let's see your craftsman block grinders

[G20-Budo]

Found this grinder today at a garage sale.
Looks rough but runs like brand new.
Bought it and a 9" sander.
$15 for the pair.

Any idea on its age?

Reversepolarity - I just wanted to say.... YOU ****! Great buy there!! I've been on the look out for a 3/4HP block grinder, haven't found any around here.

 

[drivesitfar]

RP: not that i know of. that hole should be the bigger water tray with that nice hefty tool rests coming out of it. since i have yet to own, find or see one in person i'll let the others maybe give a better answer.

again nice pick up and post it up again after you clean it up a little or use it and clean it next year.

 

[McBrownie]

Found this grinder today at a garage sale.
Looks rough but runs like brand new.
Bought it and a 9" sander.
$15 for the pair.

Any idea on its age?

Nice find! A 3/4hp cap start commercial probably from the mid '70's given the cast iron tool rests. Not an original switch, but it will clean up nicely and is a heck of a grinder. Congrats!

Edit: Oops! It's a split phase, but still a great grinder. Go back a few posts and you'll see a link to a Sears catalog with that grinder in it.

 

[Reversepolarity]

Cool

 

[Reversepolarity]

Does anyone on here make replacement stickers for these?

 

[JZiggy]

Guys, can someone direct me to the Rustoleum paint colors that most closely match the flat-top 397- model grinder? Like Torqueman's below:

 

[G20-Budo]

Does anyone on here make replacement stickers for these?

RP - A ways back in this thread you'll see that someone made a template for it. I got a copy of the template and make a change with a font that was a better match for craftsman. If you PM me I can send you the word file and the font file. Then you can take it to a print shop, or kinkos/fedex, or you can just get the correct kind of sticker paper and make it on your printer at home.

Just let me know.

 

[Bobioz1]

Guys, can someone direct me to the Rustoleum paint colors that most closely match the flat-top 397- model grinder? Like Torqueman's below:

I use all Rustoleum products, Wheel paint in graphite with Chrystal clear cote. Center tin gets metallic silver with Chrystal clear cote. Looks perfect to me.

 

[JZiggy]

I use all Rustoleum products, Wheel paint in graphite with Chrystal clear cote. Center tin gets metallic silver with Chrystal clear cote. Looks perfect to me.

Cool, thanks. I'm going to try these colors.

 

[McBrownie]

I use all Rustoleum products, Wheel paint in graphite with Chrystal clear cote. Center tin gets metallic silver with Chrystal clear cote. Looks perfect to me.

The later 257 flat tops had more of a light gray on the center tin, but I repainted mine metallic silver and then clear coated it. It looks much better in my opinion.

 

[Bobioz1]

I agree that's an improvement. I use metallic nickel on the round top tins.

 

[Isaiah6113]

+1
I'll get in on this . . . Me too! I use Rustoleum Metallic Aluminum for the centre band.

As per:

Wee bit of glare, but best I have.

A little easier to see maybe:

Matthew A.

 

[JZiggy]

Awesome, thanks guys!

I am a spray paint n00b. Can someone advise best practices for application of primer, paint, and clear coat? As in # of coats, light vs. heavy, time between applications?

The back of the primer can says to "topcoat within 1 hour or after 48 hours." Is there a benefit to waiting the 48 hours...?

 

[drivesitfar]

JZ: until the REAL paint pros give instructions. PREP is the KEY as i've put in my sig line. ideal paint temps are between 50 and 80 with 65 probably being optimum. i'd wait until first coat fully drys before painting second and third coats. you'll need to rough up surface some before painting either primer or paint. also not all paints need primer.

some of the guys flipping vises actually bought some $100 smokers (on sale price) at their annual tractor supply stores and the paint and then set in the smoker on 200-300 degrees to bake the paint on with AWESOME results.

as mentioned good prep and good temps will help a lot. also if you happen to want a hammered finish you might need to spray on a bit heavier to get the look you like.

setting up a temp paint booth with plastic stretched across 2 x 2's might keep paint spray contained.

good luck

 

[Reversepolarity]

The guards cleaned up well.
She's all stripped, and ready for paint.
Just have to order a rubber grommet set.
It was missing one.

 

[torqueman2002]

Nice.

Now, if only I could get that label to you.

Update.
Success!

A zip file, containing an editable MS Word file, has been added to the "What's the Fuss" thread (link below, in sig. line), for a 3/4-HP ftop Block m-397.19451.

 

[Reversepolarity]

Pulled it off the thread.
Worked great.

