WARNING: Grizzly Grinder has a flawed motor design!!

flatgrinder

flatgrinder

Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
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Am I the only one, but has anyone else with a Grizzly have the motor crap out on them?

My grinder stopped working about 2 months ago. I contacted Grizzly and they told me it would cost approx. $70 to ship the grinder to them and another $70 to ship it back. On top of this, they charge $50 per hour of labor and parts are extra $$$. The lady on the phone, basically said that it may be cheaper to buy another one than fix the one I have -unless I fix it myself (I could order the parts from Grizzly).

I figured I'd try repairing it and disassembled the motor this evening. Man, what a MESS!! It appears to be fan cooled and there are 3 large oblong vent holes in the case allowing in air (as well as copious amounts of metal + grit), and the insides appear to be fused!! I guess fine metal dust and electricity don't mix. :eek:

Anyway to make a long story short, it's in the dumpster now, I kept the arm, and wheels (might make something down the road with it), but as of now I am officially grinderless. :(

Moral of the story: if you're grinding steel, get a machine with a TEFC motor. Don't settle for less. I used to endorse and tell everyone how good my Grizzly was, but hey "1 year 2 months and a crapped out motor" later, I think I should have got a Coote or a KMG with a decent "Totally Enclosed" motor -so if the motor ever screws up you just dump it, but you still have the grinder.
 
"Flawed motor design" ? no , just "metal dust and electricity don't mix" Wrong application for the motor. What type of exhaust system do you have ? BTW motor controllers also should be sealed type as noted in some threads on the forum.
 
I've had similar, terrible customer service from Grizzly, and I try to stay away from them.

Is there a way to use a good motor with what you have left?

Sorry to hear about your experience. Hang in there.
Richard
 
mete said:
"Flawed motor design" ? no , just "metal dust and electricity don't mix" Wrong application for the motor. What type of exhaust system do you have ? BTW motor controllers also should be sealed type as noted in some threads on the forum.
Click to expand...

Assuming that this is model they sell as a knife grinder, I'd at least convict
them of "Flawed and dishonest motor selection".
 
mete said:
"Flawed motor design" ? no , just "metal dust and electricity don't mix" Wrong application for the motor. What type of exhaust system do you have ? BTW motor controllers also should be sealed type as noted in some threads on the forum.
Click to expand...

I didn't have an exhaust system, just a bucket of water under the contact wheel. I guess if a person was grinding outdoors with a large fan blowing sideways the grinder would have lasted longer.
 
Man you have me nervous now. I love my Grizzly grinder. I better come up with a heavy duty exhaust system. I thought they were enclosed and protected.
 
I guess if mine goes out I will just mount a pulley and new motor on the buffer end. That way I still have a grinder.
 
I'm sorry but this sounds like a case of "You got what you paid for" to me and cryin' about it afterwards is wrong.

There's a reason Grizzly sells stuff cheap, because there is a market for CHEAP and less precise/maintainable, but they still need to make a profit. So they slack off on 1) Quality, 2) Customer Service, and 3) Giving a shit once a product is out the door. There are lots of products sold today where it is cheaper to replace then repair - IPods for example so Grizzly is not alone but indicting them for it seems wrong-headed to me.

I have never bought anything with a motor from Grizzly or Harbor Freight. I have bought vises, welding clamps and such, and I view those tools as EXPENDABLE. When I want good stuff (Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, Wilton, Snap-On, Rockwell etc) I haunt eBay and plant closings around Chicago looking for deals.

Just my 2 cents worth....................

Syn
 
I placed filter material over my motor holes to prevent crud from entering. Been going strong for six months. And Syn, yes you get what you pay for but not everyone can afford just starting out to pick up a $1200 grinder. It's a good starter tool and I know guys that have been grinding for years with theirs. I saw the "flaw" almost immediately when I put mine together and thought to myself "well that's a stupid place for vents, what happens if the grit and grindings get in there?". Well, now I know. Sorry 'bout your luck Flatgrinder, that really does suck. Just be glad you got the year+ out of it. Better than what I expect to get out of mine. I'm already putting a parts list together for a KMG...maybe a Bader.
 
I made sure I got a TEFC motor for my grinder when I bought everything.

Cant you replace the motor with a new one?
 
1 year isnt bad I guess for a 300 buck grinder

now you know how to grind and the new one you get will be worth it
 
Bryce...really good point. Now if only you could have also made and sold enough knives with that Grizzley to buy the Coote or KMG. I am still struggling with making this hobby pay for itself ..I just want the skill for sweat equity only. I hope I will always like making knives and maybe things will get to a point where I could start getting some shop time with advanced makers so I can learn more of the stuff thats not in a book.
 
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