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OLD MATE (formerly Medgrind)

SneakyLeek

Active Member
Sad I just missed 69
I was thinking that too when I saw your picture lol
Here is a pic with my logo on the bottom,
1675219206355-jpg.44072

Just got my new grinder after it was delayed 2x in the Auspost system, I got the NTN so not really a fidget spinner but it is smooth. Ben forgot to send my second unit or engrave my FE with LesPlenty and apologized and said he has just been swamped but did manage my other request.
I was hoping for a bit of heft to it and glad it delivers on that - thanks for letting us know the weight.

I also really like the bottom like that and being bare stainless all around. I also think the final logo on top looks great too (the final laser engraving looks a lot more refined than the 3D model), but I think the bare top with the branding on the bottom and the serial is 😙👌
 

GratefulDread

Well-Known Member
The photos are looking real nice so far 🤙
Was it ever confirmed if the bearings are replaceable with basic tools? Or would you need a bearing puller/pusher?
 
GratefulDread,
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Feelingmedicated

I like weed
The photos are looking real nice so far 🤙
Was it ever confirmed if the bearings are replaceable with basic tools? Or would you need a bearing puller/pusher?
The bearing comes out fairly easy, I just used a wrench socket the same size as the inside hole and tapped it out with a hammer. I then tapped it back in with the hammer covering the bearing with some cloth.
 

SneakyLeek

Active Member
The bearing comes out fairly easy, I just used a wrench socket the same size as the inside hole and tapped it out with a hammer. I then tapped it back in with the hammer covering the bearing with some cloth.
Thank you for confirming that. I think I might order a couple of different colour bearings and change them depending on the season.

Mine was just delivered! It's one sexy, heavy, tightly machined and ergonomic unit. It just keeps spinning too. I won't have a chance to try the performance until the weekend, but when I do I'll put it through it's paces and will write back sometime next week with a performance review.
 

LesPlenty

Well-Known Member
Company Rep
Thank you for confirming that. I think I might order a couple of different colour bearings and change them depending on the season.
I got mine with the NTN and wish I had gone the faster spinner as the fidget part of the grinder is a bit addictive!
These are just standard-sized bearings...NTN 608LU, the following page gives alternative options,
But I want one of these, ceramic for speed!
Just need to find a single unit or might go to the local skate shop and grab something cheap,
 
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LesPlenty

Well-Known Member
Company Rep
Would this be ok
Yes, that is the correct size, I might try them as it is under $5.:tup:
The listing shows the following, 8=ID, 22=OD and 7mm=thickness of the bearing
  • S608 8x22x7mm
edit, I changed my mind from full ceramic to the hybrid after watching the video and ordered it, thanks for the link @SneakyLeek !
 
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Shit Snacks

Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
PXL-20230202-205215084.jpg

I wasn't even watching my tracking, already showed up in California today! Only opened it up quickly to see and snap this shot, all I can say is it's really nice looking, little warning on the outside that the teeth are very sharp which certainly seems true! Spinning really does seem fun, love the color I chose with fortunately some purple in the ring around it, also dig the raw finish and full text detail on the bottom... I am 071, so close lol the size, heft, the way it is put together, just feels so nice!

Quick question, so I'm ready when I return to use it, does anyone know if it had arrived fully cleaned ready to use?? I would love to not have to clean it first haha though I did see a tiny scrap of something white perhaps paper from the packing material, makes me think I should do a full clean.. if so do we think there's any danger of iso alcohol rinse fully submerged with the bearing and magnets? Just want to be safe and sure before breaking it in!
 

OMD

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
PXL-20230202-205215084.jpg

I wasn't even watching my tracking, already showed up in California today! Only opened it up quickly to see and snap this shot, all I can say is it's really nice looking, little warning on the outside that the teeth are very sharp which certainly seems true! Spinning really does seem fun, love the color I chose with fortunately some purple in the ring around it, also dig the raw finish and full text detail on the bottom... I am 071, so close lol the size, heft, the way it is put together, just feels so nice!

Quick question, so I'm ready when I return to use it, does anyone know if it had arrived fully cleaned ready to use?? I would love to not have to clean it first haha though I did see a tiny scrap of something white perhaps paper from the packing material, makes me think I should do a full clean.. if so do we think there's any danger of iso alcohol rinse fully submerged with the bearing and magnets? Just want to be safe and sure before breaking it in!


