Please Help Identify This Buffer / Grinder

[7th Kahuna]

Today was a good day, finally after two months, this morning I was able to re-establish my picture hosting so I can share things again (and my old posts are illustrated again), and then this afternoon this guy followed me home. I actually contacted the seller about this a week ago and didn't hear back, so I assumed I got to it too late. Then there it was again this morning. SOLD

Usually I am pretty good at puzzling these things out, but this time I am at a loss. Sorry about the picture quality, the sun was going down. Hopefully there is enough detail that someone can identify it. All the labels are gone.

The buffing wheel is 7" and appears larger than the wire wheel. Without having measured I'm going to say that the guard, if original, is for a 6 inch model.

Of course Baldor is one of the most common, but looking online, most Baldors bolt in the 4 corners. I started out trying to identify the stand, but I don't believe it was original to the grinder. I can see that the stand had a metal emblem of it's own at one time. Maybe as I strip the paint I will find additional clues.

The tool rest is just sheet metal but I'm not sure it's original either, though it has enough paint on it to say its been there awhile. The mounting bolt is an allen head however.

Above, you can see the pins that secured the original tag.

I bought it for the stand as much as anything. A year or two ago I bought a Rockwell buffer but the previous owner got an offer on the stand that was too good to pass up apparently. By the time I got there it was gone. Then they seemed a little put off when I wanted to lower the agreed price.

As you can see, the cord was cut. Without a motor tag, I choose not to even try to test it. Good thing, the wires were shorted.

I figured, once I flipped it over, I would know for certain the voltage and the phase. Well I don't, for certain anyhow. It looks like 110 volt single phase. Only one line is switched. But then what is that black component with the three leads? I was expecting a capacitor.

Closest thing I have found to a date is on the switch. Looks like May 1962, which if I am reading it right and the switch is original, would make the grinder probably 1962 or 1963.

The stand, I don't know. It is actually a little short but I could add some feet. It's got so many layers of paint on it, I suspect it came out of a service station. I've seen stands like this used with an arbor press before but I don't think that is what this is.

So what does anyone think. If not Baldor, then what? Model?

$25

 

[McBrownie]

Sure does look like a Doerr that I used to have. This one was a 6" 1/4hp:

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View media item 55782

 

[7th Kahuna]

McBrownie, the similarities are too close to ignore. Thanks.

Not identical but definitely similar. A quick look into Doerr however consistently shows a guard like yours which is different than mine and the through 'bolts' that hold the motor together have nuts on both ends, mine only on one end. I do know that Doerr made grinders for other manufacturers though so it remains a possibility. Needs more research, after dinner . . .

I wish the tool rest was as nice as yours. That's a nice little machine. Did you replace the feet on it? Mine are all dried out. I'm guessing the pins just pull out?

 

[McBrownie]

Glad it helps. I really enjoyed that grinder. Heavy and smooth running. I picked a 1/2hp and 3/4hp and sold the Doerr to a "youngin'" who only had some chicom plastic thing. I really like the stand you got. Enjoy it.

 

[7th Kahuna]

I am happy with the stand as well. Once cleaned up, it is going to be pretty nice. Even if the grinder refused to run, the stand is worth the price. Still, I'd kind of like to find a deal on an original cast iron stand.

Here's another option I found here on GJ. I wish I could read the tag.

It too is very similar but the pin positions for the label are closer on the Doerr. I wonder if Doerr made less expensive models for Baldor? The overall shape of the guards are closer but the eye shield mounts are different .

 

[7th Kahuna]

Ok, the stand looks like it may be a late 1940's Black & Decker stand. I can see on mine the holes where the ledger for the (quench tray?) was mounted.

source: www.flamingsteel.com

The design of the Black and Decker explains why the stand seems a little low.

 

[7th Kahuna]

After a bit more research, here is what I think I know. The Baldors appear to have four feet while the Doerrs, like mine, have three. Unfortunately, as few people post pictures showing the feet, this evidence is sketchy at best. I have turned up a very limited number of Doerr grinders, but they all had a consistently different style of guard. I am left wondering if Doerr only produced grinders under their own name for a short period.

Here is where I am now. Last night I found a single reference to a Delta Model 23-625 grinder on vintagemachinery.org. I haven't found another one.

This seems about the closest yet. Proper tag orientation and pin position. The guards are all but the same. Spark arrestors are different, mine doesn't have the bolt hole in the front of the guard. It uses acorn nuts on the through bolts which mine does not. I wish I could see the underside, but I know Doerr made grinders for Delta so a match on the innards is a real possibility.

So unless one of you comes up with something more, I'm going to leave it there and suggest that it is an early 1960's 1/3 hp single phase 110 volt 6" induction motor Doerr made (Delta?) bench grinder / buffer on a late 1940's Black and Decker grinder stand.

If it works, maybe I'll try to throw an amp meter on it on the chance I can confirm the horse power.