Who has a Baldor Grinder and where did you get it?

[David Weaver]

I now use it for almost all grinder work, except carving chisels.

That's the direction I've gone with the grinder. I have a tormek, but it has been relegated to carving tools and japanese tools that need major work.

Unless something from this discussion changes, I think I'm zeroed in on the 623E. I was hoping there would be a couple of other US made options, but it looks like dayton's (by the price) are overseas, as are wilton and palmgren. I don't see any other *good* 6" grinders, good in the sense as a one-time purchase with a proven history.

[Andrae Covington]

Can't offer any advice on Baldor grinders, but this discussion about quality vs cheap grinders reminded me of a post on the bridge city tools blog, entitled $5 for a 1/8" Twist Drill? Only in America... noting his experiences touring a factory in China. Obviously it's primarily about those cheap 119-piece drill bit sets, but he starts out talking about the bench grinders manufactured there.

I'll just quote the relevant part:

The total cost per grinder, landed in the US was $7.15. Of course at this price it would be asking too much for a UL tag.

These grinders were, and still are being sold here and the prices range from $49 to $200– awesome margins by any standard.

Behind the factory floor there was a small mountain of insulated wire that had been pulled from old cars, appliances, televisions and the like and it was replenished daily. Surrounding the wire mountain were a couple of dozen women who were stripping the wire of insulation. These wire remnants were then spliced together and used in the grinder motor windings. Completely illegal, and dangerous. But cheap.

I would say "you get what you pay for", but then I'd hate to pay $200 for one of those grinders. Although the Baldors seem expensive, at least you know you're getting a quality tool that will last.

[David Weaver]

One of the most frustrating things about import tools is the costs, as he mentioned there, are still "bean-counterized". Someone takes the cheapest route from A to B and nobody ever seems to emphasize doing things right at a reduced cost.

You would THINK that it should be possible to do a higher level of quality at a lower price, at least for some things, but for all of the tools I've seen, it seems to just be far lower price and some measure of lower quality. The critical details are always screwed up, and sometimes all of them are screwed up such that a tool can't even be used.

That is exactly why I'm not interested in chancing a $125 grinder when I know what I'll get for $300. I'm not arguing that it's a better value for everyone, but if I spend anything other than bare bones, I'm going to reward the people who do things right or there will soon be none of those people left. Obviously, by not buying at TFWW, it's clear that I'll still price shop (I found a 623E for $310 shipped), but I will price shop at the top of the quality range and not for things that *look* like they might be quality without proving it.

The supposed mid-range tools appear to be gone. There's crap at at low price, then there's crap marketed as mid range, and then there is high end at high end prices (and in some cases, there is now crap at high end prices when someone buys a brand and just slaps the label on crap). There are people selling those garbage grinders on ebay for $120, which is insulting, but I guess there's a sucker born every minute.

Until then, everyone who says they make import tools as good as the domestic tools - i'll believe it once they've proven it and done so with consistency that makes me sure I'll get what I think I'm getting before I even open the box.

[Bill Houghton]

7" Baldor. Inherited it from my uncle .

Having used it, I've definitely save my pennies up for another one; although the import Delta I bought some years back is a decent grinder (my son now has and uses it), the Baldor runs so smoothly it's amazing, and the rests are so much better built.

[Greg Portland]

I don't see any other *good* 6" grinders, good in the sense as a one-time purchase with a proven history.

The initial quality of the "heavy duty" version of the Grizzly grinders are at least on par with the Baldor options. I have only heavily used the Grizzly for a couple of years so longevity (20+ years of continual abuse, etc.) is still an unknown.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-1-...-Grinder/G0596

[Gary Herrmann]

20 yr old 7" Baldor pedestal grinder I picked up at an estate sale. I can't even tell it's on unless I look at the wheels.

Saving/looking for an 8" slow speed for my turning tools. Can't seem to find a used one around here, so may have to buy new.

[David Weaver]

The initial quality of the "heavy duty" version of the Grizzly grinders are at least on par with the Baldor options. I have only heavily used the Grizzly for a couple of years so longevity (20+ years of continual abuse, etc.) is still an unknown.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-1-...-Grinder/G0596

Yeah, they only have an 8" heavy duty, though.

And I wouldn't take a chance for a $100 difference were I looking for an 8 inch grinder (i'd have to pay tax and frieght in PA, which is a $600 vs. $700 issue).

I'm also a bit nonplussed with their inability to market a tool on its own merits only (instead of badmouthing competitors), and also have a bad taste in my mouth from their sales style at IWF two years ago (pushy salespeople).

[Johnny Kleso]

I got the place for you to buy from ENCO

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?P...MITEM=160-2022

Baldor 6" $249 and free shipping

free UPS shipping* on your order of $25 or more!
Simply enter Promo Code: FSNVP!

Hurry! Offer ends 11/30/10.

Orders Under 100lbs

PS: I would buy the model without the tools rests and spend the extra $100 on some nice LV tool rests..

