New Stuff In The Shop

[Keith Foor]

So I have been busy dragging stuff home. I have been hunting a cutter grinder ever since I bought my big South Bend lathe because I got two 5 gallon buckets of tooling with it (small sample in picture). Some of it was new or good but a majority was dull, cooked or chipped up.

So I found a cutter grinder that a got a good price on and am also going to pick up a air bearing style mill grinding fixture this weekend. I have lots of grinding to do.

Any pointers or suggestions would be great as I know I need this stuff to do it right, but I don't know exactly how doing it right is done.

 

[kd4gij]

I can't give any pointers but. Looks like a dice score to me. Good luck. And

 

[LucknowKen]

Looks like a money maker.
I wish i was "dragging" home a nice grinder like that.

 

[intjonmiller]

I am looking for the same pointers! Except I also need the tooling fixture(s). I have a Covel Type 6 universal grinder with just a magnetic chuck. I want to be able to do my own sharpening, if not actual tool forming, on it, but I have no idea where to start. All I have so far is the product brochure showing different configurations and accessories, none of which I have. I haven't found a single video on YouTube on the subject. Textbooks I've checked have a single sentence along the lines of, "Oh, by the way, there's also this other kind of grinder that you should know exists."

But there is the Workshop Practice series book on the subject. I need to read that one.

 

[intjonmiller]

Okay, I just looked it up. #38, Tool & Cutter Sharpening by Harold Hall. Apparently only the intro and final chapter deal with actual T&C grinders. There really is a frustrating shortage of training info on this subject.

 

[Keith Foor]

OK, now I have it setup and have been playing with it some. First obvious thing is it's an older ENCO, meaning it's a bit loose in spots. The vertical arm gets a bit sloppy when the lock bolt is loosened and it probably has 5 degrees of play in it. Might be normal, at least for it. Not a big deal, just have to indicate it if I move it and need it squared back up. I did figure out that I am short one of the centers. It's the fixed one So I am thinking that I will pick up one for a spin indexer and machine it to height match the one I have.

I also got the Rocheleau end mill grinding fixture. Nice piece, uses 5C collets and those are easy to come by. The seller (also sold me the ENCO) found the collets for the ENCO center with the collet closer attached to it so I now can use it as well.

It was also missing a wheel nut (5/8 rh thread) which was easy to get at TSC, grabbed a couple. Glad it wasn't the 5/8 LH thread one. Not sure how I would have dealt with that.
Need to make a set of wheel plates for the second side and get a fine grit cup wheel.
Looking to get that done Monday hopefully.

Had my Norton diamond wheel on it for a bit. It's knife edged and I figured I better put it away before I crash something into it and break it.
I have already screwed up my first 3/4 4 flute bit. But it's the first thing I have had on the grinder so I expected to screw it up.

Have a question. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to put a small magnetic chuck on this and do some basic surface grinding with it?

 

[intjonmiller]

It was also missing a wheel nut (5/8 rh thread) which was easy to get at TSC, grabbed a couple. Glad it wasn't the 5/8 LH thread one. Not sure how I would have dealt with that.

You would make one in your lathe, if you have one, or post for help on here and someone with one would have helped you out.

Have a question. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to put a small magnetic chuck on this and do some basic surface grinding with it?

I can't imagine why not. That's exactly how mine is set up. Yesterday I started to question if my spindle is exactly parallel with my magnetic chuck, because after truing and dressing a wide grinding wheel I found that actually grinding with it only used the leading edge of the wheel, regardless of which direction I fed. If yours has play elsewhere you would do well to look into such issues before relying on it (or even before purchasing a magnetic chuck). I'm hoping to spend some quality time tonight with my indicator, going over it in every way I can think of.

Mine has the column closer to the center of the machine, and it's heavier mid-century American cast iron, and there is no provision for recovering coolant, but otherwise the setup is quite similar.

 

[intjonmiller]

I assume the wheel cover is complete and functional? I assume that's what I'm seeing in two parts on the left side?

 

[bcall2043]

Any pointers or suggestions would be great as I know I need this stuff to do it right, but I don't know exactly how doing it right is done.

Locate a copy Norton's "Tool Room Grinding" for lots of tips about sharpening your tools. It was available as a download here and other locations.

Benny

 

[Keith Foor]

OK, more news. Got a new wheel for it that seems to be more correct than a grey aluminum Oxide 8 inch wheel for a big bench grinder. Picked up a green (didn't have white) carborundum brand 5 inch cup wheel. Had to make a 1.25 to 5/8 locator bushing for it but it's on and squared. I also mounted up my 7 inch Norton diamond wheel. I had to bore the center on the adapter as it was 1/2 inch and not 5/8. Not a big deal.

So I tried another 4 flute end mill. At least it's not totally ruined. I am still trying to figure out the angles and such for this. And I figure I am gonna smoke a few more end mills before I get it right. But I got plenty. Thinking that I may pick up a couple of the ones over at EDCO Weds. He has some big ones that are pretty much lunched. chipped badly and blue on the flutes. But I figure it's easier to see and feel whats' going on if it's bigger.

Couple things I am going to add to the grinder.
Stops. The table slide doesn't have any right now and I think they may help getting things back into position as I pull stuff out to inspect it.
I have an old table magnifier light that the base is missing on. I believe there is a bracket and holder in the near future mounting it to the grinder.
A chair is something else that I am going to locate. I am thinking that a place to sit and work is better than standing. Sore feet and legs don't contribute to taking ones time and not hurrying through things.

Will keep posting as things progress. I will also get pictures of the first complete correctly sharpened end mill and share it here.