Awesome!! Congrats. Its amazing to see these showing up overseas.

I don't reccomend submerging, flushing or getting the bearing wet.

I wash the grinders in hot soapy water and then ultrasonic clean them before shipping.

If you would like to clean yourself i reccomend dabbing iso around and wiping with a cotton bud or something along thoes lines.

For Full cleans i would push the bearing out and clean then press back in.

Future designs im looking at a slide fit bearing pocket (instead of press fit) with a snap ring to hold the bearing in place. This will make it somewhat easier to get the bearinng out (will require circlip pliers).

I'm not super active on here but if you guys ever have any concerns please message me and i will get an email and respond to you.

Thankyou all for the great support and im eager to gear your thoughts when these start showing up.

thankyou!!!
 

OMD

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
You could make the bearing a slide fit and the magnet holds it in place?

Awesome device you made there. Can't wait to get mine.
I like your thinking! I’ll have to give it some thought. A magnet won’t work in a traditional sense as the bearing needs to be able to withstand a lot of downwards pressure. (The pressure you apply when pressing down when grinding and turning).

Whatever I end up doing will be thought about and implemented the best I can.

I’ll share on my YouTube channel the process of this.

Thanks 😊
 

SquirrelMaster

Well-Known Member
PXL-20230202-205215084.jpg

I wasn't even watching my tracking, already showed up in California today! Only opened it up quickly to see and snap this shot, all I can say is it's really nice looking, little warning on the outside that the teeth are very sharp which certainly seems true! Spinning really does seem fun, love the color I chose with fortunately some purple in the ring around it, also dig the raw finish and full text detail on the bottom... I am 071, so close lol the size, heft, the way it is put together, just feels so nice!

Quick question, so I'm ready when I return to use it, does anyone know if it had arrived fully cleaned ready to use?? I would love to not have to clean it first haha though I did see a tiny scrap of something white perhaps paper from the packing material, makes me think I should do a full clean.. if so do we think there's any danger of iso alcohol rinse fully submerged with the bearing and magnets? Just want to be safe and sure before breaking it in!
That's the blue bearing in yours right? It looks great next to your BCG.

I love that we have the option to customize our grinders with a splash of color while still having all that shiny stainless exposed.

My grinder just started the journey to Canada so I'll let you all know how long it takes to ship from one side of the earth to the other. I can't remember if any other hosers are in this thread.
 

Shit Snacks

Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
I would remove the bearing if it's not too difficult.

Oh based on what that other member was saying about getting it out and in I was planning to never do that myself :uhoh::lol:

I don't reccomend submerging, flushing or getting the bearing wet.

I wash the grinders in hot soapy water and then ultrasonic clean them before shipping.

If you would like to clean yourself i reccomend dabbing iso around and wiping with a cotton bud or something along thoes lines.

Darn so it's not that simple, however I appreciate you popping in with the warning, I don't think scrubbing the inside would be a problem really, honestly I never really clean my grinders on the regular at all I would like to never clean haha so I also really appreciate you confirming that they are already washed and then ultrasonic cleaned before shipping, now I feel secure to throw nugs right in when I get home! Thank YOU again, I already felt this way originally and even more so after watching the video, now that I have the product in my hands it is so self-evident how much thought you have put into this design :bowdown::rockon:

That's the blue bearing in yours right? It looks great next to your BCG

Yep! Yeah the shade is slightly different, but especially in that photo I thought it was good to keep them together for that reason... That was my first BCG so it made sense to go with that color of blue for my first MCH or rather A3 too :tup:
 

OCDeeeznuts

Active Member
PXL-20230202-205215084.jpg

I wasn't even watching my tracking, already showed up in California today! Only opened it up quickly to see and snap this shot, all I can say is it's really nice looking, little warning on the outside that the teeth are very sharp which certainly seems true! Spinning really does seem fun, love the color I chose with fortunately some purple in the ring around it, also dig the raw finish and full text detail on the bottom... I am 071, so close lol the size, heft, the way it is put together, just feels so nice!

