B111 vs burr king question

G

Greg Obach

Joined
Apr 16, 2003
Messages
501
Hi

coming up i'd like to upgrade to a solid grinder... and i'd thought i'd ask to see which is the better.. the B3 or the 960-272 burr king...
- i do mostly flat grinds ( maybe hollow aswell if i can learn it )
- and i'm looking for the most stabile and long lasting ( with no shimmy or shake )


hopefully i can get some advice from people that have owned these... i'd hate to throw down the cash and see it spent poorly


thanks
Greg
 
burr king has a lot less vibration than any grinder that is being produced. i have one for 12 years and never had a problem. the tracking is also better than the bador. the bador is twice as easy to set up and will will take a lot bigger contact wheels. if you can only have one grinder the bador is prob. a better machine.
 
I have a Burr-King and it is the smoothest grinder out there and incredibly quiet. Belt changing is a snap and as far as tracking, I set it up when I assembled the machine and have not touched it since in over two years.Make sure you get the Variable speed setup, as it makes a world of difference.I wouldn't hesitate to buy another and very well may.Dave:)
 
I've often fantasized about getting a Burr King; they just seem like the most solid of all knife machines and I've never heard a cross word about one. I have a BIII though, and I love it. I have 1 1/2 hp variable speed and had I known better at the time I'd have sprung for 2 hp. Three ain't too much!

That being said, if I was going to buy one machine to start with it'd be a KMG. That's essentially set up like the BIII, so you get all the advantages of quick tool changeout, but it's a few hundred bucks less money and all the machine the BIII is. Plus, you get to deal with a super nice guy who loves making stuff as much as you do - Rob Frink. You'll find all the attachments you could ever dream of, too. You cannot miss, in my opinion. I wish I'd have known about the KMG when I bought my grinder!

Here you go: Beaumont Metal Works
 
I have the Burr King with all the attachments, I upgraded later to the variable speed, wish i had done it at first. I hollow grind with the 10" wheel, which is the biggest it will take. I aslo bought a KMG that I use for flat platen work.

I like both of them, but would like to have another Burr King first, then a KMG. I looked at the Balder, but like the Burr King.
 
Never used a burr-king. Used both KMG and BIII many times. I don't think you'll be unhappy with either grinder. A friend who has a burr-king told me something like "the burr-king is nice, but overrated". BIII is a very nice machine and, I think, easier for you Canadians to get than the KMG.
 
Both very good machines.

Burrking very smooth, BIII is more versatile with quick and easy attachment changing.

My choice is the BIII, but most important, is variable speed.
 
I own a BK, love it with variable speed. If I was going to buy another grinder it'd be a KMG. BK is just like everyone said, smooth, easy belt changes and tracking but tooling is a pain at times.
 
I own a BIII with all of the attachments. I also have the 8 inch and 10 and the big 14 inch wheels for it as well. I purchased this machine back in 2004 and it has performed great. I also have used a Burr King and it to is a great grinder. If I was going to recommend one of these machines it would be the BIII. I guest its up to you to choose which one fits your budget. :)

Terry
 
thanks all
exactly what i needed to hear :thumbup:

i was leaning towards the burr king but i'd like to change attachments quickly... so the bader would be more what i'm looking for.. these posts really helped clear it up for me...... and seeing how many folks mention variable speed, i have to seriously look at it now...

and your right about the kmg, its not an option, as its not sold up here in canada.


thanks again
Greg
 
I've owned a bader since 2000 and I'm changing the motor to a new baldor with variable
speed. The machine has been super, not the first problem. I have a bunch of bad disc and grind in a draftman chair. The changing of belts is so easy I don't even get up to do it. I have dealt with Paul, Doug and Carrie at Bader on other things, they are the best people I've ever dealt with.

I have also ground with a KMG, also a very good grinder.

Larry
 
One option for us Canuks is a grinder from Bee Metal Works in Missasuaga(sp?) they are pretty much the standard for Canadian makers, I Had one and know of a tonne of guys that swear buy them , they are built similar to a wilton square design and come with a nice varitable set up, there is know set up, just open the crate bolt it down and start making steel dust, betl changing is super easy and they machines are built to last, I know of some that is twenty plus years old and still hoggin

I had mine for seven years with out a problem and sold it to buddy who wanted a second grinder,

but Bee metalworks grinders get a huge thumbs up from me

just a thought

cya
jimi
 
I have a Burr King and love it. I do wish it were a VS though. I'm waiting until the motor goes out to change it over but its been about 12 years now and it runs just as good as the day I bought it. A buddys B111 is nice machine too but right out of the box we had to true up the platen on my BK before it would track straight. It worked great after that.
 
I've ground on a Square Wheel, other than how fast you can change set ups by rotating the platen around, I'd say the BK is much better than the Square Wheel.

In all honesty change up on a BK is mainly loosening 2 bolts and changing the tool out and tightening up the bolts. It's not as bad as you'd think. I've ground on a Bader but prefer my BK. You won't go wrong with either.
 
I've had a Burr King 960 VS for 12 years, it is a GREAT machine. My theory was always that if you could have multiple machines you should have Burr Kings... but if you could only have one you should have a KMG or BIII.

That was because I knew the change-out on the BK was slow, but it's also touted as the smoothest machine.

I now have 3 grinders in my shop... the Burr King and two KMG's.

I really don't think the BK is smoother than the KMG. It is extremely smooth, but so are the KMGs! I suppose belt change is easiest on the BK.

The Bader is also a very nice machine with a ton of cool attachments available.
 
thanks again

i'm glad i asked....

it'll be the BIII for now...
but i'll get that burr king one day.. with abit of luck;)


Greg
 
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http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e396/dimenickel/New Machine/DSC05027.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e396/dimenickel/New Machine/DSC05033.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e396/dimenickel/New Machine/DSC05034.jpg


Thanks again for the advice... the machine is incredible..!
so smooth.. and quiet..
tried to grind out a blade and i'm impressed with the control... it so nice to be able to grind looking down on the blade... not like my coote, where i'd grind a flat spot on my head if i leaned in too much..

the 1.5hp variable speed does have some nice power..

i love it..;) :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Greg
 
Oh man, I remember that day so well! Have fun, this will be the center of your making for a while and you are going to be very happy with it. What a nice machine. That controller's a whole lot more modern than mine is! :D
 
My choice is the BIII,with 2 hp and that's what I use in my shop. It is variable speed and that's important when you need to slow down.

But I like the Bur King grinder. I would like to have one just for flat grinding and leave my BIII setup just for hollow. One more thing is you can not use big wheels on the Bur King like you can on the BIII.

And that's something to think about when you going for the bucks. Hope this was of help to you. And have a blessed day. :)
 
Hey, Terry, you're about a month late with your response!!! :p

I think you missed his post in reply #17 above! :D

Happy day after Turkey Day :)

oops.... forgot... CONGRATS Greg!!! You're going to be very happy with your choice :)
 
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