I'm looking for a GOOD bench grinder. Any one have a recommendation? Not interested in some cheap crap from HF. I like nice tools and plan to keep it for a long time. I have my eye on this; http://www.deltamachinery.com/products/grinding-sharpening/item/23-197 Thoughts? Maybe 8" is overkill? FYI, I'll likely add a wire wheel to one side.
I had a 2011 Craftsman 8 inch bench grinder and it was awful.....despite being on a dedicated circuit, my grandmother had bigger balls than this thing. The Craftsman stand cost me something like $75.00 extra and the dang thing didn't fit....I had to drill holes in metal, buy bolts and lock washers etc and the grinder still shook like a tambourine. You asked what is a good bench grinder to buy and all I can tell you is what not to buy......
I've practically gave up on Craftsman power tools. Nothing they've made of late seems much better than a HF tool. Too harsh? Maybe. Even their hand tools are getting less dependable. Hell at one time Craftsman was all that was in my tool box.
Hey golf66. Got an extra keyboard??? I just spit a whole bunch of beer onto mine and I'm pretty sure it won't work well once it dries. Evanrude. Try Grainger and check out the Dayton or Jet grinders.
Look at Baldor, they make good industrial quality equipment. I have a Baldor pedestal buffer. We have several at work, they hold up quite well.
Delta is middle of the road for me. I had a bandsaw of theirs and it was ok but not impressive by any means. Any modern power tool is usually made in China, some are still better than others though. I have this one and have put it through its paces...VERY impressed with it. I have a brass wire wheel on one side and that gets the most use. Once you pick it up you are truly impressed by the weight of it. http://www.dewalt.com/tools/metalworking-grinders-bench-grinders-dw758.aspx But all my favorite power tools are 1950's Craftsman. I have a floor model drill press, a sabre saw (jig saw), and a table saw - all 1950's and 1960's craftsman. Best tools I've ever owned, built like tanks and built to last. If you could find one on craigslist from the 50's that would be my first choice.
I haven't bought any new Craftsman hand tools in 20 years,back when they were still made in USA.When I want/need certain things I checkout local flea markets,garage/estate sales & even feebay for the older stuff.Much cheaper than new & the quality is way better than the made in china crap sold today. Delta (like other makes) used to be better made also.My 1988 14" bandsaw with riser block is built like a tank,still dead on accurate after many thousands of hours of use. September 2013 I removed a huge old dying apple tree/pruned another large one from an retired lady's yard on south side of town.In addition to getting 1.5 loads of wood for fuel & my little smoker she also gave me all the apples & tomatoes I wanted PLUS a late 40's-early 50's Delta Homecraft 8" table saw.ALL cast iron & stamped steel parts - NO plastic anywhere,even the adjustment knobs are polished cast aluminum.1/2 horse motor works good,machine just needs a good cleaning/polishing of table top & the fence rails are missing.Those can be found fairly easily,I just haven't done it yet.Saw is in basement of little house at parents acreage,when I get it restored it will stay in the garage when its used.
I bought a 6" Delta back in '98 and it still works like the day I mounted it on the bench. And yep, I put a wire wheel on one side and use it often.
I have an older dayton 8" grinder from grainger. I was grinding something at work and the wheel guard was too far off the wheel and snatched the part out of my hand, wedged it down against the wheel and the side cover..It broke the cast alum side cover when it sucked it down, work was going to through it out, its 12-15 years old. It never bogged or slowed down. They replaced it with a new model that was a "replacement" for it and it sucks.. grinding a simple piece of steel and trying to take a normal amount slows it way down. I'm so glad they "threw" it out. It works great in my garage! Seriously, look for an older grinder. EVERYTHING newer just plain sucks. I prefer an 8" over the smaller ones just because the surface area of the wheel you can use for bigger parts.
Evanrude we run A LOT of delta stuff at work and since they where bought out it's all junk and absalutly no customer service... The same with Dewalt. Along with my other duties I repair most of the equipment we run and it is very very hard to get parts for their stuff now. Most of what we have has RYOBI PART NUMBERS FOR DELTA NOW. They also do not ship fast at all..... Updated 1/17: Stanley Black & Decker has sold the Delta brand to a Taiwanese company, Chang Type Industrial Co., Ltd., which makes power tools for a number of well-known brands, including Craftsman, DeWalt, Ryobi, and Black & Decker. The new company has been renamed Delta Power Equipment Corp. My opinion Baldor is your best bet and they do make good stuff! I have a few Baldor industrial 3 phase Motors and they are built far better than any Delta stuff now. http://www.baldor.com/default.asp I'll also add that I use a lot of Harbor Freight electric tools at home and the windings are actually far better than any of the new stuff listed above ( except Baldor.) I clean out our motors frequently due to high dust amounts and am amazed at how sloppy the new ones are. The reality is it's mostly made in china now for everybody. What I do is search US Made ( bench grinder) or whatever the item is to find better quality.
Its a shame all these great brand names are now tarnished. I figured Delta isn't what it once was, but it's really that bad? Maybe I'll keep an eye on craigslist for a while and see if something comes up. I've been looking there for a nice older Rockwell/delta, craftsman or other old us made drill press. Prices are quite stiff, but I do see deals. However when I do, I'm not able to make the trip or I'm flat broke.
Yes they are that bad now. Some parts even have a no ETA listed meaning they won't give a ship date and they have a waiting list for parts a mile long because they admitidly don't make this parts anymore. It's actually why most Delta suppliers that are small business around us stopped carrying them.
http://www.amazon.com/Baldor-662R-3...17141600&sr=1-1&keywords=baldor+bench+grinder Baldor makes the best bench grinder and I think they are the last of the American made grinders..
Its a shame these brands build a name on on American made parts and sweat then sell out. So the poor uninformed consumer still thinks its a good brand but in reality it is a piece of chinese junk.
baldor grinders and buffers, best way to fly,still able to hand down to next generation, They use good quality bearings in them even if they are Chi-com mfg as most bearing are. Just a better class than most others. Look for a used industrial machinery dealer in your area, might be surprised what you can find there, and put your hagel hat on, only way to deal with these guys.
I actually have the harbor freight 3/4 HP 8" bench grinder for $40 and like it better than the delta one I used to have. I can totally understand wanting a better one though.
I have big honkin' Delta from the 50's or 60's. It takes two men and a boy to move it, but it works REAL good. If you can wait, I'd be patient for a used one to pop up. I'll also say that Delta Quality has taken a dump over the past 10 years. I have an older conractor table saw that is very sturdy and accurate. I was in Lowe's the other day looking at the newest generation of the same basic model and it is junk compared to what I have. Grizzly Industrial, I'm told, still makes decent tools. Might be worth a look, but I can't vouch.
The units back in the day had a ton of torque, lot of the stuff now has no guts at all. keep a close eye on the hf unit duty cycles are pretty short on the electric motor stuff.
no idea on quality but $46 lower than other places. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-6-...mc=shopping-_-pricegrabber-_-D25X-_-205216311