How many bench grinders for a normal person?

[cbacres]

Thanks to GJ, I have this disease.............Of 9 bench grinders (2 not in pics) and still searching the ads and sales for more. Five Block grinders, a Dayton, Chicago power tool, a 8" CM Taiwan, a cheap Delta and probably forgot one somewhere. My son thinks I'm ill. Maybe I am!

The best one I had for the longest time was the Chicago, which I inherited from Dad. I know, it's Taiwan, buts its a good one and the heaviest one I have. Once infected by the block bug, I sold off the cheaper and newer CM hat I had. I have a 1/3,1/2,3/4 and 1 HP CM blocks and bought another 1/3 HP to compensate for the lack of a 1/4 HP one.

I don't have them set up to run on a regular basis, but had to plug each in to run today, every one just so smooth. Took the covers off the bottoms and all looked new as can be, bearings smooth. Nice big copper windings.

I was in the planning stage of a revolving table for three grinders, since outgrew that plan, think I'll build one for four, one of each HP. I have a hub off my truck that I'm planning on using for a pivot.

I need to stock up on wheels now. If I had to buy wheels for all of them, I'd likely spend more than the grinders themselves.

I'm thinking of fitting a couple with different wheel combos and just sit on the shelf until needed for special use.

Maybe I'll be remembered for leaving good stuff after I'm gone

 

[egnorant]

"Normal" normal or Garage Journal normal?

I only have 3!

Bruce

 

[metaleltr]

No Baldor, keep buying

 

[Sheriff Roscoe]

A "normal" person needs only ONE grinder. However...

 

[Zeke]

A "normal" person needs only ONE grinder. However...

Nonsense. That is unless you like changing wheels constantly. I have one set up with wire wheels, one with stones and one with a buffing and and a deburring wheel. Of course the wire wheel set up lives outside.

 

[73surffisher]

At a minimum, one grinder per wall, , minimizing walking to and from

 

[d.mcfarland]

This guy is the grinding king!! I spotted one wire wheel and it was rusty. OP, do you sharpen stuff a lot or something?? What's the application for all these grinders?

 

[KamiCrit]

No Baldor, keep buying

Yep, gotta collect em all.

 

[BJ42LX]

Six.

Seven if you count the Baldor buffer.

Only one is not operational.

 

[A_Pmech]

No Baldor, keep buying

No U.S. Electrical Tool.

Definitely keep buying.

 

[drivesitfar]

Nonsense. That is unless you like changing wheels constantly. I have one set up with wire wheels, one with stones and one with a buffing and and a deburring wheel. Of course the wire wheel set up lives outside.

Zeke: my thinking exactly.

CB you might want to figure out how many different wheels you want to use and restore the rest and sell them to buy a Baldor Buffer.

good luck and by the way Normal GJ is not exactly NORMAL or is it?

 

[bczygan]

"How many bench grinders for a normal person?"

I couldn't possibly answer that question.....I've never been normal.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I not sure the avg person would have a bench grinder. I have some friends with them and some without. Just about all of them are into cars and equipment so I can't understand why they don't have them. I never realized this till now when I thought about it.

But I guess the "avg" means special people so I have one in my garage and one in my shed.

 

[1982fxr]

minimum of 2, a 6" and an 8" w/wire wheel and grinding wheel on each...

 

[jakemac]

The question shouldn't be "how many grinders" it should be "How do I fit a larger table in here for my future additions ?

 

[gte718p]

I have two. Course wheel, fine wheel, aluminum wheel, and wire wheel. I could see one more for polishing wheels.

If you have room and uses for them then by more. If you don't use them why own them?

 

[cbacres]

The question shouldn't be "how many grinders" it should be "How do I fit a larger table in here for my future additions ?

Someone who understands

Zeke: my thinking exactly.

CB you might want to figure out how many different wheels you want to use and restore the rest and sell them to buy a Baldor Buffer.

good luck and by the way Normal GJ is not exactly NORMAL or is it?

Sell them? Buy a buffer, something else to search for. The different wheels is the plan, hate changing out.

This guy is the grinding king!! I spotted one wire wheel and it was rusty. OP, do you sharpen stuff a lot or something?? What's the application for all these grinders?

My current application seems to be buy one every two weeks or so.
Sharpening will be some of the dedication of wheels, some varied wire wheels too.

 

[cbacres]

I have two. Course wheel, fine wheel, aluminum wheel, and wire wheel. I could see one more for polishing wheels.

If you have room and uses for them then by more. If you don't use them why own them?

Aluminum wheel will one for sure, always working with this.

I'm going to use them, just need to get creative with mounting them up.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I would suggest a reasonable number, but I found a 3/4-HP 8" (Big Red) Baldor today.

Can't wait until it gets here.

Don't know how or where it's going to fit in my tiny garage.

 

[ZRX61]

I have 3 or 4.

