DEWALT DW758 8-Inch Bench Grinder?

[3TV]

I've owned a HF "Central Machinery" bench grinder for years, and only used it from time to time on very minor grinding jobs. Tonight I had to use it to grind off a receiver hitch pin lock on a clevis mount, so I could replace the receiver hitch pin with one that didn't have a lock on it. It took me about 6 minutes to grind through the pin, so not all that long. At the very end the pin and lock grabbed the grinding wheel and got jammed, stopping the grinding wheel, and breaking the grinder. Now only one side spins (the opposite side from the one I was using) and it has a big wobble to it. SO, first time I really used the HF bench grinder, and it is broken.

I want a little better bench grinder this time, and I have had good luck with DeWalt electrical tools, so I'm considering the DeWalt DW758 8"bench grinder.

How good is this grinder? I've read mixed reviews on Amazon, so thought it would be worth asking the tool pros on this forum. Thanks in advance.

 

[southalabama]

I've got one. Works as advertised.

It's not a Baldor but then again it didn't cost $$$$

I'll probably buy another just to keep it configured differently.

Dad has a Delta and I don't see much difference.

 

[WWheeler]

I bought one at Lowes last summer. It was the only one on the floor and the box had a little minor damage to it, so my brother and I opened it on my tailgate in the parking lot just to check it out. Both wheels had a pretty serious wobble spinning them by hand. I took it back in and told the returns clerk that they were welcome to plug it in and fire it up, but I sure as heck wasn't going to.

They brought the guy from their tools dept over for an opinion and when he saw it his eyes got big and he just shook his head. He went and found another off the top shelf and got it down. Its box was undamaged. We opened it up and lo and behold, exact same wobble. He started fiddling with it to check the washers or something but I was already done and asking for my money back. They actually didn't want to give it to me. They wanted to give me a card with store credit instead. I became pretty 'not happy' at that point and it took me demanding to see the store manager before they issued a chargeback to my card which took a week to show up.

I never did get a new 8" bench grinder yet. still hoping to find a decent 8" grinder in that Dewalt's price range.

I do still have an old Wen 6" grinder that I've had for 10 years now. It's weak but has never given me any problems other than usually leaves me wishing I had gotten around to getting a better one. I think I paid under $20 for it more than 10 years ago.

Edit: I should add that it's the one and only time Dewalt has left me disappointed. I've always been a bit of a Dewalt fanboy. I've owned a Dewalt 18v 6 tool combo, 3/8 & 1/2 corded drills & reciprocating saw, belt & orbital sanders, and a rotary cutout tool and more I'm sure I'm forgetting for at least 15 yrs now (all were pre-y2k purchases before the wife came on the scene to limit my tool budget) and they are all still in good working order and ready for more abuse. The only Dewalt power tool I was able to wear out so far was a 3hp router that was a workhorse and saw MUCH use before the time came it needed to be replaced.

More recently I've bought a 20v 4 tool combo and I even bought several Dewalt air tools they came out with not too long ago & they had a sale on them on Amazon (1/2" impact, cutoff, air hammer & die grinder) which are not anything great but I've used them and they do work ok for their asking price.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

The DeWalt bench grinder we have at work is quite underwhelming. Slow to spin up and easy to stall. I ground through a brass crimp fitting on the end of an air hose to recover the barbs inside and I was able to stall out the grinder. Piece of garbage.

 

[1982fxr]

Find an old USA made bench grinder and don't look back...

 

[slow_mow]

It probably just spun the nut loose. It happens. Pull the side cover off and check the nut.

 

[3TV]

See there, that is what I am seeing with reviews over on Amazon. Some people are happy with their's, and other people get a vibrating bench grinder that they have to take back to the store for a refund. DeWalt normally doesn't have such poor quality control.

I did find the 8 inch DeWalt bench grinder for only $129 w/ free shipping. I guess you wouldn't be out too much if you got a bad one.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_16872_16872

I also started looking at a few other bench grinders, and found a few i like, such as this Jet 1 HP 8" bench grinder that puts out 8 amps. It looks like a much better quality grinder.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_17014_17014

And if overkill is the name of the game, this Jet 1 1/2 HP 10" bench grinder also puts out 8 amps.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200403066_200403066

Both of the Jet bench grinders have excellent reviews. Jet bench grinders are made by Walter Meier Manufacturing. They are based out of Taiwan. Not so sure I like the Taiwan part.

What do you guys think? What is a good bench grinder in the < $500 range? I used the search function and went back six months, but didn't really find a thread with information I was after.

 

[1982fxr]

Less than $500 if you include used you can have basically any grinder you want including baldors.

Find an old 1/2 or 3/4 hp USA craftsman baldor or wissota. All better build quality than all of the dewalt, jet etc. Also those reviews should have a section where you list the grinders you have used. I suspect many pf the positive reviews are from people who never used an old one.

Stay away from 10" wheels are expensive unless you really need one that big. Also all the US ones I mentioned have full 1 hp models as well.

Don't be fooled by modern imports and their ******** power ratings.

 

[1982fxr]

What type of work will you be doing?

 

[WWheeler]

Yeah I wish I lived somewhere where there were local listings on Craigslist or any classified options for used tools like that. I don't have time to run around and chase estate sales & the occasional garage sale which is pretty much the only way around these parts to pick up a deal on a used item worth buying. My best option for something used is ebay. A used ratchet or wrench set is one thing, but I don't trust buying something like a used bench grinder on ebay when I can't check it out first.

