Is this a Baldor bench grinder?

[Edward Ramirez]

I see this ad on CL. I just don't know if it's a Baldor or not. Looks similar to one with the exception of the center where the on/off switch is.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Jamiep]

Looks similar to my Rotunda (Ford branded Baldor). Mine is a 7" with heavy cast dust covers its 1/2hp 3600rpm. Mine came with a Baldor Electric Co branded shield/light fixture. Here are some old cell phone pics of when i got it (has since been refurbished).

 

[drivesitfar]

could be a Baldor, but I haven't seen that exact switch on any of the 10 or so I have owned. I do like the heavier gauge wire for the plug, the very thick cast iron guards and the upgraded tool rest for the one side.

it looks like the wheel guard is missing on the left side. I'd say if you plug it in and turn it on and if it purrs like a lion and then the wheels keep spinning for a while after you turn it off that it's a keeper. how much it is worth is up to you, but $100 and maybe a bit more isn't out of the ballpark.

 

[Davefr]

I see this ad on CL. I just don't know if it's a Baldor or not. Looks similar to one with the exception of the center where the on/off switch is.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!

Those eye shields are definitely Baldor. The tool rest is not. I'd say yes.

 

[Outlawmws]

Whether it is or isn't, if the price is right, go get it; it's a good one regardless...

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Thanks guys! I went ahead and made the 45 minute drive to go get it. I paid $75 for it. He was asking $100 for it. Turns out the guy gave me a free small Wilton vise and a new Scotts fertilizer spreader! Score! When I was leaving I heard his wife say thank goodness for getting rid of that junk. lol!

I think it is a Baldor grinder. The original color was an avocado green, then it looks like it was painted red at one point then again a smurf blue. I found some images online that resemble the same exact Baldor I got. I ran the grinder for a little when I got home. Not as smooth as my other grinder but it probably just needs a little TLC.

I'd love to upload some pics but I keep getting an error about some security token is broken.

 

[Outlawmws]

Reload the forum in the browser; that usually clears it when I get that error...

 

[Bill Ramsey]

Thanks guys! I went ahead and made the 45 minute drive to go get it. I paid $75 for it.

If you got that Veritas tool rest in the picture, you got a screaming deal. Those are $50 new.

 

[Trey T]

good job. I thought it was a baldor when I saw it months ago, located in Conroe.

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Thanks Trey T! I feel I scored fairly well on this deal!

 

[drivesitfar]

Edward: any pictures to share? try storing them on www.photobucket.com which is a free online picture storing place and there are several others and just copy the link and paste it in your post's wording and big pictures will show off your great buy.

my guess is it needs a good cleaning. not sure what size the wheels are or the HP, but the parts are all screaming Baldor and that cord, guards and shields are all quality.

good score and with that separate tool rest which is pretty cool by the way.

 

[Gregg33]

Baldors are great! I have a 6" Rockwell branded Baldor I bought from a local used tool store. In the last 2 or 3 years his prices have went through the roof, but he didn't clue in the grinder was a Baldor. So he priced it at $40 or $50, which is what he overcharges for Chicom grinders. The Baldor "renames" can be purchased much cheaper like both of ours were. Actual Baldors are usually priced rediculously high and/ or sell quickly on the used market. Plus a lot of them are large higher voltage industrial models.

But back on topic! Edward you got a good deal! I was amazed how much power even the 6" has. It's not easy to stop the wheel, even when using a wire wheel. A 6" Chicom might be rated for the same hp, but there is no way it can be the same hp as a Baldor.

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Alright, here's the photobucket link.

http://s541.photobucket.com/user/tk451/library/

I'll have some questions on the restoration of the tools. I hope you guys check back.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Here's the grinder with a fresh coat of paint. I brushed all the hardware with a wire wheel, I also went ahead and replaced the ball bearings. Now it runs better than my Wissota grinder.

http://s541.photobucket.com/user/tk451/library/Baldor Grinder

 

[drivesitfar]

very nice find and restoration Edward. did you find the missing guard or find a donor someplace.

was it very hard to change the bearings? any markings on the inside of the machine or maybe you said already and i missed it. looks like a keeper now.

 

[torqueman2002]

was it very hard to change the bearings? ...

