Every woodturner needs a decent grinder: to sharpen chisels of course!

They are also useful for many other tasks, especially when restoring old machinery.

One of the best uses is a large wire wheel to quickly clean up threads, clean off rust and to polish items.

So that means you need two grinders: one for sharpening, another for heavy grinding and cleanup.

This is the smaller grind.  Made locally by Ford Smith, which went under in 1960.  Despite the total lack of web presence they made many of the top quality grinders in the area and its easy find them for sale on Kijiji at astonishing prices.

This is a 1 hp, 3ph version, with 12" wheels.  (Yet it spins up in only a few seconds and takes 5 minutes to coast to a stop.)  With very heavy guards and ridiculously solid build, its close to 250 lbs.

This is the model P40, the only one for 208 volt.  Its smallest grinder they made.  There are 5 - 10 hp versions that are enormous. 

Its a real treat to use a machine of this quality.  When I saw it for sale for $50, I drove through a snowstorm to get it.