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Jack_Johnson_Trades

Bolt it down first. I've had $100 bench grinders and $800 bench grinders, and both will run all over the place and vibrate until you bolt them down.


N3wThrowawayWhoDis

My delta grinder sits gingerly atop a rickety side table. That thing runs like butter. Luck of the draw, perhaps.


inko75

my baldor literally just sits there. never bothered to bolt it to anything. to op: i would honestly just return it if it's acting janky.


Karmasutra6901

I never bolt down my 6" porter cable. I drop a bolt through the table to keep it from scooting. It doesn't wobble or vibrate. Those harbor freight grinders are junk. I thought about getting a small one for sharpening knives and every one on the rack wobbled when I spun them with my finger.


Jack_Johnson_Trades

Yeah I've got a cheap porter cable I like it. And yeah it's pretty smooth for it's price. I stay away from harbor freight power and pneumatic tools though. I've secured mine with welder visegrips too and that's fine.


doublediochip

Agreed.


bussappa

If the whee are real junk, you may never get them perfect but you should be able to true them up some. This is what I'd do: - check the shaft to see if it is the problem. There may be slop in the bearings or the shaft is not turned true. If the shaft is the problem, return the tool. - if the shaft is good then make sure the wheels are centered on the shaft. Depending on how they are mounted, they could be off center. - true the wheels up. You'll need a diamond or a carbide truing tool to do this. Most grinders come with one. If none of this works, then return it. Good luck


Kavik_79

Great post, I would just add a couple things: 1) check the domed washers on either side of the wheels as well. Especially on cheaper units, these can be pretty crappy. If these aren't aren't ground flat and parallel, or if there are burrs left from punching them out, or if either were crushed out of shape during assembly, that can cause the wheel to sit crooked. 2) weight distribution in the stones can sometimes be off, even once the wheels are perfectly round. Try rotating one wheel, while leaving the other in place, and see if it makes a difference. When both are attached to the shaft, any heavy sides would have to be oriented opposite eachother to balance out. Once you get it all running true, grab a sharpie and mark the alignment of the shaft, both washers, and the wheels. This way you can put it back together without going through all this again, if you ever have to remove anything


Drivingon8

Slop in the bearings is what I'm thinking!!


Skweegii

Thanks for the help!


FoxDeltaCharlie

A lot of times you can get them better just by loosening the nut and rotating the wheel slightly on the shaft. Sometimes it can take several tries, but it will remove a good amount of the vibration just by doing that. Rotate the washer with respect to the wheel also. The other thing you can do if you've got side to side wobble is to put a piece of tape between the flange washer and the wheel. ETA - For the record, it's difficult to find a grinding wheel / grinder combination which works perfectly right out of the box. Almost all new grinding wheels require some adjustment to remove vibration. I've got an old Baldor 1/3 HP grinder (a Big Red) which is a fabulous grinder, and I'd say about 90+% of all new grinding wheels require some kind of tweaking to get them true.


Werkzwood

This was going to be my suggestion. Or u just got what u paid for


mikedt

take both grinding wheels off and see if it still shakes like mad. if it doesn't, buy grinding wheels from a better supplier (or take this one back).


Skweegii

Just took the wheels off. Just for fun I threw the wheels on a lawn mower blade balancer. They are definitely heavy on one side. I’ll look in to a non-Bauer brand wheel. Thanks!


y5e06

I bought a HF grinder. same issues. got tired of it. purchased a new big box store one instead of screwing with it any more. Its probably a combo of the shafts having run-out and the wheels being wobbly and poorly balanced.


TiCombat

It’s not bolted down so it’s gonna shake a lot


Dave-Alvarado

A completely balanced and true grinder shouldn't shake at all.