PPS: I just recieved a new code..
Free UPS Shipping* on your Enco order of $25 or more. Simply use Promo Code: FSTHP to take advantage of Free Shipping today.
Act Now! This offer ends 11/30/10 at 11:00 PM EST.

[Raney Nelson]

I have a Woodcraft slowspeed 8" grinder. It's OK, and about $100 generally, but even with a oneway balancing system and a Wolverine toolrest it's nowhere near the quality (vibration being the major difference) of the Baldor. I have used many Baldors and they're by far the best I've used... nothing else made in the last 20 years comes close in my experience. I've been meaning to get a 6" fullspeed for a while, and this thread has pushed me over the edge.

Also, for what it's worth, I prefer the Norton 3x wheels to everything else I've used and find them well worth the extra cash; that makes the TFWW deal a very good one. Many people disagree with me about this, though (Larry Williams among them) so take that as you will. I'll personally don't like aluminum rests - they tend to get a lot of embedded particles and scratch up the blades - but again, Johnny's (rarebear) expertise on these things is second-to-none, so take that for what it's worth as well. As an alternative, the Wolverine rests are excellent, but you're paying close to $100 for them.

So to me, the long and short is that TFWW has a great deal for what I want.

However, if you don't want the CI toolrest and exhaust, then the Enco deal is better. Especially with a 15% off code for orders of $199 or more from Enco: NHEPR
Good until 11/30

(I doubt you can use both codes, but it's worth a shot)

PS - David, I just realized I never shipped those screws to you. I'll get them out this week.

[Johnny Kleso]

Hey Raney,
Good to see you..
I was just checking your website out a few days ago..

I also hate aluminum for tool rests and when I get time I will add a steel plate to the rests I made..

The cast iron Baldor is not much of a tool rest IMHO
I would put the $100 to better use

[David Weaver]

I guess if I don't go for the 623, my next choice would be the 612E. I like the cast wheel guards if for nothing else because of the weight they add.

The cast iron rests are a lot like the size and shape of the rests on my ryobi, and I get along fine with them.

The one thing I did at one point, which worked well, was to just epoxy a piece of shaped 1/8th inch O1 plate onto the cast rests. I knocked it off by accident banging something into the grinder, but I wouldn't have any qualms about that as long as the baldor rests are two-way rests like the ones I have now.

The best price I can do for the 623E is from the place mentioned earlier, and with shipping, it's about $310. Same place sells the grinder on ebay for $20 more

Raney, your experience solidifies my decision. I have *seen* baldors run but never got to use them myself. They were older, though, but even the good imports I've used are not quite right.

(no worries on the screws, do it whenever you get around to it)

At least if I'm going down, I dragged someone else down with me.

My dad has one of the old craftsman grinders like george mentioned. His actually runs really really smoothly, but my dad also grew up dirt poor and he doesn't give away or throw away anything unless it is totally spent, so I have zero chance of begging it off of him. Apparently other people think highly of them, too, because I saw one on a pedestal earlier today for $225 I do see them on CL here for cheap sometimes, but they always look abused or spent.

[Johnny Kleso]

David,

Be carefull the 01 dosen't come loose and trap between the wheel and CI Rest..

[David Weaver]

Will do. I will probably permanently attach it on a "good" grinder rather than just epoxy.

[jamie shard]

For what it's worth, I was thinking along the same lines (buy it once and enjoy) and I went with the Baldor 1SK6 model. It is a smaller horsepower 6" grinder, but instead of having two wheels, it has one wheel and a 1" belt sander. I originally bought it because I wanted to do fast knife sharpening as well. Now I'm realizing that many carving tools are sharpened with a flat bevel (not hollow grind) and belt sander is really helpful for tuning those tools.

It's about 300$ from kalamazoo industries. I didn't find any bargin prices when I was shopping.

As a side, I had a moment of disgust when I first put the machine together (some assembly required) and started it up. It vibrated/wobbled! I trued the wheel with a dresser and that reduced it, but not enough to make it worth buying a baldor... BUT then I read everything I could find on balancing wheels and I came across the approach of:

1) start up the ginder, if it wobbles then
2) stop the grinder and mark a line (radius) on the side of the wheel
3) loosen the bolt and carefully rotate the wheel 90 degrees without during the motor shaft, retighten
4) start up again
if it still wobbles, repeat but rotate 45 degrees then 22.5, then 11.25 etc.

For me, the 90 degree rotation fixed the wobble and it was dead smooth. Like someone said above, you couldn't tell if it was on by looking at it.

Hope this helps!

[David Weaver]

Thanks for the idea. I almost got one of those not too long ago but got a bench sander instead. I think when I was looking, I was only looking at the belt grinder with no wheel.

I'll pull the trigger one way or another by the end of the weekend.

I was looking over grinders last night and saw an add-on called "multi-tool", that also looked nice, but I think a 3.1 amp grinder is a little short on power for the belt rate that was given (5400 feet per minute). A shorter belt on the small size, but with an exposed wheel to use.