In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:
OK, I added some stuff and moved some text around -- then I saved this
file, because "how to buy a little surface grinder" is actually a FAQ.

I have learned all of this by experience. None of what follows is from
conjecture or from something I read. - GWE

I'll toss in a very few extra comments, snipping what I am
leaving uncommented on.

[ ... ]

Electric chucks are better than manual.

With one caveat. Consider the power source for the chuck. I
have the smallest of the Sanford grinders (4x7" IIRC), and there is a
warning to *not* use electromagnetic chucks and coolant at the same
time. A very good reason for this is that the power to the chuck is
derived from a minimal amount of circuitry inside the base of the
machine (rectifier, capacitor, and resistor) with *no* isolation
transformer -- so you could be connected to the power line through the
coolant. *Not* a good idea.

[ ... ]

Flood coolant is real nice too but messy.

And dangerous -- as above -- if the power supply does not
include an isolation transformer -- and ideally it should be located
behind the machine, not under it, where coolant can flow into the
circuitry.

Buy from a manufacturer that is still in business. I like K.O. Lee.
A good friend bought new from Chevalier, he's happy too.

My Sanford may have been the last one to receive a replacement
manual from the makers before they stopped communicating with the world.
I don't know *why* they stopped -- owner died? Chapter 11? Lawsuits?
Just tired of running the company? Does anyone know?

It's real handy if the grinder uses standard wheel holders like
those made by Sopko. A nice plus is if it comes with one or
two Sopko wheel wrenches and real big plus if it comes with a
balancing spindle and balancing ways -- little surface grinders
do a lot better with a nicely balanced wheel.

My Sanford uses smaller wheels -- 4" ones, so larger toolpost
grinder wheels are probably the easiest ones to fit. You can make
adaptor hubs for anything down to a 1/2" hole with a lathe. This one is
a very simple mounting system.

Probably others should add their suggestions here. Harold
Vrodos probably would be a primary source of information here.

Once it is all done, it needs to be put on a web page somewhere
-- one accessible to anyone, not ones requiring signing up to a service
to access them, and the location added to Scott Logan's regular posting
of FAQ links.

Enjoy,
DoN.
--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---