[Newbie] Help Buying A New Bench Grinder

[NoSquib]

First off, I want to take a second and apologize in advance. This is my first post and I'm not really forum "handy" by any means, so I if I posted in the wrong place, or repeated a post, it wasn't on purpose. I joined another popular machining forum, but before I ever posted, I quickly realized that small guys on a budget like myself was NOT the kind they wanted to talk to! You folks seem much more friendly!
I'm in the slow process (too slow) of putting together a home shop to do some firearm machining. I think I have maybe, sorta, kinda, possibly made up my mind on which lathe to buy (I'm sure will be a future post). SO, while still beating my head against the wall, I thought "Hey, I should pick up my grinder and start making some tools!"
Geez, what a disaster that has turned into.... Seems I am greatly over analyzing grinders, or there just isn't a "good" 8" grinder out there (without spending $500+).
I first had decided on the DEWALT DW758 8-Inch Bench Grinder. Seemed like a good choice, until I started thinking about the 3600 rpm speed... I wanted 8" to get the wheels out past the motor since I always seem to find stuff longer to grind than I should. I also have hopes of actually making this a long lasting small business, so I also want the equipment to last. I thought it would be a good idea to pick one a bit slower instead. That TOTALLY threw my mind into a poop storm. I even raised my budget trying to find something. Is there a $200 grinder out there? Have I created a mess for myself that I shouldn't have?

 

[NoSquib]

Not sure how to edit....
I prefer 115 volt. Going to run single phase 220 for the lathe, but only have 150 amp service, so need to reserve as much power as I can....
Thanks

 

[stupoty]

I ran out of space in the workshop and had to swap out the line shaft driven bench grinders for a more conventional grinder, I went cheep, very cheep, as cheep as I could buy.

The cons;
I't is very un-balanced and vibrates a lot.

It gets very hot after an amount of time that seems to short

The guards are very easily scratched and are dificult to see through even when not scratched

The bolts for the guards and rest sometimes fall off due to vibration in use.

The rest is a joke played by a cruel designer.

Pros;

It grinds stuff

The wheels have lasted quite well

The plastic body dosnt rust. No thats just trying to find positives about it

It was cheep

It still works

The switch has a water resistant membrain that hasnt broken yet.


For rough grinding of steel it's handy but its vibration is a total pain for lathe tool grinding, i tend to finish all of them on an oil stone so i can get the angles better.

It's funny how grinders seem so simple but can be made so badly. My older line shaft grinding stands were a dream compared to this. Would be good to know others experience with the cheeper end of good grinders.

Good luck on the hunt,

Stuart

 

[NoSquib]

Stuart,
You care sharing which grinder you bought? Or was is the Dewalt I was first considering?

 

[Franko]

I have the Porter Cable version of this grinder. It is variable speed and runs very smooth. About $160 on Amazon. I have the 8" grinder, but I wish I'd gotten the 6".
It's usually out of balance wheels and brushes that make grinders vibrate.

 

[NoSquib]

Franko,
I saw that one (yeah, I'm an Amazon junkie at times). Years ago when my Dad built our shop, he had a Delta bench grinder I believe. That thing unfortunately outlasted him. I didn't know if they were still as good today (a lot have gotten crappy with time I.E. Craftsman)? Maybe I didn't see the tree for the forest, or the forest for the trees?

 

[stupoty]

Hello,

Mines a rebadged generic cheepie , a bit like this , https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cbg6rp-6in-bench-grinder?da=1&TC=GS-060510195

I tried to find a video of the dewalt one on youtube but could only find the 6 inch one being reviewd with an actual video of it. They had switched it on without bolting it down and it is much better than mine for vibration. Mine would literally walk off the table.

I saw some mixed reviews of the 8 inch one whilst googling, some saying well balanced some saying awful, so their quality control may not be so hot. Or they get dropped and thrown whilst being shipped and the weight of the wheels bends the shafts maybe?

Stuart

 

[NoSquib]

Hello,

Mines a rebadged generic cheepie , a bit like this , https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cbg6rp-6in-bench-grinder?da=1&TC=GS-060510195

I tried to find a video of the dewalt one on youtube but could only find the 6 inch one being reviewd with an actual video of it. They had switched it on without bolting it down and it is much better than mine for vibration. Mine would literally walk off the table.

I saw some mixed reviews of the 8 inch one whilst googling, some saying well balanced some saying awful, so their quality control may not be so hot. Or they get dropped and thrown whilst being shipped and the weight of the wheels bends the shafts maybe?

Stuart

Thanks,
Being that I would have purchased locally or Amazon Prime, I would have returned it if it was a quality issue. Instead, I'm concerned with the speed. Am I wrong, or is 3600 rpm a little fast to grind HSS tools from blanks?
Franko may have the ticket with the variable speed Delta....

 

[mikey]

Might go down in flames here but have you considered a belt sander/grinder instead? They are far more newbie-friendly than a bench grinder, at least in my experience. Something to think about.

 

[stupoty]

Thanks,
Being that I would have purchased locally or Amazon Prime, I would have returned it if it was a quality issue. Instead, I'm concerned with the speed. Am I wrong, or is 3600 rpm a little fast to grind HSS tools from blanks?
Franko may have the ticket with the variable speed Delta....

I probably should have returned it but I think maybe at that price it's probably the norm(i think i paid around £30 ), i'm amazed it still works, i've had it a while now. I was suposed to be a stop gap grinder but I just havn't made the step up to a nicer one. I've been keeping an eye out for one on a stand on the ebay as I think in my space that might be better as i need all the work surface I can squeeze in.


I just had a look at the rpm and its 2950 on mine which seems fine for my tools although im on 6inch wheels so the surface speed would be a bit lower than an 8 inch, and noticed it has a time of 30min written on it which it definetly gets hot before that.

We need a top ten list of good afordable bench grinders

Stuart