What Was This Pedestal From?

[MozamPete]

Picked up a new (to me) 8" bench grinder on a cast iron pedestal over the weekend for the equivalent of US$26.
The pedestal is not original to the grinder and the grinder has been attached with only one bolt so i'll probably do some modification and drill and tap some holes to mount it properly when I clean it up.



The Pedestal has 'MILLER' cast into the front of it. Out of interest does anyone have any idea what it was originally from?

 

[Bill C.]

I am not sure. The mounting holes in the base don't look very big for something heavy. At first glance I thought it may have been used for a bigger grinder/polisher. Still a nice fine.

 

[kvt]

I also thought it was from a big commercial grinder polisher. IT is a nice find, and you shout be bale to make a plate to adapt a current grinder on without having to drill holes in it. or anything. It has a nice indent in front for a water pot, etc.

 

[dlane]

Nice pedestal, the original holes / paint look to be for a large 12" ? Grinder with a water pot

 

[kd4gij]

From a Miller Falls Grinder

 

[MozamPete]

Thanks, Miller Falls would seem correct looking as some of their other equipment - very similar pedestals. The most similar one would seem to make if from around the 1930's.
Might go with an adapter plate and try and avoid making any new holes, would also give me something to mount a proper adjustable tool rest off of.

 

[MozamPete]

Looking a bit closer I actually found a name plate on the pedestal under at least three coats of different colored paint. After some careful paint stripping to remove the top layers of paint while causing as little damage to the text as possible (and a little interpolation) I got:

PAT. NO. _________ SER. NO ___42__ MOD. __3 HP__
CHAS E MILLER CORPORATION
ANDERSON RUBBER WORKS
MANUFACTURERS OF
FULL CIRCLE RETREADERS
VULCANIZING EQUIPMENT
ELECTRIC WINDMILLS
AND SPECIAL RUBBER WORKS
ANDERSON INDIANA U.S.A.​

The "42" and the "3 HP" are stamped, the rest is boilerplate.

So not Miller Falls and still none the wiser as to what it is from, but looks like it could of once been something more specialized than a grinder pedestal.

References I can find for the company from a quick internet search are from 1912 (article in The India Rubber World), the late 1920 (an advertisement in a 1927 Popular Science) to the late 1930 (a 1937 court case).​

 

[Dave Smith]

you didn't give the top plate size, but having the cut out area in the front would make a very good stand for an arbor press--it was probably made for a special rubber boot or rubbers machine like the ones used in La Crosse buckle boot company.

 

[MozamPete]

Top Plate is 9.5" x 11.5"
Base is 14" x 17.75"
Height is 32"

 

[4GSR]

The two key words " FULL CIRCLE RETREADERS VULCANIZING EQUIPMENT" Gives me the guess this was the stand for the big flexiable grinder that was mounted on it. Was used to prep the worn tires for either hole patching or re-treading. This goes back to the 1920's- 1960's. Anyone old enough to remember???? It was before my time.
Am I close?