Made for general grinding tasks, the Skil 3380-01 6-Inch Bench Grinder is a user-friendly tool that has nearly all of the features you need. Due to its convenient features such as LED lights, eye shields, and adjustable tool rests, this workhorse will help you save time and keep you safe in your work area.
If you want to know more about the Skil 3380-01 6-Inch, read my review below and check out its pros and cons to see if it’s right for you.
Skil 3380-01 6-Inch Bench Grinder
As a 6-inch bench grinder built for most tasks, the Skil 3380-01 is a standard dual-wheel unit that will work well in most garages or home workshop setups. It will easily sharpen most daily objects, such as drill bits, scissors, and similar tools.
Specifications
This 6-inch bench grinder has a no-load speed of 3,450 RPM, which is considered average for most tools of this size. For the grinding wheel measurements, it has a shaft diameter and a wheel facing of 1/2-inch.
Moreover, it has a 2.1-amp motor at 1/3 HP that’s rated for 120V (60 Hz). It has two wheels: medium and coarse – built for different kinds of materials to sharpen at your disposal.
Quality
SKIL’s bench grinder is backed by a 3-year limited warranty when you register the product online within 30 days of purchase. If you want more information about the warranty policy, you can check it out on their website.
As for its durability features, I saw that it has rubber feet underneath the solid cast-iron base, which makes it sturdy for many years to come (with proper care). This set of rubber feet will also make it safe to operate and easy to mount. These durability features will help the tool stay strong so you may not have to worry about the warranty policy at all!
Usability
This bench grinder has a ton of great usability features. The first one would be the LED working lights, which make your jobs easier to handle in the dark. We all know how difficult it is to see your workpiece in a low-lit room, whether it is a garage or a workshop, and especially if your workpiece is small. The convenient LED lights will keep you and your material safe.
In addition to that, the adjustable tool rests on each wheel will help to maintain your accuracy. This is perfect for those who tend to have shaky hands or if you are easily fatigued for long hours of grinding.
And, as I mentioned above, the rubber feet set is a safety feature that will keep the base and the entire tool from moving. What’s more, the bench grinder is ccSAus-certified for quality and safety.
Should You Buy the Skil 3380-01 Bench Grinder?
The Skil 3380-01 is a tool for you if you simply want to sharpen some household items such as gardening tools and the like. Items that you can sharpen with this tool include lawnmower blades and scissors, so it is mostly for the gardener at heart. If you are not looking for a super sharp edge on your tool then this bench grinder will do the trick, since it only has medium and coarse stones.
If you are still unsure about your decision, go through the below list of the pros and cons of the tool.
Pros of the Skil 3380-01
Let’s start with the pros.
It has sufficient grinding speed for lawn mower blades.
The 3,450-RPM speed is okay for lawn mower blades and won’t overheat the material or ruin it.
The LED lights will help you see your material.
Are you often working in a dark and gloomy garage? You’ll easily see your material with the LED lights included in this model.
It has rubber feet to increase stability and safety.
To keep the grinder stable and safely operating, its rubber feet will keep the machine in place.
The tool rests are adjustable to your needs.
This will help to avoid or reduce user fatigue when you are holding your material against the grinder wheel(s).
Cons of the Skil 3380-01
Even though the Skil 3380-01is a great tool, there are a few cons worth noting as well.
It is not ideal for chisels and knives.
You will need a variable-speed grinder to sharpen chisels and knives – this one has a fixed speed.
The angle cannot be adjusted.
While it has a tool rest, the angles cannot be adjusted.
What Are the Alternatives to the Skil 3380-01?
If the Skil 3380-01 is not your cup of tea, I have other alternatives that you might like, such as the following:
The DeWalt DW756 Bench Grinder is a similar 6-inch tool that has the same speed of 3,450 RPM. One of the key differences, however, is that this one runs on a 5/8-HP induction motor that is ideal for heavy-duty workshop tasks. It also has a rear exhaust port in each wheel guard for improving the overall operation of the wheels. However, it has a similar cast iron base and motor housing for added durability.
The WEN 4276 2.1-Amp 6-Inch Bench Grinder (read my review) is yet another similar choice due to its work light mounted on top to help you see your material. With a 3/4-inch thickness and 1/2-inch arbor size, this one has a lightweight design, weighing in at only 16 pounds. While it does have a work light feature, you must provide a 40-watt bulb separately. However, the plus point is that the light stand is bendable.
The Delta Power Tools 23-196 is a 6-inch grinder that has a variable speed from 2,000 to 3,400 RPM, which makes it ideal for a variety of sharpened tools, such as knives and the like, without overheating or ruining the material. This unit has a 2-1/2-amp induction-type motor, adjustable safety shields, and a cast iron base.
Finally, you might also want to check my list of the best bench grinders on the market.
Summary
Overall, the Skil 3380-01 is a good starter for anyone who wants a simple grinder for sharpening their lawnmower blades. However, if you want to sharpen or buff certain metals, you might want to go for a variable-speed tool instead. Nonetheless, this grinder will be useful for most gardening tools and is easy to use for beginners.