Old Grinders

Date 09-16-2016 23:44 Edited 09-16-2016 23:48

Was at flea market in Western New York last week and found some old Black and Decker grinders. One has the tag, smaller grinder/sander. Can't make out the model number but can see everything else of course. Not sure of the size wheel the smaller one is capable of, figured I'd throw a 7" on it and give it a try.

The big one with the plastic handle is another mystery all together. The tag was held on with the metal pins, so to me that means it's fairly old but the tag is MIA. Guy said he thought it was a "Wildcat" but not for sure. The head on it looks identical to a Wildcat but so does the smaller grinder. The bigger one the housing is probably 5" in diameter and has one heck of a cord on it.

Both work great, cord needs a little work on the smaller one but no strange noises or anything.

If anybody has any ideas on models maybe or anything I'd appreciate it. One things for certain, they're made in the USA, that there is rare as chicken lips anymore!

By 803056

Date 09-17-2016 12:40 Edited 09-17-2016 15:25

I find that grinders more than a day old taste funny and, well to be blunt, I end up spending more time in the bathroom than I would like.

Al

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-17-2016 21:00

I have a shelf full of dead Chinese and German grinders(i.e., Metabo, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Lowe's Kobalt brand, Fein, yes, Fein) all dead as a hammer. So, if these work horses, made in America when we could actually build stuff to last, work, then I'll be money ahead. Don't have a helper to abuse things so they should last.

Grinding on the other hand, not a big fan myself but somebody has to do it and I've seen a grinder in the hands of people that (A) don't want to grind or (B) Don't know how to grind and they end up making more work for me in the long run.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 09-17-2016 21:33

If you are going to travel to somebody else's jobsite... Get guards :)

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-17-2016 23:13

Self Employed, OSHA states that Business owners and Federal Employees don't fall under their guidelines. First thing I read in the introduction at my OSHA 30 course, unless they've changed it since then. Can't remember the exact wording but when I asked the instructor he confirmed that I as the owner was out, lol!!

Most of the jobsites I'm at don't have that overpaid "Safety" guy wandering around with nothing but time on his hands. :lol:

By 803056

Date 09-18-2016 15:07

My old Black and Decker is still alive and kicking after nearly forty years of use. Like you mention, it been used with care and not abused over the years. I'm the only one that has used it, so I have no one to blame other than myself if it was abused.

Al

By Blaster (***)

Date 09-23-2016 19:15

Nice score! BD Wildcats are some of the best grinders ever built in my experience. Wish I could buy them again.

I'd put some guards on those ASAP. A guy at work was running an unguarded cupped wheel on a Wildcat, 9" if I recall. Anyhow he was knocking spatter off a table top and the wheel came apart. A shard of the wheel went right into his nutsack.

By Paladin (***)

Date 09-27-2016 03:53

He should have had the guard on his vital area I think.

I still have a Milwaukee 7 inch for when I really need to tackle something heavy. It is just about like the Wildcat, size and weight. I think I bought it around 1990.
Grinding overhead gets old real quick, guard or not.
Floyd

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 11-05-2016 21:47

A bd wildcat or standard 9" grinder (same diff) is the ultimate in workhorse ability. At nearly 25 lbs it is a near 3 horse 110 motor attached to an extremely heavy 90 degree gearset......unstobbable...mankiller... Hell me and Shawn witnessed a crew of 9 men using these in place of arc gougers....filled a small dumpster full of spent grinding rocks. it is the only grinder I will personally guarantee will last the rest of your life even if you bought it used. Change brushes and keep going.

There is a company from California whole selling these made by a Taiwanese company who is basically duplicating the old wildcat, B&D sold the rights to them. Around $350 a pop last time I checked.

When a helper gets on my nerves I make them grind with on of these,,,,good for their attitude and gives em a good workout to boot. :evil:

I think they went out of fashion for a couple of reasons, way too heavy, indestructible (wear out operators like changing socks). In other words they only sold you ONE, no repeat business.

Never been a fan of B&D but there Industrial tool division sold some of the most bulletproof drills, grinders ever made.