Help me test this Doall SG D8

I found this surface grinder for around 1k USD

I can power it where it is .

How should i approach testing this grinder

Is it worth the hassle to restore if i need to scrap the ways ?

It seems it has not been powered in a long time

Clean up the way surfaces as best you can, fill it with oil and grind some test parts. You can get a good idea of flatness of travel by grinding parts and checking them, or by setting up a granite flat appropriately sized for the machine's travels and indicating it.

If you would like some before and after pictures and video pm me with an email address. Is it worth saving I would yes. Those machines were made to be rebuilt. There’s a lot of cast iron there. Running it the finish is much better than my Harig.

If it's been sitting outside in the rain you need to take it apart, drain the hydraulic oil, put in new. If you try to run it as-is you could run crud into the valves under the saddle and ruin it. If I were you I would offer scrap iron get it home and dismantle it, clean and put in new. As eK said clean the rust off the ways before test running it.

limeweld said:

I found this surface grinder for around 1k USD

I can power it where it is .

How should i approach testing this grinder

Is it worth the hassle to restore if i need to scrap the ways ?

It seems it has not been powered in a long time



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wow, what a shame to treat a machine that way. I hope you can get it up and running. I am in the process of getting a D10-30 running. But If it turns out that you end up scrapping out the machine; I would be interested in some parts from it...Barry

After looking at the skid and the rust on the machine, inside the electrical cabinet and it's dusty, it looks like it's been there for years. The ways under it are as rusty as the side of the table I bet.

Those handles on the left side of the saddle are connected to tenth fitted spools that slide in a valve body and if you fire up the machine sitting there and not draining and cleaning the hydraulic system you will ruin the valves and you will have scrapped it. I know your excited and want to see it run, but Ive had issues with the valve body when it was inside a shop where it was not rained on or in the dessert with wind and sand blowing under there for years. The electrical cabinet looks dirty but the wires look original - good and not all messed with, so you can assume everything was OK when they took it outside. See if they will give it to you for free to get rid of it. As-is scrap would be what .03 cents a pound in small pieces. They might have to pay a scrap dealer to come and get it. https://www.scrapmetalbuyers.com/ir...cling, and,and light iron at $ 0.03 per pound.

majohnson said:

If you would like some before and after pictures and video pm me with an email address. Is it worth saving I would yes. Those machines were made to be rebuilt. There’s a lot of cast iron there. Running it the finish is much better than my Harig.

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Please do [email protected]

Hand spin the spindle if it sounds or feels gravely it will need tear down and likely new bearings. .Dont fire it up sounding gravely.
look under to see the ways, if rusted it at least needs tear down and possibly/likely re-scrape. Don't travel it over rust.
Re-read Richard's post #6.
But it is a top-class machine when restored.
Here is the same for $3500 from a good reputation resale shop.
I saw it before it got painted and it looked good.

But it is a high HP machine, perhaps not the best for everybody. Wheels are expensive so you don't have a rack full of radius, angle and width-dressed wheels.