anyone used Riverside Machine's grinder (uncle Al)

kevin -the professor

kevin -the professor

Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
760
Hello,
I have bought a hydraulic press from this person (Al), and I have been very impressed with his machine and his service. He is a great guy and reminds me of the best qualities of the people I grew up with in Texas. He seems to care about stuff like honesty and integrity, and he is a knifemaker, too.

So, in a few months I am going to make the "big purchase" and get a serious grinder. The Grizzly has been great for me, but I have finally reached a point that it makes economic and practical sense to move on. You can do GREAT WORK on the Griz, and I recommend it as the first "real" grinder everyone should buy (or maybe a Coot). Everything I have made but the first 6 or 8 has been on a Grizzly. But, its time to move on.

Has anyone used this grinder?

http://www.riversidemachine.net/item14549.ctlg

I think this may be the grinder they have at the ABS school in AK, but I have only heard that as a rumor. Please let me know what you think.

If this machine is comparable to Bader BIII and/or KMG, then I want to buy from someone I know who has been honest and honorable. I really like to stay with good people when I can (he has a great hydraulic press and other apparently good machinery, too).

Please let me know your experiences with Uncle Al's 2x72 belt grinder.

thank you,

Kevin
 
Look's like an aluminum frame that bolts onto the motor. motor in dc and the controller is not nema 4 enclosed. i'd go kmg.
 
thanks for the reply. I gotta admit, I don't know what "nema 4 enclosed" means.

He said that the motor is totally enclosed and fan cooled. It would help, since I am not too bright, to know what "nema 4 enclosed" means.

thanks again,

Kevin
 
Dollar for Dollar you will not beat the KMG!!! Buy a KMG from Beaumont but get a motor elsewhere. I use the 2hp Lesson they sell but you can get it for $70 less than they sell it for.
 
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Nema 4 is a washdown dustproof enclosure. for what we do, you need a nema 4 enclosure if you want it to last. it does not take much dust to fry a controller. the motor is tefc, which is good. but it will not run if your controller is fried. take a look at beaumontmetalworks.com. far nicer grinder, motor and control's.
 
FWIW- They've got 2 KMG's, 2 Burr Kings, and I think 4 (or maybe 5) Bader B3's at the school in AK.

KMG is the way to go IMHO. Thought I'd add that I got to meet Uncle Al while at school and he's a great guy. I have no experience with his grinder though.

Robb from Beaumont metal works is also a small businessman with honesty and integrity. I'd buy from him again in a second without hesitation and most likely will get a horizontal from him in the future.

-Josh
 
Josh Dabney said:
Robb from Beaumont metal works is also a small businessman with honesty and integrity. I'd buy from him again in a second without hesitation and most likely will get a horizontal from him in the future.
Click to expand...

One of the best things I can point to about Robb is the amazing amount of support and help he's given to people who want to make their own copies of his product.
 
I second the KMG as the best grinder for the money, unless you want to make your own. I also have the uncle Al press and love it. In addition his blown forge is outstanding. I struggled with a venturi forge and also using coal. When I finally broke down and got is forge for 400, my ability to forge weld and make damascus literally increased ten fold over night.
 
thanks everyone.
it seems that both of the gentlemen in question are held in generally high regard.

Also, thanks for teaching me about the enclosure specs. I absolutely need a vfd, and while I also plan to but an air filtration system in my shop, I am not that optimistic that the shop will ever be "clean."

thanks again. I will let everyone know how this works out, but it will be months, most likely. Gotta sell the farm in Texas, and the prospective buyer will inevitably want to negotiate, etc.

If one of y'all would like to buy 240 acres on scenic Lake Livingston, I could reconcile this issue much faster. I would even give you my current Grizzly grinder as part of the deal!

take care all,
Kevin
 
Ok, there're many things to consider with a new grinder. First and foremost, don't sell the lake front acreage unless you really have to.
 
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