Outlawmws
Well-known member
The star/Washer wheel dressers can have the star wheels replaced.
let's see your craftsman block grinders
- Thread starter emeraldcoupe
- Start date
lafester
Well-known member
Yeah, that is what I found today. Made in Taiwan but small and compact which is nice since I do not have any huge grinders (yet).
The one I got from amazon is just a flat faced razor looking thing with diamonds glued to it. They get good reviews so I tried it out. Only invested $7 so not a big deal.
The one I got from amazon is just a flat faced razor looking thing with diamonds glued to it. They get good reviews so I tried it out. Only invested $7 so not a big deal.
lafester
Well-known member
Did you need help with anything? I assume this was supposed to be a pm.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
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Picked this one up earlier today. Didn’t need another block but couldn’t pass up one is such nice shape (albeit hidden in dirt) and with the disc sander attachment. 1967 date stamp underneath.
It also had the original tubular steel stand but they just take up so much floor space so I left it with the seller.
Here is my grinder tree this will get added to.
It also had the original tubular steel stand but they just take up so much floor space so I left it with the seller.
Here is my grinder tree this will get added to.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
I have a spare set of spark arrestors if you are interested.
lafester
Well-known member
No worries. Once you've decided, feel free to reach out if you need 'em.
lafester
Well-known member
Not sure how I missed this one, nice! I can't resist the older Vimco lamps.
You got a great one there and a nice rack to store them on.
Thanks!
The light doesn’t work currently. I think there is something funky in the switch at the bulb. Is there a preferred way to remove the ‘cap’ to inspect the switch wiring inside?
lafester
Well-known member
I use a little screwdriver to gently separate the pieces. You can see where the tabs are if you look closely.
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10-4. I’ll fiddle with it tomorrow, thanks!
Bobioz1
Well-known member
Look close around the seam. One of the halves might say “press”.
lafester
Well-known member
I always thought that referred to the switch.
Bobioz1
Well-known member
My switches were rotary.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
This is what to look for.
More information at this link. --->
https://www.lamppartsrepair.com/p/common-repair-tips.html
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Old Radar
Well-known member
What ever you do, don't plug it into the cigarette lighter while you're driving with it in your lap!!!
75% the way through reassembling this guy. Refresh treatment consisted on tear-down, media blast, paint and a new cord.
Thanks for the tips around removing the light cap. Didn’t find anything that would lead to it not working. I’ll reinstall with a new bulb and maybe I’ll get lucky!
I need to dress the stone wheel and find some sandpaper discs.
Thanks for the tips around removing the light cap. Didn’t find anything that would lead to it not working. I’ll reinstall with a new bulb and maybe I’ll get lucky!
I need to dress the stone wheel and find some sandpaper discs.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
It's looking great, nice work!
If the lamp socket still gives you trouble, try prying up on the center tab a wee bit, mabe the bulb isn't making contact.
Oh, be sure it is unplugged!
torqueman2002
Well-known member
It's looking great, nice work!
If the lamp socket still gives you trouble, try prying up on the center tab a wee bit.
Oh, be sure it is unplugged!
Bobioz1
Well-known member
Looking good. 1/2 h.p. Cap. Start with disc sander should be a great machine. I’ve had 30 plus blocks pass through here and not one of them came with any attachments or accessories. Hope to someday find one like yours. If you can’t find the correct sanding discs, harbor freight sells some big ones that you can cut down to size.75% the way through reassembling this guy. Refresh treatment consisted on tear-down, media blast, paint and a new cord.
Thanks for the tips around removing the light cap. Didn’t find anything that would lead to it not working. I’ll reinstall with a new bulb and maybe I’ll get lucky!
I need to dress the stone wheel and find some sandpaper discs.
larry4406
Well-known member
Is that sanding disc threaded on via a blind hole and what looks like a coupling nut actually a jamb nut?
Finished grinder assembly today!
Larry: the large hex piece (35mm-ish) is female threaded for the motor shaft and then male threaded for the disc to screw on to. I wasn’t too sure how it all bolted together until I started taking it apart.
