Grinder Recomendations

What is a good brand of surface grinder for a general purpose machine?

I have been around some older Brown and Sharpe and Blohm. Never really ran one though.

Some where around a 10" x 20" would be good. I also would want automatic on everything.

I am interested in new or used. I have about 1 month to purchase.

For new this really limits your options. Not many made anymore.

But Kent/Chevalier are both good brands. I think they may really be the same.

Okamoto, probably the best.

And you can get good service/parts from the above mentioned.

We have some of all these machines and no major issues.

If you look for used condition is probably more important than the brand.

Once other new bran is Harig but I don't have much experience with this brand.

Depending on what you are looking for getting a V.F.D. for the spindle and an overhead dresser would be the 2 most important options to me.

Budget? Minimum and maximum table/stroke size? How much height under the wheel do you need? How about HP? Are you looking to include dust/mist collection, coolant, or are you on any central systems?

You can win or lose on used. It all depends upon the condition of the machine and your ability to correctly analyze it. Can you do a test grind on one?

I've had surprisingly good luck with my used Kent grinder. Acer and Chevalier are both of about the same level, and I believe they're all still built in Taiwan. If looking at a new Euro-made one, I don't know who is still in the business. Here, I know Brown & Sharpe is out because I was working at Norton Company when we bought one of the last Micro Master type grinders they had built. That was around 1991. I'd have to agree with Cash about Okamoto, good stuff. I just don't know how small they go and what you are looking for. Automatics from Kent start at about an 8 x 18.

For a used surface grinder I would go with a Norton type S-3 8X24. Repair parts are still available , and these machines were over enginered. Good quality American iron.
JOHN

We have 2 Okamoto 8-20 grinders (a total of 7 Okamoto of varios sizes). 3 axis automatic with a servo controlled downfeed. Deadly accurate and reliable. We have used Okamoto for over 20 years and would have a hard time buying anything else.

I ran a Harig 612 with teflon ways for 23 years and other than changing the cable on occasion, never had any trouble with it. Hope this helps

Please take a look at the youtube video Westwood have made of our line of Jonsen Sanders. And a line of Jonsen Sander surface grinder.

YouTube - Jonsen Sander .....wmv

I have these machines in stock.

You can also contact me by phone 1-910-874-5414 website CNC Plasma Cutting Machines .

Surface Grinder

Please take a look at the youtube video Westwood have made of our line of Jonsen Sanders. And a line of Jonsen Sander surface grinder.

YouTube - Jonsen Sander .....wmv

I have these machines in stock.

You can also contact me by phone 1-910-874-5414 website CNC Plasma Cutting Machines .