy tools like this at Costco. (BTW they have a grinding and polosh wheel for $39) Why because of their great return policy 4 years from now the thing could break and they will refund all of your money. Same goes with my pressure washer. I finally stopped messing with the electic PW's and went with the gas. Costco took my last two PW's back no questions asked. They have such a great return policy.

 

[GearHead_1]

A second on the DeWalt, 8" model.

 

[bmwpower]

Anyone have a pedestal mounted unit? Seems like it would be better since it takes up less real estate on your benchtop.

 

[DynoDave]

Which bench grinder do you have? Is there any you specifically recommend and why? My goal is for basic home/auto use. Are their any units you can change a grinding wheel to a polishing wheel? Or, do you need separate units?

I prefer to order a unit that is made in the U.S.A.!

Much appreciated!

Yes, BALDOR is your best bet for one made here. They are pricey, but always were, even when there was domestic cometition. There's a small chain of industrial tool stores around here that carries them, but I can't think of their name! It will come to me. Eastwood used to carry them along with all their buffing supplies. And in versions with really long arbors (?) to handle really wide items.

 

[GearHead_1]

I have both a Craftsman1 H.P. 8" (old) and a DeWalt 8" that are pedestal mounted. I've never even considered mounting one on a bench.

 

[Wolverine]

Thank you all! Great advice and insight. I have some thinking to do.

 

[Major Ramifications]

I looked for an old used USA made one for a long time with no luck.

96MysticSVT, where is the Dewalt made? I do like your Dewalt collection.

Yes, I have both of mine on cheap Homier (travelling tool circus) pedastals, which I like MUCH better than mounting it to a bench.

We don't have any Costco's around here.

 

[Remi]

I have a 8" JET Bench Grinder I'm very happy with. Never bogs down, spins up fast. And cost's less than a Baldor with the same specs.

 

[dsprint2000]

I bought a 10" from Harbor Freight. Works great, no problems.

 

[iiibdsiil]

I have an 8 inch Craftsman grinder and would not recommend it. I can't put my finger on why.

 

[Elroy]

Let me put it to you like this:

My Baldor grinder came from my Grandfather. Its dated 1952. I use it every day. They're still made in Fort Smith Arkansas.

http://www.baldor.com/products/grinders_buffers.asp

 

[krooser]

Buy a good, old USA machine.

Ebay, local auctions, garage sales, used equipment dealers, local shopper papers...they all have these listed from time to time.

I have a USA Milwaukee 7" that I bought used at a local auction for $25.00...like new (pedastal mount).

I also have a 20-something year old MIJ 8" that is a real nice bench mount.

And I have a really old no-name USA 10" that has about a five HP 220V motor...I have never been able to stop it...I bought it a a local auction for $85.00...weighs about 75#...tough old tool.

This old stuff will ALWAYS outlive the cheap import stuff sold today...be patient...you'll find one and it will outlive you!

 

[kartracer55]

Baldor grinders are the best, unquestionably, but your looking at a few hundred for a low end one, and most, if not all run on 220. 100% made in usa and they will outlast you. We have a few at school that are ancient and still run strong. The problem is most of us cant justify spending all that money on one. Im looking at the JET bench grinders. I think they have the best imported drill presses going, and many people feel the same way about thier mills and lathes, so Why not give thier bench grinders a shot? There is a cmpany out there that sells attatchements for bench grinders that turn one side into a sander...

http://www.vansantent.com/multitool.htm

Jim

 

[krooser]

How about this...
http://cgi.ebay.com/BALDOR-6in-PEDE...categoryZ104240QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[kartracer55]

well the link doesnt work, but as long as the thing runs you cant go wrong. You can still get parts from baldor, unlike the chinese HF sh*t which is designed to be thrown away.

Jim

 

[krooser]

Baldor grinders are the best, unquestionably, but your looking at a few hundred for a low end one, and most, if not all run on 220. 100% made in usa and they will outlast you. We have a few at school that are ancient and still run strong. The problem is most of us cant justify spending all that money on one. Im looking at the JET bench grinders. I think they have the best imported drill presses going, and many people feel the same way about thier mills and lathes, so Why not give thier bench grinders a shot? There is a cmpany out there that sells attatchements for bench grinders that turn one side into a sander...

http://www.vansantent.com/multitool.htm

Jim

I bought one of those Multi-Tools for my Milwaukee grinder...all I can say is it's made for so many different machines it doesn't fit any. I tried it on my Milwaukee...wrong bolt pattern. then on my MIJ (made in japan)...the parts wouldn't fit...I gave up and sold it with extras for $75.00...

 

[kartracer55]

Well I was thinkin about getting it right from them with a jet bench grinder... thats what they sell so id hope it would work. Whats this I hear abouyta milwaukee bench grinder?? Never seen one otherwise id buy it in a heartbeat. How old?


Jim

 

[LowNFToy]

what price range are those DeWalt 8" ones in?

 

[GearHead_1]

I picked up the DeWalt 8" for $103.00 from Workworkers Supply. I think I looked at a later date and it was either more money or they didn't have it in stock.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Milwaukee has made good looking, what appear to be high quality bench grinders for years. I never priced them, I figured they were probably out of my limited price range. Unless they have stopped making them in recent years they should still be available.

 

[kartracer55]

Yeah, The milwaukees might be out of your leauge, sure as hell out of mine!!!!

8 inch grinder for $630 OUCH!


Jim

 

[Gregdoo]

I just saw a photo in a magazine (don't remember which) where they mounted a grinder to an arm that was attached to the steel post upright in the middle of a garage. Won't work for everyone, but if your garage has one of these posts, it gives it a good use, besides putting dings in a car door that is opened too far. Actually, they had a grinder on one side and a vise on the other, with the post running up the middle. (If your garage is under the house, I'm sure you would have to remember not to be hammering on something in the vise at midnight when someone is sleeping in the room right above).

 

[REFLEXX]

search you local "craigslist " for baldors and pedestal grinders. They seem to have no lifespan. Even if you find ones that are 40 years old, they'll be better than the Chinese ones!

REFLEXX

PS: the pedestals like to "walk around" so pick a place to bolt them down.

 

[bob_s2]

I just picked up a delta 6 inch bench grinder. It was 29 bucks minus a 10 dollar mail-in rebate. For $19 bucks you can't go wrong.
--Bob

 

[dboat]

I just picked up a delta 6 inch bench grinder. It was 29 bucks minus a 10 dollar mail-in rebate. For $19 bucks you can't go wrong.
--Bob

where?