Quick question, so I'm ready when I return to use it, does anyone know if it had arrived fully cleaned ready to use?? I would love to not have to clean it first haha though I did see a tiny scrap of something white perhaps paper from the packing material, makes me think I should do a full clean.. if so do we think there's any danger of iso alcohol rinse fully submerged with the bearing and magnets? Just want to be safe and sure before breaking it in!
If there comes a day when your grinder is incredibly dirty, and you’re worried about removing the bearing, you could just pop off the dust shield with a needle or something thin and pointy. Then clean it all in 90%+ iso. Blow it dry and relube the bearing with one drop of something food safe. That’s probably what I’ll do anyway.
In my younger years of skateboarding we always cleaned our bearings in Isopropyl and it worked like a charm …however if you have the NTN option I would advice against this. Those bearings are manufactured to withstand the high RPMs of electric motors, rather than the modest RPMs of skate wheels. So they are generally packed with a thick grease…hence one reason they have a shorter free spin time. The light lube in a skateboard bearing will be eliminated in isopropyl…the thick grease will make an awful mess.

With full ceramic the magnet wouldn't hold the top on.

The bearing it comes with is an ABEC 7, no need to upgrade?
I got mine with the NTN and wish I had gone the faster spinner as the fidget part of the grinder is a bit addictive!
These are just standard-sized bearings...NTN 608LU, the following page gives alternative options,
But I want one of these, ceramic for speed!
Just need to find a single unit or might go to the local skate shop and grab something cheap,
Most ceramic bearings I've seen in the past, Bones included, have steel inner and outer races. They just have ceramic ball bearings. They are major overkill in this application. They are even overkill for skateboards. You’ll see no real improvements over the standard steel Bones Swiss. Ceramic only really shines at very high RPMs or in very wet (underwater) environments.

Watch out when buying Bones though. All their bearings only have one dust shield.
They do sell spare shields. However, I’m not sure if the back side is milled to accept a second seal.

Edit: I just learned that ceramic bearings can be used with no lubrication in low speed applications. That could be a very nice feature when it came to the ease of cleaning the grinder with a bearing left in place 🤔🤔
 
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OCDeeeznuts

Active Member
All the ceramic bearings I've seen in the past, Bones included, have steel inner and outer races. They just have ceramic ball bearings. They are major overkill in this application. They are even overkill for skateboards. You’ll see no real improvements over the standard steel Bones Swiss. Ceramic only really shines at very high RPMs or in very wet (underwater) environments.

Watch out when buying Bones though. All their bearings only have one dust shield.
They do sell spare shields. However, I’m not sure if the back side is milled to accept a second seal.
I was thinking that but we need the magnetism of the 440S/S (in the link I ordered) race for the grinder magnet.
I meant the ceramic bearings with steel races. I don’t know how well they actually spin without lubrication though. Wish it was a little cheaper to test it out lol.
You can get a single bones Swiss ceramic with an extra dust shield for about $25 total. If you could in fact install the second shield that could be a great option. Im gonna rock the “better bearing” for as long as I can. I have a feeling it could last a really long time.
 

LesPlenty

Well-Known Member
Company Rep
I don’t know how well they actually spin without lubrication though.
I will let you know when I get mine as I will UC clean in iso then water before use:tup:
I just removed/re-installed the bearing in mine using my bench vice, then again with sockets and a hammer with a bit of wood to work out a way for peeps with limited tools. I will make a video when I get the hybrid ceramic/ S/S.
 

oldfool

Well-Known Member
Im gonna rock the “better bearing” for as long as I can. I have a feeling it could last a really long time.
Should last forever in this application as long as they don't get wet and rust.
Most ceramic bearings I've seen in the past, Bones included, have steel inner and outer races.
That would be Ceramic Hybrid. They do make full ceramic.

GetImage.ashx
 

666Honeybadger

Unknown member
Looks awesome!
What is your serial number? Just curious...

Just want to be safe and sure before breaking it in!

also really appreciate you confirming that they are already washed and then ultrasonic cleaned before shipping, now I feel secure to throw nugs right in when I get home

So? Are you home yet?? ;)
How did it take them nugs you threw in it?
CHEWbacca style?
I believe you have a few (other) topnotch grinders that you are very enthousiastic about so i am curious to hear your first impressions on the performance/ergonomics of this heavyweight beast!
I am still amazed by the 475 grams of pure stainless steel!
That is no joke, it's seriously serious!!
:whoa:

(My late SLX weighs in at 85 grams of pure aluminium (s)crap so i'd better start doing some pushups to get ready for handling the real deal!)


Edit: just checked my tracking.
There's only 16.666 kilometers distance between my Old Mate and myself! (what's in a number!)
Guess we won't be joined tonight but surely won't be much longer now! :chill:
 
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