Thread: Bosch 8 Inch Bench Grinder

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Does anyone know if the green A&A units are still made in Australia, if not are they really worth the premium price?

One, and one only, guess.

Thanks for the heads up on the Bosch grinder, I'll have a look. Reckon I'll need two grinders, and one of them will definitely be the half-speed Vicmarc with a CBN wheel. Full speed for the other.

Couple of problems with it.
only 600 watts and has a wheel bore of 32mm not as common these days when most wheels have a 25mm bore

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Couple of problems with it.
only 600 watts and has a wheel bore of 32mm not as common these days when most wheels have a 25mm bore

Nice pickup on the 25 vs 32mm bore, I will check what Norton have in their range to see availability.

The green Abbott and Ashby is also only 600watts. Given I will be using it to sharpen not as a wire wheel or to remove big chunks of steel from items being fabricated I reckon a modern 600watt motor should do the job.

Be interested to find where they are made as they are not the same casting/shape as anything else I have seen so not as likely to just be a rebadged item such as some.

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Nice pickup on the 25 vs 32mm bore

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Be interested to find where they are made as they are not the same casting/shape as anything else I have seen so not as likely to just be a rebadged item such as some.

I'd say you have a choice of Germany or China. The purchase price of $169 should narrow that down.

The Vicmarc is 1500 watts (and a behemoth ~30kgs). Then there is what looks like the same thing, different colour, 900 watts and full speed:
https://www.tradetools.com/products/TTBG8HD



Burnsy, you may get some benefit from this thread.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

The Vicmarc is 1500 watts (and a behemoth ~30kgs). Then there is what looks like the same thing, different colour, 900 watts and full speed:
https://www.tradetools.com/products/TTBG8HD

.

Agree - the biggest and most important difference is not power but the fact that the Vicmarc is a slow speed grinder! Addams Norton 3X wheel to the Vicmarc & you have a great setup for fast shaping.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

... and has a wheel bore of 32mm not as common these days when most wheels have a 25mm bore

It's not totally cut and dried - the bore on the wheels is 32mm, but the shaft is smaller. There is a reducing bush that fits between the wheel and shaft, you can see it in the user manual here (on page 4). So if the 32mm is a big issue, you could get the bush reduced to 25mm by an engineering shop.

The nut is 12mm, and if memory serves, the shaft is 16mm, assuming it's the same as the one I looked at a few months ago.

I recently purchased the Vicmarc grinder and am very happy with it.
Very smooth and quiet. Comes with 2 white AlOx wheels.

I also purchased the Vicmarc slow speed grinder last week. Its a beast!! Very heavy base & really stable, and I can support the claim above that its very quiet and very smooth. Solid tool rests and large eye shields with built in magnification for checking edges. Bought it from TimberBits - great service, good price, very quick delivery & came with a nice quality free shop apron!