 

[HTGTS350]

I have 3, a 3" for tungsten grinding only, an 8" with one stone and one wire wheel and a 10" with one coarse stone and a 4"belt sanding attachment. I can't understand why anyone would need many more than that and certainly not if they aren't set up to run.

 

[Outlawmws]

What is a normal person?

 

[2oolhound]

I have 4 set up. 1hp for heavy grinding, 3/4hp I use as a buffer, 1/2hp with wire wheel and fine stone for general sharpening and a 1/3 by the lathe for sharpening cutting tools. I have the 1 hp and the 1/2 hp on a stand made from a big truck axel with wheel and drum as a base on wheels. They are mounted across from each other back to back. I think if I added 2 more at 90' to them it would be too big an area and they would get in each other's way. I'm planning to make the top rotate. I'll keep the 1hp permanently mounted but the 1/2hp will be on a trailer hitch bayonet like Jack Olson uses. That way I can swap the other ones off and on using the bayonet system when I want to switch. My 3/4 buffer is on a pedestal I use for other things and I just clamp it down with vice grips for use. It will get a bayonet mount too and mount on the truck stand when I need it.

 

[cburnscrx]

A "normal" person has 1...if that. This place is not normal.

 

[drivesitfar]

2oolhoud can you post a picture(s) of your double grinders on a stand you made with the wheels? anybody else want to show some pictures because CB has the only pictures so far and i'm guessing he could use some good mounting and stand ideas.

here's the Baldor on an old truck wheel that isn't the easiest to move around, but once it stops it isn't going anywhere.

 

[torqueman2002]

Keep going, you don't have a 1/4 HP and a 1/4 HP Crown Top Commercial yet, do you?

 

[MN4x4]

"Normal" normal or Garage Journal normal?
Bruce

Yeah, you need to be more specific. It's kinda like asking "How many ratchets is normal..." Before I came here I would have thought the answer was 1.

I have 3 so far, all used regularly. One 5" no-name. one 6" (can't remember brand) , and an 10" Delta for the big jobs. No Baldor(s) so far though...

 

[2oolhound]

2oolhoud can you post a picture(s) of your double grinders on a stand you made with the wheels? anybody else want to show some pictures because CB has the only pictures so far and i'm guessing he could use some good mounting and stand ideas.

OK drivesitfar but my stand doesn't looks neat as yours. My shop is only 8' wide so everything is really crammed in. I've actually just taken over another space about 12' x 20' so this narrow area is now used for my lathe, drill presses and all grinding and buffing. I've never got it organized since I've made the big move but I was able to snap some pics where the grinder pedestal is currently stuck.

You can see the 10" 1hp at the back against the wall and the little 6" 1/2hp facing. I plan to cut the 2" axel shaft off just below the round 1/2" plate the grinders are bolted to and slip a 2" ID pipe over the axle and weld the 1/2 plate to the pipe so it will spin. I have the whole thing on a little dolly now but I'll weld the wheels right to the brake drum so it will lower it a bit. I always thought I'd need to wedge it up when grinding to stop it from moving on the wheels but it actually sits pretty still anyway.



In this shot you can see how the 10" was raised up for some clearance needed from the 6". I also illustrated how the trailer hitch system will mount. The 6", the 8" and a number of other things will bayonette mount to that side of the stand while the 10" will remain permanently bolted down.



An old timer gave me this pedestal and another buddy gave me the 12x12x2" plate that sits on top. Together they are real handy as an anvil but my 8" grinder I use for a buffer is usually stuck to it with vice grips. Once the trailer hitch system is in place I'll mount this one to the other pedestal too.

 

[Boog]

I don't have this particular disease yet. However, I have been exposed to it (if i see a good one at a reasonable price I usually won't pass it up) Good thing because I have a raging case of the vise form of the disease (all thanks goes to GJ).

Anywoo, I currently have 4 grinders. 3 Craftsman block grinders and a Baldor (currently set up as a buffer)

 

[bcradio]

I would suggest a reasonable number, but I found a 3/4-HP 8" (Big Red) Baldor today.

Can't wait until it gets here.

Don't know how or where it's going to fit in my tiny garage.

I am in a similar situation... I have a tiny garage, so for right now I don't have one. It's on my list though.

 

[Craptain]

As of yesterday I have 3. The new (to me) Baldor currently has a grinding wheel on one side and wire wheel on the other. The 2nd one has a course and fine wheels on it. And the 3rd has buffing wheel and wire wheel. I will be changing to remove one wire wheel and replace with a buffing wheel. And the other changes I am not sure about yet, maybe a 3rd buffing wheel. I want different buffing wheels for different polishes.

 

[zkling]

Looks like you need to dress at least one of your wheels. It is really clogged up.

 

[cbacres]

2oolhound, what make is the belt attachment? This is something I want to add since I have plenty of machines to add to.

Zkling, I have to dress a lot of them, that's one of the ones not being used right now.
Going to invest in one of the diamond ones. I have the wheeled type, good for fixing a gouged wheel.