Larry: the large hex piece (35mm-ish) is female threaded for the motor shaft and then male threaded for the disc to screw on to. I wasn’t too sure how it all bolted together until I started taking it apart.
larry4406
Well-known member
Finished grinder assembly today!
Larry: the large hex piece (35mm-ish) is female threaded for the motor shaft and then male threaded for the disc to screw on to. I wasn’t too sure how it all bolted together until I started taking it apart.
Thanks - the other picture you posted afterwards showed it more clearly.
McBrownie
Well-known member
Nice job on restoring. Those side grinder wheels aren't very common. If I'm reading that casting date stamp on the side wheel correctly, looks like it was cast in June 1965.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
Nice color combination! What brand and color codes?
Titanium should bling it out nicely.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
Good morning fellow Blockheads and grinder aficionados. 
I know it is early for some of you, but I have to share this new information, or at least new to me. In the whole scheme of things this is trivial, but our way of classifying what is and is not a Block grinder has been refined, and confirmed by 2 people I have a lot of respect for regarding things mechanical and vintage.
What am I blathering on about? I have believed and passed on the belief that there are two kinds of Craftsman style Block grinders; flat top and round top - mailbox/tombstone shape.
Not so, according to Brian Kachadurian, OWWM.
Rather than re-post the details here, please follow this link to a GJ thread: Craftsman Block motor Bench Grinders - What's the Fuss (with resource information) ---> https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4000526&postcount=1
Thank you.
I know it is early for some of you, but I have to share this new information, or at least new to me. In the whole scheme of things this is trivial, but our way of classifying what is and is not a Block grinder has been refined, and confirmed by 2 people I have a lot of respect for regarding things mechanical and vintage.
What am I blathering on about? I have believed and passed on the belief that there are two kinds of Craftsman style Block grinders; flat top and round top - mailbox/tombstone shape.
Not so, according to Brian Kachadurian, OWWM.
Rather than re-post the details here, please follow this link to a GJ thread: Craftsman Block motor Bench Grinders - What's the Fuss (with resource information) ---> https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4000526&postcount=1
Thank you.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Doc: thanks as always for keeping us informed. 
Old Radar
Well-known member
Good morning fellow Blockheads and grinder aficionados.
I know it is early for some of you, but I have to share this new information, or at least new to me. In the whole scheme of things this is trivial, but our way of classifying what is and is not a Block grinder has been refined, and confirmed by 2 people I have a lot of respect for regarding things mechanical and vintage.
What am I blathering on about? I have believed and passed on the belief that there are two kinds of Craftsman style Block grinders; flat top and round top - mailbox/tombstone shape.
Not so, according to Brian Kachadurian, OWWM.
Rather than re-post the details here, please follow this link to a GJ thread: Craftsman Block motor Bench Grinders - What's the Fuss (with resource information) ---> https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4000526&postcount=1
Thank you.
Okay, let's see if I've got this straight.
1. Brian Kachadurian from Old Wood Working Machines has a difference of opinion on what constitutes a "Block" Grinder. (nothing against Brian, I'm not a member of OWWM since I have a hard enough time keeping up with the all the knowledge and experience here on GJ.) Since Dr. Blockhead values his opinion, I'm willing to keep an open mind.
2. I assume the "center band and end bells" Brian refers to as the defining feature are what the Parts List describes as the Stator Cover Band and the Left- and Right-Hand End Frames. For the time being let's ignore the Stator Cover Band as it's shape is totally dependent on the End Frames that make up the parts that encapsulate the rotor and stator assemblies.
3. To the best of my knowledge, Sears, and therefore Craftsman, did not designate any grinder they sold as a "Block Grinder." Therefore, someone with no official capacity to do so, coined that term and almost everyone said: "Hey, yeah, it does look like a block." This was undoubtedly followed almost immediately by an equally unofficial recognition of the previous generation that did not look like Blocks being referred to as Pre-Block or Mailbox grinders. Although, it is not outside the realm of possibilities that some astute design student or postal worker may have recognized the similarity in shape of that previous generation to a mailbox and started referring to them as Mailbox Grinders even before the debut of the cubic form.
