Bench Grinder

[Aestus57Participant @aestus5782081]

Now then Peeps, my old bench grinder has given up the ghost after 32years. It was on old Warco 6" and has given sterling service over the years but now needs replacing.

So can anyone give a recommendation for a new one. The market seems to be flooded with cheap nasty ones with really flimsy tool rests and I'm looking for something just that little bit better, which will also take a tapered spindle for a polishing mop from time to time.

Needs to be from someone who does mail order to the far North of Scotland.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Peter.

[Aestus57Participant @aestus5782081]

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Creusen are top quality,

Tony

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Peter

I guess it depends on just what you intend to use your grinder for but the one I've had for many years was fairly cheap and still performs well. As to tool rests though many ( most?) are flimsy. My suggestion would be to buy a solid looking grinder, change the wheels for some decent ones and replace the tool rests. This can be something like this ( from Axminster) :-

or better still have a look at Harold Hall's site for a far more comprehensive "rest" to make.

regards

Norman

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Will second getting a half decent grinder then make decent rests, new wheels if needed.

[Halton TankParticipant @haltontank]

I have just bought a 6" bench grinder from ArcEuro (no connection, except as very satisfied customer). No yet really used in anger but exceptionally quiet compared with my old one.

Must praise ArcEuro and courier company for exceptionally delivery. Ordered last Tuesday morning and delivered Wednesday lunchtime bang in the middle of the time slot I was given.

Regards Luigi

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

nown bran Posted by Halton Tank on 16/06/2014 12:00:12:

I have just bought a 6" bench grinder from ArcEuro (no connection, except as very satisfied customer). No yet really used in anger but exceptionally quiet compared with my old one.

Must praise ArcEuro and courier company for exceptionally delivery. Ordered last Tuesday morning and delivered Wednesday lunchtime bang in the middle of the time slot I was given.

Regards Luigi

Visited the factory which makes these grinders. Was pleasantly surprised to see who they make the same models for (a well known Japanese power tool maker and a well known German power tool maker) …without naming brand names, and other lower specification models for well known U.S. And European power tool brands..

Ketan at ARC

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

FWIW I found an old and rather rough Elliott Selecta single phase bench grinder at a boot sale for £15 – new bearings were just over a tenner IIRC and after a clean and with these in place it is smooth as silk. I have a cheap B&Q one too and the Elliott is way quieter and with less vibration, plus it has decently solid rests. It's a bit taller but has much the same footprint as far as bench space goes. Anyway what I'm saying is don't discount getting an older industrial type one and replacing the bearings – if you can find one given your location, or a seller willing to send…

[Aestus57Participant @aestus5782081]

Thanks everyone. Was quite tempted by the ArcEuro models but was a bit put off by the "Wendeng" Chinese manufacture when doing a bit of research. However,…. we shall see, very near a decision, 6" or 8", does anyone have a preference?

[Andy CollinsParticipant @andycollins85655]

This thread prompted me to look at my grinder last night- a KangoWolf 8348 6" unit, with a view to determining shaft size to fit polishing mops.

On the inside of the top of the guarding on each wheel is an external thumbscrew-adjustable 'blade', similar to that which guides airflow onto a turbine.

Anyone know what this is for? I meant to take a photo, but didn't.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by Aestus57 on 17/06/2014 17:32:41:

Thanks everyone. Was quite tempted by the ArcEuro models but was a bit put off by the "Wendeng" Chinese manufacture when doing a bit of research. However,…. we shall see, very near a decision, 6" or 8", does anyone have a preference?

In terms of marketing, there in lies the problem. Most of the branded importers bring in cheaper models from the same manufacturer, never choosing to introduce the better functional model because of price. If you want to compare like to like, I have already given a clue for Japanese brand which starts with M and a three letter German brand beginning with A. If you do a search, you will probably find the same models as we sell …they also make for all the Lower speck models for almost all the U.S. Big box shifters ..

Ketan at ARC.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Andy, is it perhaps designed to run close to the wheel so the bits of metal and grinder dust don't go right round the wheel, and out the top. Ian S C good grinder that one

[Jon GibbsParticipant @jongibbs59756]

Hi Andy,

These are the spark guards and should really be set to run 1/16th" from the wheel to catch the sparks and debris as Ian says.

