How many bench grinders for a normal person?

[JSharp]

1 at home and 10 at work.

 

[Mavawreck]

Grinders are one of those tools where it may be necessary to have several.

I have one, I want 4 more;

1. Aggressive/mild wheel grinder, big motor
2. Sharpening only grinder, lower speed
3. Aggressive wire weel
4. Soft wire wheel, lower speed
5. buffer

 

[rsanter]

I have 5
2 get used all the time, the third one gets used sometimes
The last 2 needs to be gone through and put into service

Bob

 

[Voi]

I have three, although only one is in use due to indecision on my part on how to deal with three phase issue and which wheels to buy for which machine. Paralysis by analysis. Fortunately the one in use is a Baldor so that's a good problem to have.

Like drill presses and vises, I much prefer using older American made grinders. Those are three tools where I just don't consider new.

I would never turn down a good or even decent deal on a good old American made grinder. I have four and five year old boys who are going to have even slimmer pickings than I do now someday.

 

[torqueman2002]

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.

Yes, that IS how it started & continues with me.

 

[454ragtop]

Well, let's see, there is a 6" Baldor, an 8" Van Dorn, a 10" Dayton, and a Foley that I think is 6" on one side and 7" or 8" on the other. Then there are the 2 carbide grinders, a 6" Baldor and a strange super HD one with 9" wheels. Oh yea, then there is a Craftsman 1/2 HP block grinder in the shipping container, might sell that one. Then there is the buffing arbor, and various disc and belt sanders, etc....... Normal? Probably not.
Jim

 

[cbacres]

I'm evidently in good company!
Here is my mock up, a circle table that will rotate, maybe, or should I just make it oval shape and mount six grinders? Either way, it'll be on castors, to stay with the theme of the rest of the shop.
This is with the four blocks and the 8" Dayton on the end.


This one a little out of the box, or is it? I was thinking for sharping the tungsten and other sharpening, it would be a eye level for me, light weight stuff. It seems to be comfortable reaching out. Just a Sunday afternoon with some beer engineering
What do you think?

At any rate, looks like I'll get going on this after just thinking about it for a while, about time I have a grinder to use without c clamping to the bench!
I also have a Enco belt/disk sander to place, but after the mock up with the grinders, I think it's too close and would dump a lot of grindings on the grinders.

 

[woody 73]

I have 5 bench grinders that get used, a Man can never have enough power/hand tools.

Better that then say having Married then divorced several different women and ending up with nothing from lack of Money/ and no tools in their shop.

 

[finn]

No need for more than 4. One for the shed (1 grinding wheel, 1 wire wheel), One w/ 2 wire wheels for the garage, an 8" for the garage, and a backup.

Life is good.

 

[Ruger_556]

Dude... You don't have enough I worked in a shop part time on heavy equipment without any bench grinder. All we had was a 9" angle grinder... Never again.

 

[softailgarage]

6, 4 of which are the vintage Craftsman block grinders. Still looking for more, damn you GJ!

 

[Sheriff Roscoe]

You guys want a true reality check? Ask your wife how many grinders a "normal" person should have. She will help you redefine what normal is

There will be a few wives that are cool with whatever number but if we took a poll, I'd bet my left testicle that the average number is something less than ONE

Now...back to CL to look for a buffer to compliment my Baldor grinder

 

[Tsquare]

I have one bench grinder (Sears Blockhead 1969-1971 vintage) - one bench grinder that only has wire wheels ( Sears variable speed 2013 vintage) and a dedicated bench buffing wheel. So that is three pieces of powered bench equipment with wheels attached.

I can see the attraction of accumulating bench grinders, especially the older Sears/Craftsman, Baldors, Delta's, etc.

 

[KMScott]

I have three, one 10" for the big snagging and metal removal, one 8" with a fine wheel and a coarse wheel for sharpening drill bits etc. one 6" that has a diamond wheel and the other side has a wire wheel. I could use one more with a buffer wheel and a larger wire wheel. I use them all but use the diamond and wire wheel the most. Sharpening carbide cutters for machining and the wire wheel for cleaning bolts and bench vise restorations.

 

[zkling]

Dude... You don't have enough I worked in a shop part time on heavy equipment without any bench grinder. All we had was a 9" angle grinder... Never again.

"We've done so much with so little for so long that now, we can do almost anything with next to nothing"

 

[Outlawmws]

You guys want a true reality check? Ask your wife how many grinders a "normal" person should have. She will help you redefine what normal is

There will be a few wives that are cool with whatever number but if we took a poll, I'd bet my left testicle that the average number is something less than ONE

Now...back to CL to look for a buffer to compliment my Baldor grinder

Then I live in an alternate universe. SWMBO NEVER asks or comments on how many of anything I EVER get, except boats. (Cause I never keep them and rarely use them... Says the guy that just came home with another one... )

 

[Ruger_556]

"We've done so much with so little for so long that now, we can do almost anything with next to nothing"

Truth...

 

[Sheriff Roscoe]

Then I live in an alternate universe. SWMBO NEVER asks or comments on how many of anything I EVER get, except boats. (Cause I never keep them and rarely use them... Says the guy that just came home with another one... )

Sounds like you've got a good woman there Outlaw.

Any threads on your boats?

 

[Fretters]

Definitely gives literal meaning to the expression of buying whatever floats your boat.

 

[Yamaguy]

0-1 is an ideal number...

