Surface grinder help

[motorcyclemac]

Hey folks,

I have a chance at getting a surface grinder here locally. However I am a bit uncertain if I want it. I have done some research and I can't find anything on it. It is a name I don't recognize...at all.

It is a "Harvel" surface grinder. It appears to be 6x12, has an electro mag chuck, is 1hp I believe...possibly 1.5 horse. I believe the wheels are 1x8. It looks to be in reasonable shape. I would guess the vintage to be about 1965-75 ish. All in all it looks ok and seems to be in decent shape. BUT..if it is an odd ball I might not want it. Supposedly it runs fine and everything works but has been sitting in a wearhouse and I have no history on it.

Does anyone have a clue about the approximate value? I am guessing based on looks and reported fully functional operation...it should be $1000-$1500?

Here is a picture I found on the internet.. This is reportedly a 6x18. The one I am looking at may be that size as well. I have only looked at it briefly and in poor light. The one I have available is in factory paint.. This internet machine pic has been rattle canned. But looks the same in every way.




Thanks
Mac.

[Doc Nickel]

Are you sure it's not "Covel"?

Doc.

[motorcyclemac]

No...I don't think it is Covel...

I seem to recall that the placard clearly said Harvel. The pic above is what came up when I Googled Harvel...and it looks like the unit I was shown.

I understand the confusion... When I was told about it...I thought Covel...as well.

Cheers
Mac.

[Walter]

Mac,

I'll keep it real short. If you can't run it, and I mean turn it on, grind something and see exactly how it operates don't spend that much.

It may be a great machine, but it could very well have problems. See it under power before you let go of a cent. Personally I think the price you suggest is high. For a manual machine of that size that is in good shape a price range of 250-800 seems more in line. There are just too many machines out there these days to spend high.

Seeing as the name isn't seemingly well known instantly raises a red flag to me in that parts are probably scarce, Information also the same. But eh, I'm very touchy about how I spend money, and I'm cheap

[Bill Pace]

For a manual machine of that size that is in good shape a price range of 250-800 seems more in line. There are just too many machines out there these days to spend high.

Ditto what Walter says, except I think I would lower his price range even more, say, 250-500 -- his comment about "too many machines out there" is glaringly true. Just get on ebay and pull up surface grinders, Lordy, they run pages and pages. And it can be a pain to get parts for some of the well know names in grinders, much less one like this.

[motorcyclemac]

Makes sense...

The price I was suggesting is more what I have seen many common machines priced...

I don't want something abstract. I'll hold out for a more common brand..Maybe a Bridgeport..

Thanks for the comments... I'll steer clear.

Cheers
Mac.

[pcarpenter]

I remember talking to a guy who used to be a machinery dealer up around Chicago years ago about Bridgeport's attempt at surface grinders. I vaguely recall that he didn't think much of them. Names that come to mind when I think of major surface grinder makers are Harig, Brown and Sharp, DoAll, Boyar-Schultz etc. If I recall correctly he made reference to Bridgeport having decided to use a Turcite product or something on the ways and that it was not very compatible with something that made abraisive dust. On the other hand, I think the Bridgeport was actually made for them by someone else. I guess I just don't have any first-hand knowledge and should probably just shuddup

Paul

[Mcgyver]

Makes sense...

The price I was suggesting is more what I have seen many common machines priced...

I don't want something abstract. I'll hold out for a more common brand..Maybe a Bridgeport..

Thanks for the comments... I'll steer clear.

Cheers
Mac.

the flip side is so long as it was quality to begin with, what matters is condition not brand. It's a couple of grand to get a spindle professionally done, balance with new bearings, so i'd be a lot more concerned how it performed rather than the badge. imo parts availability doesn't enter into....even if the brand is still around, are parts? I bet Norton would laugh at me if i phoned up for parts....and besides parts i've needed for machines are either things like bearings or things that can be made

[quasi]

was Harig not owned by Bridgeport at one time?

[pcarpenter]

was Harig not owned by Bridgeport at one time?

Well, that could well be. I guess then that the followup question would be "If Bridgeport owned Harig, is a Bridgeport branded surface grinder just some re-badged Harig model?"

Edit-- this bugger looks amazingly like the Harig grinder in the shop downstairs from me at work. I can't help but notice that while the ad says Bridgport Harig, the grinder itself seems to have Harig in big letters on top of the column.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bridgeport-Harig...item3a54a1df91
Paul

[Mcruff]

Yes Harig was owned by Bridgeport at one time. But Bridgeport did make there own surface grinder for awhile. The downfeed on the ones I ran was actually on the spindle head and moved up and down with the spindle, it was a crap design and left a reasonable finish but it was no where on par with a Harig, Okamoto or any of the better surface grinders. It was very uncomfortable to run, especially when you had to run it for several hours or days at a time.

Your picture is a Harig grinder not really a Bridgeport grinder from my experience.

[easymike29]

Looks like it was made for a left handed operator.

Gene

[lazlo]

I remember talking to a guy who used to be a machinery dealer up around Chicago years ago about Bridgeport's attempt at surface grinders. I vaguely recall that he didn't think much of them.

Bridgeport owned Harig until 2002, and Harig does make a Turcite version of their grinders. Is that what he was thinking of?

[Mcruff]

Harig also made a version of there 6x12 that had Teflon coated ways, what a piece of crap that was.

[lazlo]

Harig also made a version of there 6x12 that had Teflon coated ways, what a piece of crap that was.

What was bad about it? Did the ways corrode from the grinding grit?

I have a Harig 6x12 (plain, hardened ways) and the table is hydrodynamically floated. As in, if you turn off the power to the oil pump, the table sags down and bad things happen.
I think that's a big reason for Harig's reputation for accuracy. But I don't know how hydrodynamic ways work with Turcite/Teflon ways? Isn't that redundant?