Grinding Wheel Balancer

Mark_f

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Jan 16, 2020
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I whipped this up this afternoon. It will be useful when the surface grinder is built. It is a balancing fixture to balance wheels. I just make an arbor for each wheel type.
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The base is made from .750 thick mic-6 aluminum plate. It is stable and very flat as it is actually cast. The sides are .375 aluminum plate. Everything was machined as accurately as possible. The top rails are made from ground drill rod. There is a jack screw and a clamp screw on each end to fine adjust the bars to be perfectly parralell and level with one another. This will be calibrated by setting on the granite surface plate and leveling the bars using an indicator.There will be three leveling feet put in the base after it is calibrated to level the unit where it is set to use.
 
I finished the grinding wheel balancer.
image.jpeg I gave it a coat of grey hammered paint. ( I took all but one screw out of each side before painting to maintain the structure and then put the screws back in after painting)
image.jpeg I installed three 3/8-16 stainless steel set screws with jam nuts for leveling feet. The thre point system makes it easy to level in all directions. I also installed a two way bubble level in the base.

image.jpeg After leveling the base, I the used a level to adjust the bars level in all directions. ( this is only done the first time. Now by leveling the base, the bars will be level). The balancer is 8" long, 6" high, and 5 1/2 " wide.

Next is the balancing arbor. This will be more difficult because the accuracy is critical for size and concentric its, but it is very do-able by paying close attention to the details.
 
I rough turned the arbor
image.jpeg This is 1" OD cold roll. One end is chucked in an ER 40 collet and a center in the other end.

image.jpeg The ends are toned to .562" to leave stock for finishing .

image.jpeg This is the rough turned arbor.

To finish the arbor it must be turned between centers. This is lmportant so that both ends are exactly parallel and the same size. Also it enables you to remove the arbor from the centers and turn it around without fear of not being accurate.

image.jpeg This is the finished shafts of the arbor. They are .5000 inches in diameter. Now the center will be finished with the taper and done between centers. Light cuts will have to be used to cut the taper so as not to bend or warp the arbor.
 
Mark your the man! You always make it look so easy!
 
Thinking about making one of these for myself. How has it worked out for you? Are there any changes that you would make?
 
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