Baldor Pedestal Grinder

PV, Believe they are called a carbide grinder. I would think that's a good price, especially if the diamond wheel is in good shape. I use mine a lot, but then I have a CNC lathe and use it to sharpen carbide boring bars primarily.

I would imagine you have an SG as well. Is it just easier to do that type of sharpening on a carbide grinder?

-- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll

PV, Yes I have a surface grinder also. I have a conventional wheel for it and a radius wheel for grinding chip breakers. Sharpening small solid carbide boring bars is much easier on the Baldor pedestal grinder.

I use the surface grinder to sharpen Thinbits. Also use the surface grinder to neck down shanks on carbide endmills with the help of a spin-dex.

I sold one like this, although in 3 phase/440v, for $100.

I picked mine up from a friend, like new, US$ 150, but no diamond wheel. And mine has what I believe to be the standard switch, so the wheel is running "down" no matter which side of either wheel you are working on.

Brian Lawson.

"Tool Grinders" is the most common name for this grinder. Ive got one of the Baldors..two actually..the second being a Taiwanese clone. One is set up for carbide, the other for HSS.

Be advised that Harbor Freight is now selling a clone..which appears to be very well made, rugged and a virtual clone..for $149 with sales pricing dropping this to about $100. A number of folks on rec.crafts.metalworking have purchased these, with no problems noted..and a good number of these people are retired machinists or active commercial machinists.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

I do not know about that tool room grinder that I sold vs. the HF one, since I do not have 440v 3ph. What I do know is that I have a 1/2 HP Baldor grinder, that cannot even compare to cheap grinders. The Baldor is super quiet and has extremely smooth bearings, it keeps turning for many minutes after being powered off. Maybe the HF tool room grinder is different from the regular cheap grinders that I saw.

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

So far..by all reports..it seems to be holding up quite well. As I said before..Ive a real baldor..and a taiwanese clone..and cant find any operational differences. Fit and finish are equal, as is how long the wheels spin after shutting the power off. In fact..the clone takes longer to run down, though it is somewhat newer so the bearings are likely to be in better shape.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

I got a guy who has these baldor grinders, and might have extras, or might can get them. Innerested?

I wound up not taking either baldor, but a Delta instead, for a few reasons. The Baldor that I liked least in fact had the longest spinning time, the Delta the shortest. Man, one baldor would go for 5 minutes! You couldn't even tell if you turned the power off or not!

But, the Delta seemed a little smoother vibration-wise--altho now in retrospect I realize that could just be wheel imbalance in the baldors. The Delta was beefier/heavier, seemed better buiilt (nicer table locking, I thought), also a 3 ph motor, which I prefer (simpler, easier to rewind, I was told). Both 1 ph Baldors were also reversible. Also, the Delta had a "peg" thru each wheel guard, which appears to be a brake, altho I initially thought it was a shaft-lock.

-- Mr. PV'd

Maybe. But the shaft-locks in my un-vast experience have been "real" locks, ie, a pin thru a hole in the shaft, or the equivalent--not pure friction. But a nice, uh, touch. :) These grinders don't nut the wheels on a shaft, the wheels are screwed to what appears to be a heavy integral flange, w/ 4 fair-sized screws. Nice.

-- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll

I could use a water cup. I gave mine away IRRC.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

True, but the flanges themselves are held on with a large nut, much like the normal wheels are held.

Dan Mitchell ============