Old die grinder

[stomp10]

This was Grandpa's.

Near as I can estimate it is late 30's early 40's.
Very little end play. I'd guess 1/32nd to 1/64th. Sorry, too lazy to figure out how much.
AFAIK-Madison Kipp contributed to the war effort. Not sure if Grampa worked there, but he was a tool and die maker in Madison, so a pretty good chance he did.

This may be an early type grinder-maybe a prototype?


If I'm not mistaken Madison Kipp developed a lot of new technology during those years, and also shared the technology with other industries. (I probably have that all wrong, just how it's in my mind now. Love to hear from the historians on that one.)

So, my question is, if it is a historical piece, I probably don't want to be using it. Correct?

If not a historical piece, still is it ok to use it? Or should I conserve it as a nice collector. Have been surfing Ebay off and on for it over the years. Never seen another like it.

Its been well stored over the years.
Still has nice smooth bearings, but feel like a little dry maybe.

What kind of lube? I have some A\C comressor oil. To me that ought to be perfect for the job. Just a few drops and rev slow for a bit?

Should I take it apart for inspection, make sure no problems? Or just run her till she drops?

The box looks military issue. Probably something he had and adapted to the task. Nicely fitted so the tool is held securely. Lots of grinders. Given the warning on the barrel, can I use other bits with it?



hard to see in the photos one side of the barrel says Kipp Air Grinder, other side says Model JA, series no 50.

and a patent number on the taper. Inside rear bearing collar states working psi.

 

[November X-ray]

Personally, If I had any tool like that, that was my Grandfather's, first I put it in a locked cabinet and never use it as for me it would have certain intrensic values that I would prefer to keep intact. Perhaps I'd even write up a document that contained all I knew of him and his life and the tool's use/purpose and then laminate this document to always be included with the tool. Who knows, perhaps one of my own offspring, many years down the road would happen upon it and they might make a instant connection of sorts. All of this is especially true since you can purchase new die grinders so cheaply to do work with nowadays if you need too!

Of course all of that is merely based on my thoughts, please feel free to do whatever you choose!

Good Luck!

 

[stomp10]

I appreciate your thoughts November. I have been thinking along those same lines myself. Just good to hear someone else feels the same way I do. I will conserve it for the future. Not sure if my kids have the same passions for family history, but I am hoping that they do.

You know how you can ask your kid a question, and after having raised them for the first years you can just tell if they are telling you what you want to hear, or if they really mean it. I think it just goes with being a parent.

Kind of hard to reconstruct that era in our family. Long story, but the good news is I can still get confirmation as to whether or not he did work there.

 

[November X-ray]

I never knew either of my Grandfather's and often wonder what they were like, or how would they go about dealing with certain things. One was a farmer and had several cotton gins and the other was a lawman and a barber. Both were born in the mid to late 1800s and one raised 16 kids and the other 12, and heaven knows they handled way worse crisis than I probably will ever face, but just to know a small portion of what they did would be very interesting.

Good Luck!

 

[stomp10]

I am right there with you Ray. I never knew this Grandpa, but feel a strong connection. He was of same era as yours too.

I have looked at this thing so many times over the years, since I was a kid even. I have to satisfy my curiosity though, if only to get some lube run through it. I'm thinking the air conditioner compressor oil should be right for the job. Its a very light mineral based oil. Not sure though cuz A\C's dont run at 20,000-30,000 rpm.

 

[Richardvonmann]

pretty cool die grinder, personally, if you have someone to pass it onto, that would be a good piece to keep for that.
I do know one thing, it most likely hands down is ten times better than the crap (pardon my French) that they sell now a days, other than the top of the line stuff most of us can't afford. Surprisingly, I just replaced my die grinder this last weekend, got a deal on it since there was dust on the packaging, like a 1/4 of an inch of dust. I think the guy at the counter figured he better let it go for cheap, or else it would have another 1/4 inch of dust on it for the next guy to look at it...lol

 

[stomp10]

Yeah, I think it's going to get mothballed for the kids\grandkids. Once I figure out a definate suitable lube for it, it will get packed away.

I also like Ray's idea about collecting all the written info I can, print it out and laminate it to be stored with it. Then keep my eyes open for a die grinder with a 1/4" of dust on it for a good price.

I have Grandpa's machinist tool chest packed with old school dial indicators, micrometers, inside diameter measuring thingys (pardon my lack of technical terms here) lathe and mill bits, all of it good old fashioned American made taps and dies. List goes on. Something called a "Statham Labratories Strain Gauge" in its original box. It looks like an electrical mechanical device that is quite advanced for its day. serial # 42! No instruction manual with it, but it looks like it was state of the art for its day. I just love stuff like that.

All this and a passion for clock repair inspired me to buy a mini lathe\mill setup to start getting my feet wet in machining again. Lathe is an Edelstaal Machinex 5, which I think was distributed by Montgomery Wards in the late 70s early 80s. Not a bad machine. Cast iron bed with an extruded aluminum headstock, tailstock and cross slide assembly. Looks to have been used very little, and escaped the ravages of time with very little rust. It also looks a lot like todays Taig machines. I see lots of similarities.

All of this I hope to master best I can, and hopefully be able to teach my grandaughter's a skill, while they don't even know that they are learning something. My oldest seems to have a will to learn and a very inquisitive mind. She is also pretty sharp on the math skills too, so this might just be easy for her. Just a few short years and she will be in high school. Time enough to teach her skills that she can use for the rest of her life.

Ah, a guy can hope anyway. Maybe its all a pipe dream, but I would gladly expend the effort on something worthwhile like that, while its still cool to hang out with Grandpa. Also need to identify likely heirs\heiresses for all this 'junk.' )

Apologies if all this is a bit melodramatic. Just something I feel quite strongly about.

Thanks all for indulging me.

Brad

 

[GK1918]

I myself am a firm believer things should be excercised especially with rare things. Few drops of
3&1 oil never harmed my air tools. Some guys use marvel mys. oil. Then an oil soaked folded
paper towel and then in a zip lock. I keep all my tooling in zip lock baggies.
I aggree with november x ray and lock it up especially if you have kids (they can break bulldozers)

 

[macrnr]

I myself am a firm believer things should be excercised especially with rare things. Few drops of
3&1 oil never harmed my air tools. Some guys use marvel mys. oil. Then an oil soaked folded
paper towel and then in a zip lock. I keep all my tooling in zip lock baggies.
I aggree with november x ray and lock it up especially if you have kids (they can break bulldozers)

I agree, tools are meant to be used. They are not pieces of art to be locked away and never used, the true art is what is produced with the tool and the skill applied to it.
My 2 cents