Need some advice restoring my bench grinder.

[Southern]

I started the resto on the Baldor I bought this week. I'm sending the iron and pedestal out to be powder-coated, the center section appears to be attached to the unit, so I cleaned it, sanded a grain into it, and polished it. Here's the progress.

<a href="http://imgur.com/5YI7W"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/5YI7W.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" alt="" /></a>

<a href="http://imgur.com/g4dT4"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/g4dT4.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com" alt="" /></a>

<a href="http://imgur.com/7y5Oy"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/7y5Oy.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com" alt="" /></a>

So on the surface, it looks like all that's left to do is buy new hardware (I'm replacing all the screws, bolts, and washers with new ones, maybe chrome) and wait for the iron to come back from coating.

I'm wondering, however:

1) is there something I should do to this motor and spindle? I have no idea about this kind of thing, it all looks alien and I was actually kind of scared to even work around it.

2) Can I just spray it all down with a healthy dose of electrical cleaner, or should I do more/less? The grinder runs absolutely flawless, by the way.

3) I know some people elect to replace the bearings with updated ones. Is that something I should do?

 

[Southern]

There's also a question of the cloth covered wires that go from the motor to the capacitor to the switch. They seem okay, but must be awfully old. Would there be any reason to replace/upgrade those while I'm at it?

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

doing the same with a '37 B+D bench grinder myself... we elected to go with new bearings and updated wiring... used black engine enamel on it and polished the middle section... Though, finding the pieces havent been easy.

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/271081_10151215784634493_1231965199_n.jpg

polished the middle piece of the '37 with my '66 craftsman.

but the insides, we just cleaned the best we could and put a skim coat of dielectric grease in it.

 

[Skin]

just my experience but ball bearings from decades ago seem much better built than the ones today. I'm guessing you'll get some made in china with the dust covers. If they feel tight just repack them with grease and go.

 

[arnwoodwheels]

I work on a lot of machinery with old motors. So this is what I would do. Mind that I only have your photos to go by.

You can spray the windings with electrical cleaner if they look dirty if not just leave them alone. Look at the varnish on the windings it it looks like it is dried out and de-laminating (I drought it) you can re-coat the windings with a motor varnish spray that you can get at a good hardware store or McMaster.
But if you do varansh the windings you will need to clean them with Lectra Clean and after all the Lectra clean is evaporated it takes Hours, ( the fumes from hot Lectra clean is Bad news). You will need to place the windings some place like a heated box at about 140F to bake out the moisture otherwise you are just sealing in moisture.
But it is most likely that the windings are fine and better left alone,
Do not use things like brake cleaners on them and be careful not to nick a winding when working on the grinder.

If the motor leads are beginning to fray. Something that is very common. Recover the wires with heat shrink tubing and at the point that the leads join the windings dab on some liquid tape.

Replace the bearings. There are two kinds of bearings. Those that are bad and those that are going yo be bad. Every time in the past that I did not replace the bearings on a motor I had apart I regretted it.
I get my bearings from this on-line place http://www.vxb.com Get the Nechi made in Japan bearings China bearings are iffy at best.

Replace the Capacitor. They go bad with time.

The Capacitor,heat-shrink,Liquid tape can be found at a good hardware store or McMaster. Grainger.

Hope this helps, Nice grinder by the way.
You may be able to find a manual for it at http://vintagemachinery.org/

 

[Southern]

Wow, dude. That's exactly the response I was hoping for. Thanks so much.

I took some better pictures for you. I'm gonna milk your expertise for all it's worth.

The varnish on the windings seems damn near new to the touch. It's still thick and hard and smooth ( ). I guess I should just douse it all down with some electrical parts cleaner and wipe is off with a microfiber rag?

I pulled the spindle out and included some pictures. Everything here look normal? When I put it back together, should I grease is up? Do I grease it real heavy, real light, just a skim coat? And what is the best kind of grease to use if I do lube it?

The bearings: Japanese bearings it is. How to I pull these ones off, and how to I make sure I get the next ones on EXACTLY where they need to be? (This may be a stupid question, forgive me, I'm new at this).

 

[JASTECH]

Subscribed.

 

[Southern]

Arnwood, don't leave me in my time of need!

 

[2oolhound]

You should make a drawing and measure the distance for your bearings then indicate the dimensions on the drawing. The end caps will locate the bearings anyway if they aren't on too far. The end caps are usually aluminum, I'm not sure how well they did in the electrolysis tank. The rotor seems to have been coated with a blueing dye. Maybe it was rebuilt at some point. It looks really clean otherwise.