H.F. 6" tool grinder #46727

[spinrow]

Does a grinder of this type have any other uses other than grinding hs and carbide lathe tool bits? Thanks Paul

[Dawai]

drill bits, other than that, no.

Lathe tools still in the armstrong holder, just kiss them up onto the wheel.

Not got a small cup wheel for the end mills yet.

I got a coolmist going in next to mine. Tired of the sippy cup.

[sch]

You can do a little general purpose grinding on the machine but when setup properly for tool grinding, the fine grit Alox wheel doesn't take off much metal. Also for carbide you REALLY need a diamond wheel for an additional $90-130 or so. Grinding carbide with SiC is excrutiatingly slow and SiC tends to load up more on HSS than Alox.
Since the grinder comes with two SiC wheels you need to scare up another $125-150 for wheels. A diamond grinding wheel dresser is also necessary to freshen up the cutting surface.
Steve

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

I've only used my HF 6" tool grinder once and both wheels are a little bit out-of-round (or the arbor hole was not 100% centered?). Do I just need to use a dimond tip dressor to fix that? Or do I need to adjust the wheels on the arbor/hub? What did you guys do to set it up for the first use?

-Adrian

[Norman Atkinson]

Adrian,
Can I be nice for a change?

Please dump the wheels and go out and buy something from a well known manufacturer.

Pick the grades etc which will give cool cutting and a fine finish to your tooling.
I don't know what rests are supplied but if they are these tin things, put them in the trash as well.

Let me assure you that the improvement will be well worth the extra outlay.
I've got two of these cheap ****e chinky things but with good wheels and rests.

Spinrow, don't listen to David.
He is one of those miracle workers.
Steve, is right about wheels but you can get wheels that don't glaze so easily but will remove metal quickly.

Before I had my fancy bits of swag, I used my DE grinder to sharpen end mills, slot drills and whatever. You can, if you think it out carefully, surface grind and make Blanchard machines out of them.

Enough to wet appetites?

Norm

[This message has been edited by NORMAN ATKINSON (edited 02-06-2006).]

[MikeyR]

Usual disclaimer (no relation, etc.), but check out www.cdcotools.com. They have diamond wheels $65 - 69.00. Got one for my HF Baldor knock-off, LIKE it! Usual case of braiding the rope to hang us by, but the price is right. I did have to counterbore the four mounting holes to get the screws to reach the backing plate, as the AL plate on the dia. wheel is quite a bit thicker than the one on the green wheels. Probably could have bought longer bolts, but I'm usually out in the shop at 3:00 AM, and wanna getter done NOW.
mike

[jimmstruk]

MikeyR Thanks for the CD tools tip. They have several pretty good prices. JIM

[Dawai]

Norman:

The only laying on of hands I have done is not "faith healing" as told by you. Ie: miracle worker.

I am self taught in lots of things, sometimes I learn lessons wrong. Othertimes I keep butting my head against a immoveable object.

Oops there goes another rubber-tree plant. (old song?)

I chose to mount my HF grinder over the headstock on my lathe, that is not a good place. With the coolmist running, the gearbox is right below it.

NOW: I get to drain the oil out of the lathe and refill it. (all the while kicking self in butt).. NOW where am I going to put this grinder and still get the coolmist to it?

No wonder all my crap rusts, huh?

[Norman Atkinson]

David,
my dear young friend( flattering him up, note), in my workshop I have had to get rid of the rubber plant( teasing him, he hasn't got one really) and rusting from fine spray on his grinder and down to his lathe( a likely story, he only wants sympathy)

Right( after big stir, what's he after)
So he's a self made Genius( What does that make the rest of us?) so he can kick his A$$ and fill up his lathe at the same time.

David, my old son, you are a Miracle.
To think that I have been looking East for the next miracle because I missed the other ones- and I was looking the wrong way all the time.

Stupid me( he'll feel better now)
Yeah, post it!

Oh, cheers, David.

N.

[Dusty]

Mikey thanks for the link. They've got some interesting stuff, prices aren't too bad either(for what it is). The DROs don't seem overly expensive. May just be what the mill was looking for.