Picked up a Reid 618P

[slodat]

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a nice surface grinder with auto feed for several years. This guy popped up on Craigslist:

Price was right. It was even better in person.

330 miles each way made for a loooong day. I’ll unload in the morning.

I’ve searched high and low for a manual. The auto feed has quite a bit going on. I welcome any input or advice on how it may work.

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

Nice score. I have an older model 2c.
My recommendation is to buy a couple different brands of grinding wheels and start grinding everything you have laying around the shop flat for practice.
It is a LOT harder than it looks to get something perfectly flat. It is easy to get it shiny and kinda flat but it takes a lot of effort to make it really flat.
Don't buy anything but 46 or maybe 60 grit wheels to start. And look for H,I or J hardness.
Joe

 

[slodat]

Joe- thank you for the advice.

I’m still scratching my head on how to unload. It wasn’t too stable on the forklift forks when we loaded at the sellers shop. I have a forklift, but the approach to my shop is a little problematic for a load that’s not stable on the forks.

I have a gantry that I can back the truck under. For the life of me I don’t see a good way to sling it from above.

 

[Choiliefan]

You may have four tapped holes at the outer corners of the upper part of the main base casting. I see two holes on the pictures you show. One of these is adjacent to the strain with the cord leading to the limit switch on the saddle. Here is a link to a newer manual which mentions similar holes being tapped for 5/8-11 lifting bolts. Unfortunately the picture (page 16) in the manual is upside down and hard to read: http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/3348/26236.pdf

 

[slodat]

We were able to lift from the base with the forklift. Got it inside without incident.

 

[akjeff]

Nice find. Is it a ball way or flat/vee way machine?