jabberwoki
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Very cool old Thor bench grinder
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Fyrme
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A friend of mine has one very similar but blue labeled Speedway. I think they are a product of the 60's. I was going to tray and talk him into selling it to me until he mentioned it was his dads. I didn't even ask after that.
I have one just like it! Paid $2, as I recall. Or was it $7? I can't recall for sure.. was probably $7, because I remember only having a $10 on me, and I told the guy to keep the change. He insisted on $7, and gave me change back.
On the left:
On the left:
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drivesitfar
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Lametec: do your grinders hang up on the ceiling of your garage when not in use on that frame you have them on?
since you are the only one on this thread so far that owns one of these old Thor grinders can you comment on how your runs? what are the specs on yours and it looks like you have similar wheels on the other grinders so what purpose do you have 3 of them on your framing?
since you are the only one on this thread so far that owns one of these old Thor grinders can you comment on how your runs? what are the specs on yours and it looks like you have similar wheels on the other grinders so what purpose do you have 3 of them on your framing?
Yep, it swings up and latches in place using a gate latch.
It runs just fine. Not very powerful, as I recall. 1/3 HP, I believe. The wire wheel on the left hand side is off center by quite a bit, so it vibrates. Previous owner had it that way, and I've just not bothered to fix it.
The reason for the 3 grinders? Well, I was in the market for one. I only had the one on the right, and it's really underpowered (China made). I came across the ad for the Thor grinder on Craigslist, and headed over to pick it up. Before I left, though, I found another grinder (the Craftsman in the middle) on CL as well ($20 I think it was) located very close to where the Thor was. So I got 'em both.
So no real reason for the 3.
I also have an old Souix pedestal grinder that I use for grinding HSS tooling for the lathe and mill:
It runs just fine. Not very powerful, as I recall. 1/3 HP, I believe. The wire wheel on the left hand side is off center by quite a bit, so it vibrates. Previous owner had it that way, and I've just not bothered to fix it.
The reason for the 3 grinders? Well, I was in the market for one. I only had the one on the right, and it's really underpowered (China made). I came across the ad for the Thor grinder on Craigslist, and headed over to pick it up. Before I left, though, I found another grinder (the Craftsman in the middle) on CL as well ($20 I think it was) located very close to where the Thor was. So I got 'em both.
So no real reason for the 3.
I also have an old Souix pedestal grinder that I use for grinding HSS tooling for the lathe and mill:
drivesitfar
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that is what I was thinking. any pictures of the ceiling and a close up of the latch on the part with your grinders on it? also maybe another picture with the grinders up hanging off the ceiling? that is a great idea.
I really like your huge grinder on the stand and it looks like is might also be a single phase instead of the 3 phase ones I usually see that are this big.
thanks for sharing
I really like your huge grinder on the stand and it looks like is might also be a single phase instead of the 3 phase ones I usually see that are this big.
thanks for sharing
Grinders up:
I don't have any detail pictures of the latch, but it's just one of these picked up at the local home improvement store. Slightly modified to make it latch using a spring, or else you'll need 3 hands to latch it (and hold the grinders at the same time, and they're not light).
The Souix is an 8" grinder, and yep, it's single phase. 3/4HP. Paid $31 for it!
Edit: I found the original hires picture and managed to zoom in on the latch.
Turns out the only part of the purchased latch I used was the "bolt" part. I re-made the rest using heavier steel, as I didn't want it to fail and fall on me!
I don't have any detail pictures of the latch, but it's just one of these picked up at the local home improvement store. Slightly modified to make it latch using a spring, or else you'll need 3 hands to latch it (and hold the grinders at the same time, and they're not light).
The Souix is an 8" grinder, and yep, it's single phase. 3/4HP. Paid $31 for it!
Edit: I found the original hires picture and managed to zoom in on the latch.
Turns out the only part of the purchased latch I used was the "bolt" part. I re-made the rest using heavier steel, as I didn't want it to fail and fall on me!
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drivesitfar
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Lametec: thanks again for sharing that unique space saving design you thought of. I'm not quite sure how the spring lever is a safety type lock on the gate opener, but I'm guessing it is because of all the welding you did to make the other side secure.
Now I have to say I saw this grinder before Jabberwalkie posted it since I live a little closer to it than he does and was wondering if the seller would email me back or it was already sold. then saw it posted on GJ which is becoming the Craigs information site lately.
Jabberwalkie's grinders would eat this little one for a snack so i'm guessing he didn't need it or didn't want to take a 2 hour drive for it. now any questions about this grinder can be answered by me since it is now going to sit on my at home work bench or on a similar design to Lametec's and on the ceiling.
i'm guessing a dentist owned it because of the quality and the little table that it was sitting on that the owner was keeping. maybe used in the dentist office to do a little shaping on crowns or false teeth? I think it will hold 6 inch wheels and i'll probably put a fine wire brush on one side and either a buffing or light duty grinding wheel on the other. it is only 1/4 HP and pretty light. now i'm looking for the parts to make it like new and any ideas to find them either online or from an existing Thor that has them and a bad motor is appreciated?
Now I have to say I saw this grinder before Jabberwalkie posted it since I live a little closer to it than he does and was wondering if the seller would email me back or it was already sold. then saw it posted on GJ which is becoming the Craigs information site lately.
Jabberwalkie's grinders would eat this little one for a snack so i'm guessing he didn't need it or didn't want to take a 2 hour drive for it. now any questions about this grinder can be answered by me since it is now going to sit on my at home work bench or on a similar design to Lametec's and on the ceiling.
i'm guessing a dentist owned it because of the quality and the little table that it was sitting on that the owner was keeping. maybe used in the dentist office to do a little shaping on crowns or false teeth? I think it will hold 6 inch wheels and i'll probably put a fine wire brush on one side and either a buffing or light duty grinding wheel on the other. it is only 1/4 HP and pretty light. now i'm looking for the parts to make it like new and any ideas to find them either online or from an existing Thor that has them and a bad motor is appreciated?
The spring isn't for safety, but rather to make the latch self latching. If not for the spring, it wouldn't always latch properly. Like I said, the thing is a bit heavy, so it takes two hands to lift it, which doesn't leave a hand to make sure the latch latches. So that's the reason for the spring.