A lot of good feedback, didn't quite expect this much so quick. I hope it's realized that my post is with some jesting. The $ 25.00 block grinders are like the $ 2.00 1/2" snap wrenches I've heard about, hard to pass up. I look at it as a couple of backup never hurt. I have a fair amount of dedication of wheels I would like to do, such as clean wheels for tungsten grinding, I'm learning tig, so I butcher up lots of tungsten.

I want to learn and practice sharping tools, god knows I have enough to practice on.

But, it's just plain fun and enjoyment having the old iron stuff and sharing it here. I'm not necessarily practical, definitely not normal. Some people have multiples of fishing poles and golf clubs, I have grinders. I enjoy the Monday morning question at work " buy any grinders?". I'll confess, also keeping a eye out for a Baldor buffer. It would just be on its own stand.

A little more to my story. In my current shop, I'm challenged for floor space and bench space for all of these. My plan is the rotating table, I'll post a mock up today. We'll be moving out of state in the next 3 years or so, to my 2,000 SF empty metal building in KY. So I'm building/ collecting with that in mind. I don't think I'll find the sales in central KY like I do here, so I'm kinda of stocking up. I just have to rough it for now.

Like the table the grinders are setting in the photo, it's a 4'X8' welding table,too big for my space now, but perfect for down the road.

Thanks

 

[cbacres]

Keep going, you don't have a 1/4 HP and a 1/4 HP Crown Top Commercial yet, do you?

No I don't Torque, sooner or later though. I'm afraid that I'll keep coming across the industrial ones and will turn over yet another set or grinders.

 

[Fretters]

But, it's just plain fun and enjoyment having the old iron stuff and sharing it here. I'm not necessarily practical, definitely not normal.

Normal is a very subjective word, IMHO. If 90% of the populace is the definition of normal, then all I can say is that I'm glad to be mad.

There's not really any such thing as too much, unless it's detrimental to yourself, in some fashion. Having extra, spares, backup or however you want to class it is something I'm a sucker for too. Five here, (none of them currently in use), counting both types of electrical and lineshaft/belt driven.

 

[drivesitfar]

CB: thanks for sharing the "master plan" to your Block grinder collection and best of luck on the move to KY. sounds like a nice place and if you get any spare critters there is the Turtleman to call on to remove them.

2oolhound: thanks for sharing the stand and would love to see the final three all on one stand with the wheels welded. i to like your belt grinder and what brand is it? it looks like you have a flat disk on the other side too?

Craptain: i saw on another thread you picked up an old Baldor for $45 and didn't have to move out of your chair. those 1/3 baldors will take on most any job you throw at them.

Zkling: I've heard you say dress the grinding wheels a few times because they are clogged. i usually only dress them if they get a groove or somehow were out of round when i bought the old grinder. now i know to ring check the stones so you can try to prevent having one explode while using it, but i'm not familiar with what the downside of the "clogging" is and what causes it. care to share??

PS i'm really glad to hear i'm not the only one that has 3 grinders (or more) in their garage or shop and doesn't like to change wheels.

 

[Fretters]

Clogging reduces efficiency, can throw the wheel off balance and can, in extreme cases, cause the wheel to let go, same as if it was cracked.

 

[zkling]

Zkling: I've heard you say dress the grinding wheels a few times because they are clogged. i usually only dress them if they get a groove or somehow were out of round when i bought the old grinder. now i know to ring check the stones so you can try to prevent having one explode while using it, but i'm not familiar with what the downside of the "clogging" is and what causes it. care to share??

Clogging reduces efficiency, can throw the wheel off balance and can, in extreme cases, cause the wheel to let go, same as if it was cracked.

This, it's like using worn out sand paper. Fortunately in this case the surface can be renewed over and over. When you dress them you are cutting away at the stone, revealing a new surface. It cleans and smooths and trues the wheel. Say for example sharpening tungsten on a grinding wheel will cause grooves in the face of the wheel. A real pain when you need to sharpen a drill bit or the like where you will not get full contact on the wheel. It also helps to crisp up the edge so you can get into tight places like splitting points.

 

[drivesitfar]

thanks guys.

I also was reading somewhere to never grind aluminum which is good to know. Can't off hand remember exactly why, but i know the consequences were really bad? i'm guessing putting the aluminum item in a vise and using a hand grinder is the best way?

 

[zkling]

thanks guys.

I also was reading somewhere to never grind aluminum which is good to know. Can't off hand remember exactly why, but i know the consequences were really bad? i'm guessing putting the aluminum item in a vise and using a hand grinder is the best way?

It depends, they make aluminum specific abrasive wheels. It's the same reason an abrasive chop saw isn't recommended for aluminum without the proper wheel. As it is in essence a very thin grinding wheel. As for grinding aluminum carbide burrs and file are the way to go, especially if you have to weld it later on.