Reid Surface Grinder

[Sandia]

Thinking about looking for a surface grinder, although I know nothing about them and have never run one. I found one locally advertised on Craigs list but have not inquired about it yet. It is a Reid 6X18 and uses 6 inch. wheels. Has been repainted and has hand pump oiler but I do not know what model it is. Were asking $1000 but lowered the price to $900. Is this something worth looking into and if so what should I look for? Thanks.

 

[Ray C]

I don't know much about the different models but Reid is fairly common along with Harig and B&S.

6" wheels seems a little odd. 7" Dia with a 1.25" center hole is more common in the class of machine I think you're after. Of course, there are bigger ones. You might want to check at MSC to see what wheels appropriate for surface grinders are available in 6". You'll need to know the hole diameter.

There are many analogies between lathes and SG's. The bed ways, motor and spindle bearings, motor track ways and bed must be in good condition so, use a keen eye on those areas when you inspect them. If there is any perceptible wiggle in the spindle, walk away. The bearings tend to be fairly large and expensive. Also, find-out if it has spare wheel adapter hubs. It's highly desirable to have one for each wheel. Sometimes, certain types are hard to come by.

Weight is a factor. The heavier the better.

My initial thought is that if it's in really good shape, $900 is probably OK (assuming you're OK w/ 6" wheels). A 6x12 new is running between 1900 to 3200 bucks.


Ray

 

[Richard King]

I looked it up on CL and it looks good, accept when I zoomed in on it and it looks like the top of the saddle ways on the right side are painted. Be sure the guards are there. They bolt on the ends of the table. It looks pretty good. Go look at it, check out if they painted the ways, It looks like a dealer and sometimes dealers hire some guy who paints cars and they paint the ways. Also stop at a auto store and buy a stethoscope usually cost about $10.00, take a flashlight and when you get there, have them turn on the spindle and listen to it with the scope probe on the spindle housing behind the wheel guard.

Have them turn off the spindle and keep listening as when it's coasting down is when you can really hear bad bearings. It sort of growls or rattles. Then do it near the back. Then move the table out as far as it will travel in both directions and look at the ways with the flashlight, they should be smooth and look for scrape marks or oil pockets. Do the same with the saddle. Open up the electrical box, the guards on the back and reach into the back and see if you can feel the ways, they should be smooth and no roughness. everything should move smoothly. See if there is a diamond with it to dress the wheel. Take a long some flat bar stock and lay it on the mag chuck and turn it on and try to pull it off. Check it in 4 or 5 places. If it looks good then offer him $500.00 cash and dicker from there. Take cash as many dealers prefer cash. Rich

PS: Check the back lash in the cross-slide feed screw too..should'nt be more then a 1/8 of a turn. If it is a reason for him to lower the price a little. Go with your gut too, watch the salesmen, some dealers are crooked and won't look you in the eyes when they are stretching the truth.

 

[JohnG]

I have a Reid #2 surface grinder. I paid $200 for it at a sealed bid auction of a high school machine shop a year ago. Mine may have been the only bid; it didn't draw much attention during the viewing. The thread "Rebuilt grinder lead screw" shows it and some of the work I did on it.

This is a heavy machine. The wear on the lead screw I rebuilt and on the handles showed very heavy use. Despite this, I'm getting results from it I am pleased with. I am retired and use it for my hobby, so I'm not expecting last word precision out of it. The vertical feed is calibrated to 0.005", and it does seem to hold that pretty much. I wouldn't expect tenths out of it.

The machine was filthy when I bought it, and I tore it down extensively to clean it. I was most impressed by the effectiveness of the labyrinth seals and wick oil feed to the spindle bearings in keeping grit out. These were immaculate.

Mine takes 7" wheels just fine.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

 

[Sandia]

Well, back to the drawing board. Called on the grinder and it was already sold. Oh well...

 

[Restorer]

Proceed with caution when purchasing a used grinding machine, unless you are skilled at way scraping and machine overhaul.

Many used grinders are badly worn. Years of use with out proper cleaning and oiling results in excess wear in the X, Y & Z slides.

If the machine is 3 phase a converter is necessary.

The primary use for the Reid 6 X 18 is Tool Grinding such a sheetmetal punches and dies etc. That is the alteration of hardened tool steel. If that is what you are doing so be it.
Otherwise it may become an expensive show piece in the corner of your shop.

For home shop use the surface grinder is one of the last machine acqusitions after all others have been acquired and tooled.

 

[Senna]

Proceed with caution when purchasing a used grinding machine, unless you are skilled at way scraping and machine overhaul.

Many used grinders are badly worn. Years of use with out proper cleaning and oiling results in excess wear in the X, Y & Z slides.

If the machine is 3 phase a converter is necessary.

The primary use for the Reid 6 X 18 is Tool Grinding such a sheetmetal punches and dies etc. That is the alteration of hardened tool steel. If that is what you are doing so be it.
Otherwise it may become an expensive show piece in the corner of your shop.

For home shop use the surface grinder is one of the last machine acqusitions after all others have been acquired and tooled.

I disagree.

I wouldn't want to have a home shop without at least one SG and one T&CG.

I look at SG's as I look at jointers in a wood shop. You get by without one for a long time but once you do get one you wonder how you got along without it so long.

 

[Walltoddj]

Thinking about looking for a surface grinder, although I know nothing about them and have never run one. I found one locally advertised on Craigs list but have not inquired about it yet. It is a Reid 6X18 and uses 6 inch. wheels. Has been repainted and has hand pump oiler but I do not know what model it is. Were asking $1000 but lowered the price to $900. Is this something worth looking into and if so what should I look for? Thanks.

I have to disagree with your statement that you can only use 6" wheels. I own the Reid 612 which is the same grinder just as 618 just a bigger chuck I run any 7" and a 8" x 1" for large surfaces. I've made no modifications to this grinder just wired it up.

Restorer The primary use for the Reid 6 X 18 is Tool Grinding such a sheetmetal punches and dies etc. That is the alteration of hardened tool steel. If that is what you are doing so be it.
Otherwise it may become an expensive show piece in the corner of your shop.

I've used this size grinder more that any other in the tool shops I've worked in and we had some large grinders A Madison with a 4'x6' chuck. It's a very versatile grinder for the shop because it's easy to use and easy to get around.

Todd

 

[EmilioG]

I've been looking at Reid SG's, just looking and researching. What about the magnetic chuck?
I see SG's for sale w/o the chuck. Are they hard to find ? expensive?