Good Bench Grinder

[Whitnel]

I am in need of a bench grinder. Picked Northern Tool's 8" one yesterday. It barely had enough power to sharpen my finish mower blades. And by barely I mean with slight pressure the wheels would slow way down, I would then have to stop and let the wheels get back to speed and start again. I will be taking it back today. Paid $50 for it but I could do better with my angle grinder.

Reading reviews I really don't see a grinder at a reasonable price that is getting good reviews. I will spend $100 to $150 if necessary but I have not found it. There is a dewalt that shows up at 3/4 HP for $120 but most say it is junk.

What is everyone using? There has to be a decent one out there somewhere.

 

[DXN1EL]

I feel your pain brother!
A good grinder is a little hard on the wallet. I been thinking about buying a 2" x 36" shaft with 1.25" threaded ends two pillow blocks a pulley 14" wheels and a 7.5HP or 10HP motor!
Baldor 1407W 14" Bench Grinder 7 1 2 HP 1800 RPM 230 Volt New | eBay

 

[brin]

There used to be traveling tool shows that came to our little country town every year and about 20 yrs. ago I bought a cheap Chinese bench grinder with a grinding wheel on each side...It has so much power I can sharpen bush hog blades but it has no clutch so it is scary it gets going so fast and when I turn it off it takes a few min. for it to come to a stop...It gets the job done though....It was cheap back then...maybe $20.00 in 1990 dollars...

 

[Bird]

There used to be traveling tool shows that came to our little country town every year and about 20 yrs. ago I bought a cheap Chinese bench grinder with a grinding wheel on each side...It has so much power I can sharpen bush hog blades but it has no clutch so it is scary it gets going so fast and when I turn it off it takes a few min. for it to come to a stop...It gets the job done though....It was cheap back then...maybe $20.00 in 1990 dollars...

If you're talking about the Homier traveling tool show, I bought one from them, also. It worked . . . for about 30 minutes. I eventually got my money back, except for about $7.

I've been quite happy with my 6" Craftsman, 1/2hp, now for more than 8 years.

 

[George2615]

I have a 6" Porter Cable bench grinder. Fine wheel on one side mainly used for sharpening drill bits. Other side is a wire wheel. For all my heavy metal grinding and sharpening blades I use a 4 1/2" angle grinder. Can't afford a real HD bench grinder so I make do with what I have.

 

[skylarkguy]

Fine woodworking reviewed grinders recently
Grinders - Fine Woodworking Tool Guide Product Finder

 

[bcp]

Make sure your wheel diameter is greater than the motor diameter.

I have a 6 inch one made in Taiwan, about 30 years old. The only problem with it is that the motor is 7 inches diameter. You can't grind or wire brush anything long perpendicular to the wheel rotation. Still working fine for small jobs.

Bruce

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I bought the 8" $20 Speedway series from Homier years ago. It really is gutless as is instantly apparent by the slow 15-second spool-up. I have the wheels true and I use it for fine sharpening like drill bits, etc. where I am using a very light touch anyhow.

I also have a couple of the HF 8" bench grinder/buffers that I got used. 8" Bench Grinder/Buffer
They actually have decent power and the motor diameter is small. They spool up in 2-3 seconds and don't bog down in normal use.

For sharpening mower blades I like to put them in the vise and use a 4-1/2" angle grinder.

Those big Baldors are scary. They spool up almost instantaneously and run silently.

 

[IXLR8]

I have an 8" craftsman grinder I bought about 15 years ago, I'm thinking I spent something in the $60-$80 range, I don't remember the HP rating. It takes a minute to ramp up, and a while to ramp down when you shut it off... but I can't lean on it hard enough to slow it down when grinding something.

 

[brin]

If you're talking about the Homier traveling tool show, I bought one from them, also. It worked . . . for about 30 minutes. I eventually got my money back, except for about $7.

I've been quite happy with my 6" Craftsman, 1/2hp, now for more than 8 years.

Bird, that may well have been the name of the Tool Show...they came every yr. had a big ad in the local paper announcing the dates and usually they had their display at the American Legion Hall....Much of the stuff was just plain junk...almost all from China I would expect...but that bench grinder has lasted all these yrs...kinda scary to use with no clutch...I would not want to walk away and let it run...I wonder what ever happened those traveling tool shows...?