Photo Index - Wonder Grinder Co. - disc

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Wonder Grinder Co.
Erie, PA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Sander
Machine Size:	16"
Submitted By:	Robert Bernstein

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	disc
Date of Manufacturer:
Serial Number:	44033
Last Updated	8/28/2009 12:30:30 PM

Comments:

I bought this from an OWWM.org advertisement in April, 2009 and the machine, in parts was brought from upper New York to the parking lot of a well known Rutland, Vermont diner by Hew Hampshireite Audi Pauliukonis and his nice wife, Carrie (in the back of some little overcrowded sedan, which also held some other machine: thanks Audi, thanks Carrie.

Illustrations of Wonder sanders were featured in pattern shop catalogs I salvaged as a young adult from the pattern shop of my family's part-owned iron works in Philadelphia, Pa.

The machine was as described, the upper portion--motor, discs, table, etc--in very nice usuable condition, the original base in terrible unusable condition, the rear, hollow, leg broken, the original leg bracing broken, removed and replaced by fix that did not seem permanently suitable.

At the top I wired in a switch, made bushings for the internal friction drive fan, and made a hinged dust cover (which I have not seen in the available original Wonder literature but noticed a bracket probably original which seemed designed for same. On the bottom I drilled and tapped for a heavy plate to bridge the broken portions of the back leg and made a light but strong wooden bottom base to which I bolted the machine on leg flanges already in place and which stiffened up the assembly to an acceptable point.

The strong point of this machine seems to me the heavy, cored iron casting on the top end.

I painted the machine and am quite satisfied with it, with the exception of remaining work on the legs and the noise of the internal fan--as I result I presently run the grinder without the fan engaged. I have the grinder in my metal shop and use it for a variety of materials both wood and metal, as well as Plexiglas. The grinder works well. The attached articulating light source is well done.

I hope to remove the poor leg fix and replace it with a more sightly and stronger repair, though I believe the machine is strong enough now to be perfectly usable.

Photo 1:

Comments: overall view
Source: R Bernstein

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Photo 2:

Comments: poor side view of upper end
Source: R Bernstein

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Photo 3:

Comments: detail, showibng table, trunnion, and dust shroud
Source: R Bernstein

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Photo 4:

Comments: detail, showing wooden base with casters
Source: R. Bernstein

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