Good Bench Grinder

[Happy Gilmore]

I have a Delta 8" bench grinder, got it about 10 years ago, happy with it so far.

 

[kco]

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

I probably have the same "motor larger than the wheels", Taiwan grinder, Bruce. I got it in 1986 with a used workbench I purchased privately.

It is starting to make quite a racket and I'm planning to purchase a new grinder. My requirements are very limited so I don't need very robust grinder. I don't weld but use a grinder very occasionally for sharpening blades, grinding bushings and bolts to fit, etc. Now that I have a flail mower I will no doubt use it a bit more often.

From this thread it appears an 8" is preferred over a 6"--either would be an improvement over my existing grinder.

A variable speed grinder seems like a good idea.

QUESTION: Is there a downside to variable speed vs single speed?

 

[muddstopper]

My 6in grinder is a chicago something or other. I bought it at least 20 years ago. I/2 hp with a wheel on one side and brush on the other. I bought it at a flea market for around $20-$30. Its not a real power house, but if you let the piece your grinding on get away from you it will throw a bolt of piece of metal all the way across the room. I made a jig and use one of those green wheels for sharpening stump grinder teeth. Grinding carbide is pretty hard and heats up fast, but I have to really bear down to stop the grinder. I doubt that one of those New Chicago grinders has any where near the power of my old one. It seems to me that when those cheap companies first enter the market, their products are pretty decent, but as soon as they start gaining market share, their products just get worse and worse.

 

[TMGT]

I bought a Milwaukee 509 used a couple years ago, love it. 10" 1hp can run on 120 or 240. Best one I've found before spending big money on a heavy 3 phase unit.

 

[stuckmotor]

I replaced a pathetic little grinder that I bought from one of those mini department stores with the Harbor Freight 8 inch grinder. It's much better but, I'd like to have a heavier one. When I need to sharpen something big, I use the large angle grinder.

 

[PJSprog]

I had a 6" HF bench grinder years ago, and it always worked fine for light duty blade and tool sharpening. Recently bought the 8" version, but haven't taken it out of the box yet. Still haven't built the new work bench.

 

[ThomasH]

I have bought a couple of grinders off of craigslist, one 8" and one 10". The 8" is an old Delta unit with the stand and water cups built in, and the 10" unit is a Baldor. All of them are 20+ years old and spin for a minute or more once you cut them off, the bearings are so good. The 10" one has a 3 HP motor on it, the 8" has a 2 hp motor. It is **** near impossible to even slow down the 10", the 8" you can slow down some but I haven't ever come close to stopping it even when hogging off material with a coarse wheel. If I remember correctly both were less than $100, as old industrial stuff doesn't seem to sell for high dollar except maybe at an auction. The challenge is finding ones that are single phase.

 

[R W]

There must be good quality grinders still available in the US, I paid $60 +(Aus) for an 8" in 1975, its still going strong.
Don't buy one smaller than an 8" if you want to do more than sharpen a knife or drill bits.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I know that Craftsman name has slipped in the past few years. But I bought a 6 incher from Sears about 15 years ago. It was a 75th anniversary edition. It never lacked for power and it was mounted on it's own stand. The new ones look a lot like it. It's not super huge, but has handled grinding mower blades and a whole lot more...and it coasts for about 10 minutes it seems like.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have several bench grinders...

I bought a 10" Delta about 15 or 20 years ago NEW, and it says made in china on it. I knew it was made in china before I bought it and bought it anyway. It hasn't been used heavy, but it has been used and it's still going...

I have two OLD Sears 6"models, (American made) both of them are going strong and one has been used HEAVY...

I also have a couple OLD ones that my dad had, and I have no idea what brand they are. They are from a time before china flooded our market, they still work like new. Dad also had another OLD one that my brother has and it's going strong too...

IF I was looking for one today for HEAVY use, I'd be looking for an old American made model.

SR