Best bench grinder???

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krazykuda

krazykuda

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My bench grinder bit the dust...

What brand do you recommend that is affordable and will last??? What are you all running and how do you like it???

Is there any that I should stay away from???
 
I have a Baldor 7351. 1/2 HP with a wire wheel on one side and a stone on the other. If I had to do a lot of heavy grinding I'd get one with more power. I love it, but I'm not so sure it qualifies as affordable
 
I would be looking for an old 8” or 10” grinder on buy and sell sites.
Cant beat that old iron.
 
That's what I abuse, oops use. I have a belt drive with the motor under the bench and the wheels outside the end. Works like a champ and does not take up any bench space.
 
Rastus said:
I have a Baldor 7351. 1/2 HP with a wire wheel on one side and a stone on the other. If I had to do a lot of heavy grinding I'd get one with more power. I love it, but I'm not so sure it qualifies as affordable
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Yep, I plan on using one side with a wire wheel to clean off rust and the other side with a grinding stone for grinding metal down as needed.... :thumbsup:
 
See if you can find one of the old Craftsman tombstone models. The are good quality and last. Prices vary but generally $30-$70. Mine is 1/3 hp but they made a 1/2 hp too.
Other than that, anything with a Baldor or other US made motor. Good quality it typically heavy.
Take the effort to properly balance the wheels that you put on.
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Get an old used one that is made in the USA. Better if its 1/2hp or bigger and a 10" wheel is a big plus.
 
There is a lot of old bench grinders out there that are great but they don't make them any more. If you are buying new a Baldor is the only one to buy.


Actually my bench grinder is a Baldor that was sold by J.C. Penney and the tag on it says J.C. Penney, paid $35 for it 35 years ago, What a deal.
 
brian6pac said:
There is a lot of old bench grinders out there that are great but they don't make them any more. If you are buying new a Baldor is the only one to buy.


Actually my bench grinder is a Baldor that was sold by J.C. Penney and the tag on it says J.C. Penney, paid $35 for it 35 years ago, What a deal.
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I bought a $25 el cheapo about 19/20 yrs ago, it s not the strongest and far from the best, but it`s still ticking, a real pain in the *** to change stones and brushes on---------
 
Not trying to highjack.....but this will add to the thread I believe. At what HP level does a bench grinder become pretty much "unstoppable" for the most part. I have a cheap HF grinder and have to be careful with it or it will stop pretty easily. I don't know what the HP rating is. Not much, I am sure.
 
I've have a Delta 6" 1/2 hp with a stone on one end and wire wheel on the other. I bought in 1983 and I use the hell out of it.
 
I bought a HF 8" buffer/grinder with a 3/4 HP motor. I like it. Much better than the $22 POS grinder that it replaced that you could literally stop with a gloved hand. Its got a pretty heavy stone on one side (AKA flywheel) and a buff on the other that I immediately took off and put a wire wheel on. Works great and has some balls for a HF piece.
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I have a plastic Craftsman "tombstone" in the garage. It SUCKS but it was free.

I have a Dayton 1/3 HP at the shop and it is stronger than most 1/2 HP units.
it was $20 at a thrift store.

I recently picked up an HF 8". Not sure on HP, but it will spin the grinder stand I have it on which is attached to a 17" Dodge truck wheel and a 10# weight. I'm going to have to bolt it to the floor! $10 with the stand at a yard sale. Came with a box of stones, wire wheels and buff wheels
 
I have a Wilton that I used to sell on the tool truck. Good stuff.
 
If you take one of those ChiCom apart the innards look the aramature and field winding look minature compared to the frame.
 
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