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I would love to get a Baldor but it's probably going over my budget. What are some of the more reliable 6" grinders you guys use? I'm looking for something that will run relatively quiet and smooth.
-John

Yeah, I've got one Baldor motor in the shop and wished I had more but the tools they're hooked to are just too expensive.
I've used a number of 6" and 8" grinders over the years and would recommend an 8". I like the slow-speed grinder I got several years ago from Woodcraft. I think it's on sale now but if it isn't it goes on sale several times a year. Check here: http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4605

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

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Go with the 8" slow speed. Most grinders are intended for removing a lot of metal without regard to heating or annealing the steel. Your needs are more for one that runs cool and doesn't hollow the ground side too much.

Wheels: avoid the grey silicon carbide wheels. The colors used to mean more, but now the manufacturers add color for sale appeal. Still, most white, blue, and red wheels are designed to run cooler. The binders in the wheels come in the letters H-K, with H being the softest. H wheels will run coolest, but they lose their shape easily. I suggest I or J.

Now here's something often overlooked: your grinder is only going to serve you well if it is balanced and/or vibration damped. It's a mistake to think it will do the job taken out of the box and set down on a table, even if it is a Baldor. The discs that the nuts tighten against that align the wheels to the shaft are junk on most grinders, and won't hold the wheels square to the shaft. Use saw blade stabilizers instead. Try tightening them in a few positions until you get the least side play. It can pay off to actually balance the wheels, but this is a bit tedious. What you also can do that helps a lot is mount the grinder to a massive, rigid, vibration-damping table. Thick timbers do the job nicely. Surprisingly many grinder problems can be cured with a good mounting table.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.