 

[torqueman2002]

Pulled it off the thread.
Worked great.

Thanks for the feedback, good to know.

Being a MS Word document, it is not that easy to edit; and for that I apologize.

I do not have any desktop publishing or photo editing experience/software.

I know there are better ways, but this works for me and anyone is welcome to use them.

 

[Reversepolarity]

Getting there.

 

[JZiggy]

RP -- we seem to be in a parallel universe

CitriStrip at work

All down to bare metal

 

[Reversepolarity]

Right on

 

[G20-Budo]

JZiggy,

That CitriStrip seems to work very well! I might give that stuff a try in the future on a few of my projects (my block grinder being one of them..)

 

[Reversepolarity]

I was thinking the same thing.
I will have to get some Citristrip.

 

[mroneeyedboh]

Does anyone have a dirty old block grinder they would be willing to sell? I'd like it complete and 1/2-3/4 hp. Sorry of this isn't the right place to ask, but in the classifieds it may get missed or maybe someone may not be thinking of selling one and then maybe decide... Anyway thanks.

 

[JZiggy]

JZiggy,

That CitriStrip seems to work very well! I might give that stuff a try in the future on a few of my projects (my block grinder being one of them..)

It worked well to let it soften the paint for about an hour, brush with a nylon brush and a fine brass brush for tough spots. Rinse. Wherever the paint is still stuck reapply and give it another hour.

 

[JZiggy]

Don't let citristrip touch anything plastic!!!!

A drop fell on my caliper gauge lens. The area hazed and formed a large stress crack. Powerful surfactants can really wreak havoc on plastics.

 

[Reversepolarity]

Does anyone have a dirty old block grinder they would be willing to sell? I'd like it complete and 1/2-3/4 hp. Sorry of this isn't the right place to ask, but in the classifieds it may get missed or maybe someone may not be thinking of selling one and then maybe decide... Anyway thanks.

Where are you located?

 

[Reversepolarity]

RP -- we seem to be in a parallel universe

CitriStrip at work

All down to bare metal

What colors are you going with?

 

[JZiggy]

Rustoleum Graphite Wheel paint for the castings, Metallic silver for the band. Gonna order a new band from Sears I think.

 

[mroneeyedboh]

Where are you located?

Located in MD. I may have one available local, my neighbor says he thinks his dad had one... Hope so!

 

[McBrownie]

Located in MD. I may have one available local, my neighbor says he thinks his dad had one... Hope so!

There was a 1960's 1/2hp round top commercial cap start by me for $50. It was missing the right hand wheel guard, which means that I could have put a multitool belt grinder on it for "only" a few hundred more. Luckily, it sold. Whew!

 

[Kaervak]

There was a 1960's 1/2hp round top commercial cap start by me for $50. It was missing the right hand wheel guard, which means that I could have put a multitool belt grinder on it for "only" a few hundred more. Luckily, it sold. Whew!

Heh, that was mine. I picked it up for a reasonable price and borrowed some parts from it to complete my other 1/2HP block. It really did look rough, but it ran perfectly. These blocks are bulletproof.

 

[McBrownie]

Heh, that was mine. I picked it up for a reasonable price and borrowed some parts from it to complete my other 1/2HP block. It really did look rough, but it ran perfectly. These blocks are bulletproof.

Aha! I showed restraint. I bet it ran great. It was worth what you were asking. Hope you got it.

 

[Kaervak]

Aha! I showed restraint. I bet it ran great. It was worth what you were asking. Hope you got it.

I made a package deal with the guy for the grinder and vise. I lost a few bucks, but it's not a big deal. Glad someone is getting use out of it.

 

[McBrownie]

I made a package deal with the guy for the grinder and vise. I lost a few bucks, but it's not a big deal. Glad someone is getting use out of it.

And it saved me $300.

 

[Kaervak]

And it saved me $300.

Had I known you were interested, I would have made you a deal on it.

 

[S4cruiser]

Picked up this guy earlier today. 1966 date. A month ago I had zero blocks...now I have 3 of the exact same model. How did this happen??

It looks worse in the pics than in person. Just very dirty.

 

[Reversepolarity]

What did you have to pay?

 

[McBrownie]

Had I known you were interested, I would have made you a deal on it.

Thanks, but a man only has so much stuff to grind. This may be blaspheme on this thread, but 3 blocks are enough. Please don't petition to have my GJ card revoked!

 

[G20-Budo]

Looks I've it just needs to be cleaned up. What HP is it?