Surface Grinder opinions? 12” or 18”?

[Mill Lee farm]

Wow… what is this monster? Never heard of Thompson grinders? Anyone? Definitely a different build style with the side hanging head?

Surface grinder - tools - by owner - sale

Hydraulic Thompson surface grinder with a 6x18 magnetic chuck. The machine was removed from a shut down machine shop. Ran when removed. Comes with a manual. 1 1/2hp motor 3 phase. Located in...

pittsburgh.craigslist.org

 

[mmcmdl]

So my ex-coworkers father inlaw recently passed away and owned a fully equipped shop . He's sending pics and info on what he has . I'm not really in the buying mode as I have to unload all of my stuff , but let's see what he has . He is up in Westminster which is closer to you .

 

[mmcmdl]

So my ex-coworkers father inlaw recently passed away and owned a fully equipped shop . He's sending pics and info on what he has . I'm not really in the buying mode as I have to unload all of my stuff , but let's see what he has . He is up in Westminster which is closer to you .

So everything I own is up for sale . My retirement plans are on hold for now after the reviews for the year . But anyway , I'm not a buyer but I'll connect those intersted in anything . The door is always open as you know .

 

[Mill Lee farm]

Definitely appreciated Dave! I do need to get down to visit!
I’ve been afraid to because my budget has been all over the place and Your requirement is that “No one leaves empty handed!!!”

 

[mmcmdl]

And I have NOT got the garage door open yet . Fair weather machinist here . The Vidmars have to leave . The Kubota and zero turn mower spent the winter outside which kills me .

 

[Mill Lee farm]

Zero turn and Kubota need love too!!!
I know the feeling… I’ve had a few things under a tarp that should really be indoors >sigh<

 

[rodm1]

See if you can get one with the head down feed wheel at table level. Reaching up and over the table to the top of the head to turn a wheel isn't my favorite thing to do.

 

[buffdan]

There's a nice looking Jakobsen 824 for sale on FB marketplace, Paramus, NJ Maybe a bit large for you, but....

 

[jwmelvin]

do you find yourself using more than 12”? Would you have been ok with a 6x12 hydraulic?

Do you just like the ease of use of the automatic? Or does it result in better finish?
Or literally just easier to use if you’re only worrying about downfeed?

I would have been okay with 12” so far. But I can see where 18” might make a difference.

The hydraulics mean I can do things that just wouldn’t be that practical, like a fairly large surface with a fairly deep cut and small stepovers. One pass might take 20 minutes or more. But for sure sometimes it’s easier to do everything manually.

 

[682bear]

Thompson makes grinders a little bigger than most...

A couple of years ago, I passed on a Thompson that had a 24x60" table... or maybe it was 72" long... I don't remember...

It was a running grinder... still in use... for $800... but it was also 16,000 pounds, IIRC... way too big for my shop.

-Bear