Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As a technology educator with more than 50 years of shop time, I cannot recommend this grinder, unless smooth performance is not a criteria for you. 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 went 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. Then read reviews on the Palmgren 82061. Not many reviews... but the minor issues were asides rather than addressing any "real" problems. So I bought a Plamgren 82061, and thought a small old company which makes only a few product lines, might be a better choice. When I unpacked the Palmgren and plugged it in....... It ran very smoothly and the wheels had almost no wobble. No plastic inserts. Holes were accurately made in the wheel material itself....not plastic bushings. It also took an unexpectedly long time to slow to a stop. Good bearings, reasonably accurate machining, and a well a balanced armature might 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. Spend a few bucks more and experience the benefits of superior engineering. My son, who owns one of these Dewalts, was very impressed, and wished he'd bought the Palmgren too.