HTH

Jon

[Curtis RutterParticipant @curtisrutter61973]

Am in the process of searching for one too. Allwin Professional Heavy Duty Bench Grinder from Arc looks decent but the 6" has been out of stock for a while, anyone got one?

[mark smith 20Participant @marksmith20]

I bought an older Kef Slibette 8" off ebay for 20 quid a few years back and its a fantastic grinder, i modified the rests though. It runs for like 15 minutes after you switch it off. Like the one in this photo.

Bloody hell just checked the price of them and they are around 900 euros with VAT.

Edited By mark smith 20 on 05/02/2017 00:22:00

Edited By mark smith 20 on 05/02/2017 00:23:45

Edited By mark smith 20 on 05/02/2017 00:27:59

[LathejackParticipant @lathejack]

Warco themselves introduced some heavy duty single phase 6 & 8 inch bench grinders a few years ago, I'm not sure if they still list them though, These grinders looked quite substantial, and they made of point of the solid work rests fitted to them.

I took a look at them at one of the Harrogate shows, they did look larger and more robust than the usual grinders of the same size. The work rests were indeed strong and solid items, if a little rough and untidy on the examples on show.

Edited By Lathejack on 05/02/2017 01:35:07

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 15/06/2014 14:45:36:

Creusen are top quality,

Tony

+1.

Not cheap, but top quality.

I have the Creusen vertical belt linisher one side, polisher the other side.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by mark smith 20 on 05/02/2017 00:16:21:

I bought an older Kef Slibette 8" off ebay for 20 quid a few years back and its a fantastic grinder, i modified the rests though. It runs for like 15 minutes after you switch it off. Like the one in this photo.

Bloody hell just checked the price of them and they are around 900 euros with VAT.

Man after my own heart. I buy 6" and 8" grinders at garage sales for $10 a pop quite often. All older but good quality Australian-made models and so far none have even needed new bearings. They don't get much use in the typical home workshop. Many are used to sharpen the odd lawnmower blade and that's about it. It's cheaper than buying new wheels for my existing grinders, so I have ended up with a good stock waiting to be turned into buffing machines, T&C grinders, toolpost grinders etc, one day …

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I would initially ask 'Why replace? Why not repair?"

What is stopping another 32 years good service from this unit? New bearings are cheap. Start winding switches are cheap. The same quality or durability will likely not be available at the price of that one, nowadays!

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 15/06/2014 14:45:36:

Creusen are top quality,

Tony

I think they need to be given the price. Unless they're made of some special metal I guess their workers are on about €40 an hour. My grinders about 35 years old now and still going strong. Cost me £30 at the time which even then was still pretty cheap for a grinder.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Posted by Vic on 05/02/2017 10:25:04:

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 15/06/2014 14:45:36:

Creusen are top quality,

Tony

I think they need to be given the price. Unless they're made of some special metal I guess their workers are on about €40 an hour. My grinders about 35 years old now and still going strong. Cost me £30 at the time which even then was still pretty cheap for a grinder.

Vic, My post is 3 years old but prices are freely available on the net. I went for a Creusen in the end because the budget far eastern grinder I purchased vibrated to an unacceptable level & after many hours trying to sort it out it was scrapped off.

I did baulk at the Creusen price to start with but it has been a pleasure to use.

Tony

[MalcBParticipant @malcb52554]

Out of interest:

Has any body stripped any of the 3 phase bench grinders to see if their motors have the option of being wired for Delta?

Malc

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

I prefer 8 inch grinders to 6 inch grinders, with a larger wheel the hollow ground effect is less which gives a stronger edge to a tool bit. My 8 inch grinder with 3/4 in wide wheels is Warco and made in europe,is now quite old and still going strong,about 10 years ago I bought another 8 inch grinder from warco ,far eastern manufacture,not as good,vibrates a bit but it works,it has 1 1/4 inch wide wheels, this enables me to grind drills up to 2 inch dia . Machine shops in the 1950s tended to use floor standing grinders with at least 12 inch dia wheels real steady machines with rigid tool rests and never seemed to go wrong.

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

I never use the front of the wheel when grinding drill bits or tool bits,I use the side of the wheel. Am I doing something wrong,will I be drummed out ?

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Just wondering,why do suppliers not want to deliver to the North of Scotland or some of the islands,are you not all part of the "U K" ? Many of them will not deliver over here either,maybe they fear being attacked by the natives ,but most of us are OK these days,although there still a few—————–.

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