Nice grinder, looks a lot like the 1 I picked up in Michigan earlier this week.

The bearing replacement is straight forward once the LH & RH bearing housings are removed from the body. They are machined to fit snug and need gentle persuation with a soft faced dead blow mallet, at least the 1 I did. Do soak it with Kroil, PB Blaster well before hand.

 

[Edward Ramirez]

very nice find and restoration Edward. did you find the missing guard or find a donor someplace.

was it very hard to change the bearings? any markings on the inside of the machine or maybe you said already and i missed it. looks like a keeper now.

I haven't found a replacement guard. In the pictures I have the original wheels that came with the grinder. I've recently changed them to wire wheels.

I didn't find any markings that would confirm if it is a Baldor (considering I don't know any markings that would make it a Baldor), but it runs very smooth and sounds solid so I happy with it. Although I still believe it's some type of Baldor remake.

As far as the bearings... i knew I was going to replace them when I took the grinder apart so I wasn't very delicate on removing the. I just placed a line wrench and gave a nice whack at wrench and they slipped right off.

I also added some additional photos of the tear down.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Here is a for sure real one without wheel covers but with everything else.

Just posted. Bout an hour north of Dallas

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/tls/4377983399.html

 

[drivesitfar]

Nice work Edward. thanks for the extra pictures too. by the way what vise is it sitting next to it and did you restore that too? also i noticed you had nice new looking rubber rings on the handle. where did you buy those or did you have them already?

put 4 different wheels on those 2 grinders and you have a great shop in the works especially with the clean bench and that big vise.

check out the thread if you haven't already on how many grinders are normal for a Garage Journal member's garage shop?

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Nice work Edward. thanks for the extra pictures too. by the way what vise is it sitting next to it and did you restore that too? also i noticed you had nice new looking rubber rings on the handle. where did you buy those or did you have them already?

put 4 different wheels on those 2 grinders and you have a great shop in the works especially with the clean bench and that big vise.

check out the thread if you haven't already on how many grinders are normal for a Garage Journal member's garage shop?

Actually I got really lucky on the vise. It's a new (no restoration needed) Yost vise; the kind still made in the USA. I bought it for a $100 from an estate sale along with my Wissota grinder ($40).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VY0DL0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have my eye on another grinder. I want to have a total of 3 grinders. But knowing me; I'll continue to buy them if I continue to get great deals.

After joining GJ I've been addicted to quality tools made from the earlier days. I recently got a Delta Drill Press 1939 ~ 1940. I plan to restore that one as well once I figure out what color I want to paint it.

 

[Edward Ramirez]

Here is a for sure real one without wheel covers but with everything else.

Just posted. Bout an hour north of Dallas

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/tls/4377983399.html

That's a good deal!

 

[Outlawmws]

Here is a for sure real one without wheel covers but with everything else.

Just posted. Bout an hour north of Dallas

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/tls/4377983399.html

And you are on the way to go get it, right?

 

[KamiCrit]

History question.

Why would Ford make a bench grinder? With reference to post #2: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3785468&postcount=2

 

[Outlawmws]

History question.

Why would Ford make a bench grinder?

 

[Edward Ramirez]

I thought Rotunda was a tool company by Ford.

https://rotunda.service-solutions.c...al/GSE/en-US/PromotionalInformationCenter.pdf

 

[KamiCrit]

I thought Rotunda was a tool company by Ford.

https://rotunda.service-solutions.c...al/GSE/en-US/PromotionalInformationCenter.pdf

Oh wow that is amazing! Ford has it's own personal tool company!

 

[Outlawmws]

Neither Ford nor Rotunda made the grinder: They had it made for them, just like Sears does for Craftsman tools et. al...

 

[Mr. Brooks]

And you are on the way to go get it, right?

Sadly no, now if it was 1hp, complete and had stand then of course!

 

[Outlawmws]

Sadly no, now if it was 1hp, complete and had stand then of course!

if it had all that, it would probably be 3-4X the $$ ...

 

[larryq]

Here is a for sure real one without wheel covers but with everything else.

Just posted. Bout an hour north of Dallas

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/tls/4377983399.html

For posterity. $100, 1/2HP. Lighted eye shields: