Thread: Anyone tried this grinder?

I came across this grinder today and wondered if anyone has used it:
General International 1 inch or 2 inch x 42 inch Belt and Disc S [GEN-15142M1] - $329.95 : KMS Tools & Equipment from Vancouver BC, Largest selection of tools in Canada

It looks a bit fast, but relatively well built and has access to the top wheel for hollowing.

You may find it useful for small work, or utility work but not for hogging off metal rapidly or making a smooth hollow. I would not recommend hollow grinding on the top wheel because eventually (sooner rather than later) you will ruin the belt tracking system at that point. It would be better to find a grinder with a dedicated contact wheel in the diameter of your choosing, or better yet, one that will accept a variety of wheel diameters.

The disk grinder would be very useful for flat grinding, profiling scales etc.

I also have a Grizzly and a 36 grit ceramic belt, which helps, but I can't do much for hollow grinds because of the 8" drive wheel.

I have also been dreaming up some homemade designs for running pulleys off the shaft of my buffer motor, but it's early days and I get precious little time in the shed.

An 8 inch wheel can produce a fine wedge shape though. The idea of pulley drives is a good one. Reducing rpms is very helpful in some grinding operations. Finding time is always a hard search for the busy.

I did have a 'clone' of that grinder, available in the UK.

Like Mike said, not a lot of power for metal removal, but I did use it for a long time for making scales with - along with a lot of handwork with jigsaw, rasps and files, sandpaper, tripoli and of course a pillar drill.

I needed some space recently, and gifted it to a neighbour, who seems pretty pleased with it. He is being taught woodwork 'on the job' and reckons it has helped a lot.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

An 8 inch wheel can produce a fine wedge shape though. The idea of pulley drives is a good one. Reducing rpms is very helpful in some grinding operations. Finding time is always a hard search for the busy.

I still use those systems for buffer spindles and grinder - a three-step pulley is quite inexpensive and gives you a lot of speed control. Combined with a moving bed to sit the motor on, you can change speeds in a very short time.

Regards,
Neil

Thanks, guys. I am amazed how expensive the pulleys are. Looks like $150 for the parts to make the pulleys and arbor. For the trouble it looks like that grinder may be a good plan. First though, a 2" contact wheel and drive belts directly off the Grizzly shaft.

That's amazing - stuff in the US is usually miles cheaper than here in the UK! I just got three contact wheels from a US knife supply company for less than the price that a certain UK company wanted for one of them! And I am not totally sure that the UK company do not get their stock from the US, as I 'bit the bullet' and asked them to make a custom diameter one for me (they advertise this service) and they reckoned they couldn't do it...

Seriously though, an aluminium 3-step pulley over here can be had from £11 to £20, though you can pay much more of course.

I guess everything is relative to your circumstances and expectations, though.

Regards,
Neil

Canada... Small market, mostly industrial where I live. Maybe I'll do some more shopping around.