Delta VS 8″ grinder: 1st Impressions
Well, I sprung for the Delta variable speed 8″ grinder Monday night, $138 at Lowes. Set it up last night and gave it a spin. My first impressions. 1. The wheels SUCK!! The white one (finer grit, friable I hope), wobbles like a finalist in the latest hoola-hoop contest. Rather than order new Norton wheels, at $40+ a pop, I ordered the Oneway balancing system, since I’ll need it anyway. Hope it has enough sway to get these wheels to stop wobbling. 2. The only thing guaranteed “tooless” about the tooless wheel changing system is taking the wheel covers off. 3. The operator’s manual is in serious need of editing. It shows a wrench being used on the flats of the shaft in a place where there are no flats. (sheesh, where are the italics in this place? Guess I need to look for instructions). It’s beyond me why Delta doesn’t dedicate just a tad more time and $$ so that this grinder hits the market in good useable shape. They’re killing it with shoddy wheels and poorly illustrated manual!
Replies
Hi FG, Take your Wheel facing tool and run it against both wheels until they run true. Every wheel should be trued to the grinder. I sent the before but dont know if you got it nothing in the post
"Take your Wheel facing tool and run it against both wheels until they run true." Afraid that's not going to help with the side-to-side wobble. I have a wheel from Woodcraft that does the same thing, dressing is no help. The Oneway balancing kit should come tomorrow, so we'll see if that helps.
It's Norton wheels from now on for this baby!
HI FG, If you cant true the wheels to the grinder;then maybe its best to return it to Lowes and look for a better grinder, I have two Craftsman about 10/12 yrs old and they run true. When I first got them I had to true the wheels to the grinder. Much like turning on the lath, the rounder it gets the less wobble there is. I would take it back, its XMAS an your new gift should bring you joy
Have a Merry Christmas
Jabe
FG,
Why not return it? Out of the box it should run true. The wheels may not be the greatest, but they should be true.
They do not have to make a quality machine if their customers are willing to do the upgrades for them.
The question becomes Did you get a good variable speed motor for $138.00?
Don
Don, after looking at a number of low- to mid-priced grinders, have to say I'd be surprised to find one that runs true right out of the box. They don't put great wheels on these tihngs. I have no idea what kind of quality control they'd need on the inner workings (shaft, bearings, etc.) to produce a "true" grinder, but can bet it wouldn't happen at the <$200 price range, LOL.
I'll plod along with this Woodcraft slow-speed ginder, attend a few AAW meetings, and see what looks appealing on that front. Whatever it turns out to be, I'm sure it'll take some saving on my part to get one.
Forest Girl,
Take it back. New wheels will not improve the problem.
First I made a new hub for the wheels and balanced the wheels .
That did not help at all .
It is a lousy design. The inside flansh has only a 0.025 " rim to rest against .
Then when you tighten the lock nut with that lever action it will pull the wheel to one side.
there is nothing to hold the wheel in a 90° position to the motor shaft.
It took me some time to figure out what the problem was.
I finely made a larger shoulder and pressed that on to the motor shaft. I turned the flansh true and got rid of the locking levers on the nuts. So now I am happy. sort off. Oh I forget to mention I also had a bade motor control and the speed is still to high for a grinder . Not what you want to use on your tuning tools. A 6' would be better.Less surface speed.
Hilmar
I'm taking it back tomorrow.
I'm taking it back tomorrow. Got up early this morning and took the ferry to Seattle, went to Woodcraft and picked up their slow-speed grinder. Not the greatest, but it'll do for now. The surface speed will be about 25% lower than my current 6" grinder, not too fast, but not too slow if I use the right wheels. It will fit with the Wolverine sharpening jig, and give me a slightly less hollow grind on my tools.
Who would have thought that manufacturing standards would have slipped so far in our short lives. Nothing is built well, but rather to crap shoot that says if we sell 50 and 10 fail, only 5 will actually have to be replaced.
The sad part is it usually costs us more in time and effort to right the wrong, especially when you have to travel a distance. Over the counter replacement warranties are great but all to often limited only to getting another questionable product.
Maybe the old way of a good motor, a good arbor with multistage pulleys for speed control has its merits.
Something to think about for the long term.
Hope it works out for you.
Don
Hello
cost should not be a
Hello
cost should not be a red flag but $ 138.00 ?
Try a baldor it's worth the extra cost
SA
Cost is also a consideration -- in the past few months, I've shelled out several hundred dollars to get into this Vortex thing. I queried here at Knots, and there were enough people who had one and were satisfied, I figured I'd give it a try (knowing that I might not get lucky).
I have to keep some $$ in the checking account to pay for silly little things like health insurance.....
Don't worry - OB will take
Don't worry - OB will take care of us all -
The Baldor 6 in 1800 RPM is only around $ 300.00 - the white wheels extra - but a machine you'll have as long as you need it.
SA
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