In any case, I've gotten by for so long with a $20 bench grinder. I wouldn't mind upgrading to something better in, say, the $100 range. Anything much more than that is just not worth it for my purposes or budget. That's why I was hoping that dewalt was going to be 'it' for me, but it wasn't meant to be. Only others around here are Harbor Freight - junk - or there's a couple Deltas that I looked at but wasn't too keen on, or whatever's for sale on Amazon....

Which usually brings me back to looking at that Dewalt. It should be exactly what I want. I just looked at some of the reviews on Amazon and I'm not even close to the only one who ran into wobbly wheels. Shame there really seems to be some QC issues going on with it.

 

[3TV]

I'm in the same boat. No Craigslist around here, and wouldn't buy a used electrical part off of ebay. And I don't have the time to track down used grinders at garage sales either.

The search continues. I don't think I'll buy the DeWalt bench grinder. Looking for an 8" grinder in the 1 HP, >7 amp rating.

 

[WWheeler]

Well, just figured I'd update this post. Even though I have posted already in this thread about my previous problems with the Dewalt DW758 in the past I just decided to give it another go. I'd been looking at other options both new and used in this price range and couldn't help that I kept coming back to the DW758 because it has all the features I want: The power (3/4 hp), the 8" size, exhaust ports, and the Dewalt name which I'm still a huge fan of, and at a price nothing else new or any options I had available to me used came close to. There just are no used Dayton or Baldor or Block style Craftsmans etc that come up for sale, ever, where I live.

The real reason I'm taking another leap and posting about it now is mostly because Home Depot has $25 off qualifying Dewalt purchases over $100 until Dec 23 and at under $110 tax included I couldn't resist taking another crack at it. Anywho, neither of my local store options carry it in stock so I opted for the free ship to store option, rather than have it shipped to my house, so I can open it up and inspect it before I leave. When it does arrive I'll post back here again with my experience with it.

 

[Davefr]

I wouldn't buy an 8" grinder that only draws 4.2 amps. That's way too wimpy IMHO. I'd reconsider your purchase and get the 8" JET at 8 amps. The JET can easily handle power brushing. The Dewalt will likely stall out.

 

[WWheeler]

As i wrote previously, I've been getting by just fine for about a decade now with a $20 WEN 6" grinder and I don't really ever bog it down. We use them for different purposes / in a different manner I suppose. I would never ever try to hog out a lot of material on a grinder.

My WEN grinder still works but my son and his friends were goofing around and broke a wheel & damaged one of the guards beyond repair, so I've been looking for a replacement but I'm dead set on not spending much on it. I've been shopping for a decent used one for a long time now with no luck and I honestly really didn't want to spend over $100. The Dewalt was close enough. A JET is twice my bench grinder budget.

 

[PBCampbell]

I hope you can put it to use soon and report your impressions. I'm in a similar situation as you where an industrial spec'd bench grinder is WAAAY unreasonable cost wise for the limited use it would see.

 

[3TV]

Thanks WWheeler. Let us know what you think after you get it.

 

[mtnwkr]

I had that Dewalt. I agree, it was very underwhelming. Easy to stall out, slow to spin up, no power. Mine wobbled but it got better after truing up the wheels. I do believe that the HP is overstated. 4.2 amps is more like 1/3 hp. My two old 1/2hp Craftsman Block grinders that replaced it use 7" wheels and draw ~7 amps. I'm VERY happy with them.

 

[tarbellb]

Anytime I cant go the "old USA made" route, which is not always a option; I immediately check out Grizzly.com.

They have always struck me as the best option of overseas made machines. Essentially offering the same or better version of JET/Delta/Powermatic/Baliegh etc... which are all made overseas now.

So, check this out- Grizzly T27305 - 8" Variable-Speed Grinder = $132 shipped.

It doesnt have all the features you mentioned, specifically the exhaust ports. But its likely a better overall machine.

 

[WWheeler]

I'd take anything from Dewalt over Grizzly any day.

Many, if not most, Dewalt power tools are at least 'Made in USA from global materials' (That said, I don't think this grinder is though). Not sure anything from Grizzly is. Everything I've seen from Grizzly has been made in China or Taiwan, etc.

I live a short drive from the Grizzly showroom and have been there many times. I have a few Grizzly tools, incl a cabinet table saw and 14" bandsaw and a scroll saw ... I think that's it. They've all been good purchases for me, especially the table saw I managed to get at one of their crazy tent sales, but I still consider Grizzly to be just a step above Harbor Freight.

That said, I have dozens of Dewalt power tools, nearly all of which were bought in the 1990s, and all of which are still kicking. Dewalt has been by far the most reliable power tool brand I've ever touched.

This Dewalt DW758 grinder also has a 3 yr warranty (compared to Grizzly's 1 yr) and great rep for customer service. And on top of all that, the Dewalt I just bought with the $25 off special currently going on at HD cost me less than that Grizzly would.

 

[WWheeler]

If you couldn't tell already, I happen to really like Dewalt. lol

 

[3TV]

Wwheeler,
you've got me beat by quite a few.

.

So let me know what you think about that bench grinder.

 

[tarbellb]

Oh.... you want to match pretty colors and show them off.

Definitely go with the Dewalt, it will look amazing. Oh WWheeler, it is absolutely made in China w/ China parts. But its yellow!

 

[riscal33]

I got the dewalt 758 last year for christmas and have been extremely happy with it. Mine spools up fast and I have not had any power issues even with a wire wheel