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...?

 

[Whitnel]

I am going to look at the 8" craftsman today Craftsman Variable Speed 8 Bench Grinder: Power Up With DealsSears if I get some time. They have one with a wire wheel and a grinding stone that is variable speed for $120. It got OK reviews, at least better than the dewalt. Next would be a Jet 8" with 1 HP that has pretty good reviews but it jumps up to $250.

 

[k0ua]

I have the 8 inch Harbor Freight, I got about 15 years ago, and it works pretty well. You know how you always take a risk buying a Harbor Freight electrical tool. But this one has been good. But I have found recently it is easier to put a mower blade in a vise and go over it with a flap disk on the 4 1/2 angle grinder. I think I have better control, and the end result is better, but that is just me.

 

[not2old]

I'm happy with my Baldor 7" grinder, but paid about $400.00 for it 30 years ago. It was a huge splurge at the time. They are about the same price today, but who knows about the quality.

 

[CNC Dan]

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...?

Around here they were Cummings tools. Same MO. Flyers, and a big trailer in the local rent-a-hall.

They haven't been arround since Harbor Freight came into the area.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

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...?

I don't know if I've ever seen a bench grinder with a clutch. Can you give an example of a model with a clutch?

 

[wade23454]

I recently went through the process of elimination for finding a decent bench grinder. I settled for a 7" Metabo, and am happy with it. Metabo DS 175 7-Inch Bench Grinder - Power Bench Grinders - Amazon.com

If you could afford to upgrade, the 8" gets better reviews for a little more money. Metabo DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder - Power Bench Grinders - Amazon.com

Like I said, I like the one I purchased, and I've since upgraded to a Norton wheel on one side and a 7" wire wheel on the other side. Happy with the way it runs, and I use one side to sharpen tungsten and the other side to clean mill scale.

 

[Whitnel]

Wade, Thanks for the suggestions. I read all of the reviews and that looks to be a good grinder with very few complaints. The only thing that worries me is everyone mentioned it needs a wheel with a 1 1/4" hole to fit the bushing. How did you get the wire wheel to fit on yours? Did you have spacer made as others have mentioned?

 

[wade23454]

Wade, Thanks for the suggestions. I read all of the reviews and that looks to be a good grinder with very few complaints. The only thing that worries me is everyone mentioned it needs a wheel with a 1 1/4" hole to fit the bushing. How did you get the wire wheel to fit on yours? Did you have spacer made as others have mentioned?

I think the larger hole makes the stones and wheels less likely to run out. I like the mounting system on the Metabo. I ordered my wire wheel from amazon:

Walter 13B070 Crimped Wire Stringer Bead Wheel Brush, Round Hole, Carbon Steel, 7" Diameter, 0.0118" Wire Diameter, 1-1/4" Arbor, 6000 Maximum RPM, Orange: Abrasive Wheel Brushes: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

The machine guard is removed for the wire wheel on mine, as it is too wide to fit inside the guard. If you wanted, you could go with a thinner wire wheel and keep the guard.

You can get anything you want to fit the Metabo from McMaster-Carr though.

 

[deerseeker001]

I also have the 8 inch grinder for a couple of years and I have had no problems.

I have the 8 inch Harbor Freight, I got about 15 years ago, and it works pretty well. You know how you always take a risk buying a Harbor Freight electrical tool. But this one has been good. But I have found recently it is easier to put a mower blade in a vise and go over it with a flap disk on the 4 1/2 angle grinder. I think I have better control, and the end result is better, but that is just me.

 

[Whitnel]

I think the larger hole makes the stones and wheels less likely to run out. I like the mounting system on the Metabo. I ordered my wire wheel from amazon:

You can get anything you want to fit the Metabo from McMaster-Carr though.

I found an 8" version of the wire wheel as well so that is good. The price of the wheels is more than the smaller arbor sizes but hopefully they are good quality.

I found any wheel you could want on the McMaster-Carr site. I will have to bookmark that site, never knew it was out there but looks like it has about anything you would need.

You may have just pushed me to get the Metabo.