What's the best surface grinder and why?

[DavidR8]

Likewise Parker Majestic who are still in business and have parts for older machines.

 

[benmychree]

It really depends what service it is going to put to, especially whether for toolroom use or production use where stock removal rate is more important than extreme accuracy, in mu shop downtown I had a 12 X 36 with 2 X 12" wheels and about 5HP, can't remember the make just now, but a very capable machine, came from Government storage, in excellent condition.

 

[Pevehouse]

I have a Harig 618 that I’m restoring. Got roller bearings for the ways.

 

[benmychree]

That's the BEST kind !

The guy who gave it bought 5 B&S surface grinders at auction, kept the 4 manual machines, used in his tool & die shop for punch and die sharpening; best for that use due to the long overtravel of the hydraulic machines, even with the stops right against each other.

 

[GT-6 Racer]

I have a 618 Harig Automatic with HSS ways. Very nice machine 80's model best I can tell. It does what i need. power feed is a definite must for anything other than tool or punch grinding. I wish mine had auto down, but just X & Y. The Harig does reverse Y so you can let it go and spark out. Flood coolant is another must for grinding anything big or holding tight flatness tolerances. The 6 x 18 is a nice size, does most everything i want, but one size bigger would be nice. With grinders it not the machine that breaks the bank. It is the accessories. vises, parallel blocks, v blocks, spindex, punch grinders, electric centers, on and on and on.... it's a nice addiction though.

 

[mmcmdl]

The guy who gave it bought 5 B&S surface grinders at auction, kept the 4 manual machines, used in his tool & die shop for punch and die sharpening; best for that use due to the long overtravel of the hydraulic machines, even with the stops right against each other.

Absolutely ! We had these large lever handles on the manual machines for just that being a die shop . The shop that just closed ( Tool and Die Specialties ) had a SG with an 8' table . I could hear it running over the DeVlieg chatter that I was running . I don't remember them having a Blanchard strangely , but my memory ain't what it used to be .