4. Mr. Kachadurian has opined that a strictly literal, form-related convention be followed when referring to the various models/generations/eras of these Craftsman grinders, despite the many years--at least on GJ--that everything after the Pre-Block "Roundtops" have been loosely lumped into Blocks. This would entail expanding the end of the Pre-Block era from the early '60s to the mid '70s.
5. Nomenclature is a wonderful thing and gives everyone a common frame of reference. In the case of Craftsman Grinders, Sears did not assign a shape-based nomenclature--it evolved over time by the people who used and discussed those grinders. Since we are a visual species, shape-based names serve us well, and in a literal sense, Mr. Kachadurian is correct--a cube is a block, a mailbox--not so much.
6. Do we need to formalize the shape-based convention? Should we ridicule or ban those who refuse to comply? Should there be a vote?
Nahhhh, probably not.
lafester
Well-known member
I do think the flat tops are the only real block grinders. Then you have the round top and cast iron round top.
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Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
bagged89s10
Well-known member
I don’t remember if I shared this one but I might keep it since I found a light shield for it and a stand from a 1/2HP block I recently picked up. It’s actually the first clean 3/4 or 1HP one I’ve owned. The other 1HP and 3/4HP blocks i’ve owned were somewhat rough and needed restoration. Of course I sold the good eye shields I had to someone on this board I think. Does anyone have 1 good eye shield? the right one has a burn hole.
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torqueman2002
Well-known member
I always thought it (Block name) was about the manufacture Paramount/Allegretti & Co. that supplied grinders to Sears from the early 1960's to early 1980's.
I learned about these Block motor grinders on another site late in 2009.
As we know, other grinders have been made in a similar block shape, Black and Decker comes to mind.
However, the Craftsman set them selves apart because of the quality build. (I just bought bearings for a 1/4-HP 'pre-Block' built 3/57, it has a 15mm (5/8") Bore!). They built that one tough and with cast iron.
I intend to continue using our (GJ) naming convention, but felt bound to pass on the information BK passed on to me.
I didn't take it on face value, instead verified my 'discovery' to have validity; I knew GJ inquisitive minds would want to know.
I defer to those with far more depth of vintage machinery knowledge.
Brian K was putting a fineer point on the information I passed on to answer the question: 'What is a block grinder?' in my post on the OWWM forum.
I'd guess he wouldn't give a hoot how GJers break it down.
I learned about these Block motor grinders on another site late in 2009.
As we know, other grinders have been made in a similar block shape, Black and Decker comes to mind.
However, the Craftsman set them selves apart because of the quality build. (I just bought bearings for a 1/4-HP 'pre-Block' built 3/57, it has a 15mm (5/8") Bore!). They built that one tough and with cast iron.
I intend to continue using our (GJ) naming convention, but felt bound to pass on the information BK passed on to me.
I didn't take it on face value, instead verified my 'discovery' to have validity; I knew GJ inquisitive minds would want to know.
I defer to those with far more depth of vintage machinery knowledge.
Brian K was putting a fineer point on the information I passed on to answer the question: 'What is a block grinder?' in my post on the OWWM forum.
I'd guess he wouldn't give a hoot how GJers break it down.
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torqueman2002
Well-known member
Very nice score!I don’t remember if I shared this one but I might keep it since I found a light shield for it and a stand from a 1/2HP block I recently picked up. It’s actually the first clean 3/4 or 1HP one I’ve owned. The other 1HP and 3/4HP blocks i’ve owned were somewhat rough and needed restoration. Of course I sold the good eye shields I had to someone on this board I think. Does anyone have 1 good eye shield? the right one has a burn hole.
I've always considered the cast-aluminum "round-top" and "flat-top" grinders to be blocks, given their overall similarity in shape and construction method.
On GJ, we could always consider "block grinders" to be as above, and then have two sub-classes--round-top block and flat-top block--to align with the nomenclature elsewhere.
On GJ, we could always consider "block grinders" to be as above, and then have two sub-classes--round-top block and flat-top block--to align with the nomenclature elsewhere.