Palmgren 6" Bench Grinder 1/3HP 115/230V - Heavy Duty Metal Grinding Tool with Dual Wheels | Perfect for Metalworking, Sharpening Tools & DIY Projects

It's a good grinder. Not sure why they all need to make eye shields that just don't fit, block the view and are really difficult to adjust. I've used a few that were simple and easy to get in the right place. THese stamped sheet metal brackets are NOT that. Frankly they're dangerous. But put that aside and the actual grinder is pretty good. Runs true.Bought this for a Christmas present and the hubby loved it... he uses it for all kinds of stuff... he was super happy with this purchase... apparently I did “well” by picking this one...As a technology educator with more than 50 years of shop time, I highly recommend this grinder for the price.While not much more costly than the comparable Dewalt model, the smoothness of it's operation is a world away.I began by purchasing 2 DEWALT DW756 6-Inch Bench Grinders. The first one shook pronouncedly and made a metal on metal sound as it started up. Amazon customer service was very helpful and sent another the next day. Not as bad as the first, but this machine too vibrated too much .. and the wheels visibly wobbled as the machine slowed. Removing the wheels in an attempt to discover the source of the vibration, I noticed that the grinding wheels had rather soft plastic inserts at their center. The Palmgren's wheels had precisely drilled holes directly into the wheel itself, which is a standard mark of Quality in such things!Both DeWalt's were headed back to Amazon.Checked out Baldor grinders. Had one in our school shop. 30 years of problem free use with middle school kids.... Superb quality but too costly for my budget....So I looked further.Read reviews on the Palmgren 96882061. Not many reviewers but the minor complaints were asides rather than addressing any real problems.So I decided to buy a Plamgren 96882061, and see how a small old company which makes only a few product lines, might be a good choice.When I unpacked the Palmgren and plugged it in....... It ran very smoothly and the wheels had almost no wobble.It also took an unexpectedly long time to slow to a stop. Good bearings, reasonably accurate machining, and a well a balanced armaturemight have something to do with this.The rest of the difference appears to be the result of better stones and cast aluminum inner wheel flanges which extend for 2" or so along the shaft back to the bearing area next to the motor section.DeWalt's engineers thought that identical stamped cup washers with the inner ones resting on small shaft shoulders was a sensible approach to making a $100.00 class grinder.I disagree, and the folks at Palmgren demonstrate a better way!In my estimation the Palmgren hits the sweet spot, combining good engineering, decent Chinese quality and a reasonable cost.