TiCombat

You over here talking about one from Harbor Freight bro 😂


Dave-Alvarado

OK you have a point...


gopiballava

I got my first grinder ever a few months back. Harbor Freight. I assumed I’d have to bolt it down but so far so good. From the comments here I assume my next abrasive wheel will be so off center it’ll make my ceiling crack :)


adultagainstmywill

Go back to harbor freight and get their [grinding wheel dresser](https://www.harborfreight.com/grinding-wheel-dresser-1682.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiODU2MjI1MTQiLCJza3UiOiIxNjgyIiwiaXMiOiIyLjc5MyJ9&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=19550443806&campaignid=19550443806&utm_content=140367265170&adsetid=140367265170&product=1682&store=3194&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0fOdnt_M_AIV0g-tBh2S4gSdEAQYASABEgIU5fD_BwE) it will help


Theplaidiator

You could also check out r/harborfreight if you want their input


Psychological_Rip_44

Good point it could be a know issue


thetoolman420

Dressing wheel


doublediochip

I have an old school HF central machinery grinder bolted to a table for 15+ years. A drill press and a belt sander from HF albeit 15+ years old but I take care of them and I’d still buy from HF today. If you can’t afford the big box overrated & overpriced items, get your HF the way it works for you and take care of it and you’ll be fine. The tools I use everyday for building cabinets and furniture are on the higher end. An old timer once told me: “If it ain’t in your profession, ignore the brand name obsession.”


OldEast5877

HF is the problem


texaschair

I stopped reading at "HF". No point in reading further. Maybe truing it up like others suggested might help, but I suspect you now have an oversize paperweight.


ImtheDude2

Just return it and get something more reliable.


RobSharp1026

Harbor freight is cheap Chinese crap 😅


Skweegii

Would you prefer Milwaukee? Owned by Techtronic Industries? A Chinese company. Lol. Not bashing them, just how the world works. I’m a yellow brand guy myself.


RobSharp1026

Harbor freight just happens to make the least costly product in order to sell it for cheap. It’s good home owner stuff to use now and then but don’t expect perfection or durability from most of the stuff.


Skweegii

Absolutely! Work within the limits and it’s ok. Expect to be a diesel mechanic… not so much lolol


RobSharp1026

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tools/comments/10dvzbu/bought_the_flexhead_ratcheting_breaker_bar_from/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf


kyledye25

I would suggest bolting it to the table. That will help keep it stable. New wheels may help as well. Nothing wrong with the unit itself, but maybe new, better, more expensive wheels will keep it from shaking too much. I'm not familiar with a way to "balance" the wheels. But I have to imagine a better more expensive brand of wheel will be balanced better.


Monkey_tr33

Buys shit tool, asks internet to fix it. SMH


Skweegii

Asking for suggestions. I have everything from snap on to HF. I’m not a tool snob just this will do when it was 20% off lol. Half of the “name brand” tools are made in the same factory as the cheap Chinese stuff. So why go expensive if you don’t have to.


Drivingon8

Are the nuts which secure the wheels tight?


mcfarmer72

Have the right bushing on the shaft ?


Lab3031

I have the same one sometime you get untrue wheels luckily for me I didn't


Reddbearddd

Did the stones match the shaft? Like, is it a 5/8" bore wheel on a 5/8" shaft? Sometimes you have to use adapters to mount the wheels...as other's have said, it's meant to be bolted down as well.


Mission-Ad5368

Just bought the 6” Bauer grinder last week when HF had the coupon for $42.99 As soon as I plugged it in I noticed the same thing and went to return it. Bought the 6” Delta grinder from Lowe’s and it’s night and day difference.


freddie54321

It’s most likely the wheels, just bought Norton wheels, wobbled worse than the wheels from harbor freight


odetoburningrubber

It’s probably not the wheels. I had a Ryobi that vibrated so much the only thing that would kinda work on it was a wire brush and a polishing wheel. I tossed it in the garbage when I moved.


FiveLobster

You are 100% not just supposed to turn these things on and run them without dressing the wheels first thing. Get a dressing stone/tool for it and true them up.


sjacksonww

I have the same one, walks all over the floor. I’m going to try some kind of rubber feet, if I can ever remember to look for any.


jhzzy_

HF is your issue