 

[Givl Reggin]

I'm not a professional, but even I have 3, mostly because I hate changing wheels in the middle of doing something...

1) for grinding w/ 2 different grit wheels
2) wire wheels for brushing
3) cloth wheels for buffing/polishing

I can't think of a use for a 4th one otherwise I'd probably have 4... so, I'm going to say 3. Now, for a 'normal person?' If I even encounter a normal person I'll ask them!

 

[Outlawmws]

Sounds like you've got a good woman there Outlaw.

Any threads on your boats?

Nope, all long gone before GJ. But there have been way too many... (Mostly sailboats.) I wish I could have saved the first one. It did everything I needed or wanted but it was old and worn out before I got it and I only managed to extent its life... (Wood frame and canvas hull, 2/3 decked, daggerboards so easy to row or motor if you didn't want to sail, and a FAST sailer!) but its back finally broke past fixing (Dry rotted frame)...

 

[Outlawmws]

Definitely gives literal meaning to the expression of buying whatever floats your boat.

 

[Outlawmws]

0-1 is an ideal number...

Time to turn in your man card...

 

[91bronc300]

1 bench grinder with buffing wheels, 1 bench grinder with grinding wheels, 1 bench grinder with wire wheels, and 1 belt grinder. I consider that normal.

The buffer is inside my house in the third bedroom though and that's where I use it. That might be a little abnormal....

 

[cbacres]

1 bench grinder with buffing wheels, 1 bench grinder with grinding wheels, 1 bench grinder with wire wheels, and 1 belt grinder. I consider that normal.

The buffer is inside my house in the third bedroom though and that's where I use it. That might be a little abnormal....

The nice thing about GJ is that we don't care where you use your buffer!

 

[jeffmoss26]

I only have one, if you count the deburring brush on my key machine, two.

 

[Givl Reggin]

...the third bedroom though and that's where I use it.

As a *** toy?

 

[2oolhound]

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?

OK, the belt grinder is not an attachment, it's the full meal deal. I guess in the crowded photo it was confusing. My little 1/2hp x 42" delta fried out on me so thinking it was the motor I stuck a 1hp motor on it only to realize it's the pulleys that are my problem. They don't have bearings or bushings and are just burned out. So I've been keeping an eye out for another one and found this Cman on cl for $50. The po just used it for sanding wood and it was hardly used at all I'd say. It's a definite step up from my delta with the cast body. I take all the guides off and shroud too so I can swap belts quicker but I dressed it back up for the photo. 1hp 2x42" and for $50! I was happy.

 

[drivesitfar]

2oolhound: exactly the machine i thought it was, but i was surprised to see it's a Craftsman. i think i have to have one of those to add to my grinder crew. just curious did you pick the width of that sandpaper or should it have a little wider one for the 3 wheel sander?

thanks for the picture

 

[2oolhound]

My old delta was a 1"x42 so I had a few 1" belts around. This machine is a 2"x 42" but I like the 1" for shaping metal the best as it works into the curves better. The 1" belts track very well. The wheels are domed with a slightly high centre so the belts tend to travel to the peak in the middle. With the guards removed you can force metal into the belt till the belt is twisted 90' and it still tracks on centre.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Location: SW Florida

So you're the reason I cannot find a decent block grinder on CL

How about I take one of those Cman off your hands?

 

[cbacres]

Location: SW Florida

So you're the reason I cannot find a decent block grinder on CL

How about I take one of those Cman off your hands?

I have snagged the ones around here. I'm still in the figuring phase, but I do have a duplicate HP grinder , I'll let you know.

Welcome to Florida, a little different from Texas. Spent a little time in San Antonio for work.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Glad you got to experience San Antonio. It is a great city. My home through college, second home before that.

Thanks for the welcome. It is different here in S.FL, that is for sure. I am thoroughly enjoying the weather and getting use to the flow of things around here.

No rush on the grinder. I'm just vulturing in jest. But should you ever decide to move one off let me know. I'd be gad to help take a load off

 

[JonnyMac]

Sounds like a perfect thread to ask a bench grinder opinion.
I like bosch pro tools (blue) in general and I just noticed that they do a 6" bemch grinder for a good price $120 delivered..
My dilema is that for around the same price there a similar model by an australian company called abbot and ashby who used to have their equipment throughout all the trade schools however its now all made I china.
Second hand grinders dont really come up that often and to be honest I have better things to do.with my time than trawling around markets etc looking for the holy grail..
Im tending towards the bosch as its a good brand in my experience... what do you think?

 

[Fretters]

Time to turn in your man card...

Class.

 

[Fretters]

My old delta was a 1"x42....

I have a similar type knocking about which I bought, *cough*, new, (I do occasionally buy something modern ), a few years ago. Still haven't taken it out of the box as yet. Seems a shame to get it acky. 1" belt and 6" sanding disc.

Sounds like a perfect thread to ask a bench grinder opinion.
I like bosch pro tools (blue) in general and I just noticed that they do a 6" bemch grinder for a good price $120 delivered...

...Im tending towards the bosch as its a good brand in my experience... what do you think?

Personally, I've always quite liked Bosch and never had any problems with their stuff. Opinions vary, but I'd merrily go Bosch without a second thought.

 

[baggedcobra]

I currently have 0. I'm looking for one right now.

 

[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.

Damn! I missed one. I also have a wet horizontal grinder for tool and blade sharpening. I had forgotten that until I went into the shop.

 

[geezer48]

as many as you want