Baldor Grinder advice needed...

[Clisby Clark]

So I picked up an old 7307-7 inch, 3400rpm with the cast iron base for a "hunnert" as we say down here in GA. Naturally, it's got the glazed over gray and rough black wheels that all used grinders seem to have. I plan to replace them with the 3M white stone from TFWW. Now come my issues and questions.

First the grinder doesn't have any eye shields. It does have the 3/4 full cast iron shrouds over the back of the wheels with two holes tapped on the inside of the shroud and one hole tapped on the edge of the shroud dirctlly over the tool rest. I believe this grinder came equipped with the lighted shields as I have two loose wires hanging down the back with bulb sockets on the end that light up when I put a bulb in the socket. I priced out the lighted shields and they cost more than I've got in the grinder so that option is out. Would you get the standard shields and fabricate something for the bulbls, or just skip the shields altogether? I'm open to any idea how to fabricate the dangling wire into a flexible fixture.

Finally. Has anyone used a 7 inch wheel on a high speed grinder for chisels and plane irons? I know Joel at TFWW says a 6 inch high speed is fine with the white wheels but he says the 8 inch HS goes too fast and is prone to burning. As always, I appreciate all help and comments.

[Gary Kman]

I use a 6" white aluminum oxide wheel at 3450 and like it. It's the guy holding the tool that burns tools not the grinder. Dress wheel often. Don't grind to the edge, leave it for hand sharpening. Bailing wire wound into a cable around your palm to elbow then twisted makes a great snake for your light. Put it and electric conductors inside a piece of flexible conduit.

[Chris Fournier]

I use a 7" wheel at 3450 RPM on my Milwaukee grinder for all my woodshop bench grinding. Burning is an operator error sort of thing, unless I have been lazy about wheel dressing or not paying attention to the task at hand burning is a very rare occurance in my shop. I suggest that you try a 46 grit wheel!

[Gary Herrmann]

I picked up a used 7" baldor on pedestal a couple years ago. I got lucky - mine wasn't missing any accessories. If you want to add lights, I'd add shields too. A bare light bulb that close to a grinding wheel is asking for it, IMO. Mine is an 1800, so can't help you on speed, but you're fine at the higher speed too.

I used an old beat up grinder for years without any shields and never had any problems, but I was even dumber then.

What about a magnetic base task light?

[Jerry Bruette]

Skip the shields on the grinder and wear either safety glasses or a face shield-or both. The shields on the grinder will eventually be scratched or pitted and you wouldn't be able to see clearly anyway. Be sure you have the tongue guard installed and properly adjusted though.

The burning issue, as the others have stated, is operator error. The only thing that changes with the diameter of the wheel is the surface feet per minute that passes by your tool rest. The RPM is the same no matter what diameter the wheel is.

Jerry