Author Topic: surface grinder ID  (Read 3109 times)

Offline shipto

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surface grinder ID
« on: November 04, 2022, 05:46:56 PM »
Probably should have taken pictures before I started dismantling this surface grinder but maybe its clear enough for someone to ID it for me? I have searched through lathes.co.uk and found nothing same with internet searches and unfortunatly there are no identifying marks anywhwere on the castings.
I have had to totally rearrange my shop to make a space for this including moving my lathe to the other side (dropping it on the way  :doh:) but once it has some new bearings and maybe a new coat of paint it should make a good addition to my shop.
Turns out this life c**p is just one big distraction from death but a good one. For the love of god dont give yourself time to think.
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Offline JHovel

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2022, 05:36:22 AM »
I can't help ID the machine either.
However, it looks a lot like a very old production horizontal milling machine, converted to surface grinder.
The reason I'm concluding this is that I'm in the process of doing just that. I have a Whitney No2 horizontal production mill that I got for that purpose. Like the one in this photos.
 

It has - like yours - a rack and pinion lever operated x axis, a screw driven Y and z axis. Mine also has a counter-weighted vertical movement of the spindle carrier (unlike yours) which I intend to modify to very fine drive.

I may of course be way off the mark....
Cheers,
Joe

Offline shipto

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2022, 01:04:24 PM »
I can't help ID the machine either.
However, it looks a lot like a very old production horizontal milling machine, converted to surface grinder.
The reason I'm concluding this is that I'm in the process of doing just that. I have a Whitney No2 horizontal production mill that I got for that purpose. Like the one in this photos.
 

It has - like yours - a rack and pinion lever operated x axis, a screw driven Y and z axis. Mine also has a counter-weighted vertical movement of the spindle carrier (unlike yours) which I intend to modify to very fine drive.

I may of course be way off the mark....
The "Z" axis actually has the screw and a rack and pinion. I am planning to modify the screw as there is no limit on upper action but that will come later.
Turns out this life c**p is just one big distraction from death but a good one. For the love of god dont give yourself time to think.
https://myshedblog.wordpress.com/

Offline JHovel

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2022, 05:43:01 AM »
Have a look for "horizontal milling machine" to see if you can find your machine (castings) there. I suggest sometime in the late 1800 or early 1900s. Many of the construction and casting details point to that era. The castings are very stable from that time and perfectly suited to a surface grinder conversion - which is what I think you have. The lever action axis movements were for production type work in jigs and with preset stops, so unqualified workers could make identical parts without relying on measurements.
Cheers,
Joe

Offline JHovel

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2022, 08:22:29 AM »
This one is closer... http://www.lathes.co.uk/carterhakes/
At the bottom of the page is one on a stand, that looks quite similar to the construction of yours. It's not the same, I know.
Cheers,
Joe

Offline shipto

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2022, 05:04:00 PM »
This one is closer... http://www.lathes.co.uk/carterhakes/
At the bottom of the page is one on a stand, that looks quite similar to the construction of yours. It's not the same, I know.
Good find, that is very similar. Strange that they didn't include the makers details on the side castings, maybe mine is a copy of that.
Turns out this life c**p is just one big distraction from death but a good one. For the love of god dont give yourself time to think.
https://myshedblog.wordpress.com/

Offline shipto

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2022, 03:18:51 PM »
I realised the other night that this machine has probably been used for something other than a horizontal milling machine or a surface grinder during its life.
I was looking at the flats that have been machined either side of the casting with the holes all the way through, I first though they where merely for a guard but now I think it may have had a slotting attachment or a vertical milling attachment. Not sure if the makers would have modified it like this or not however.

I have more use for it as a surface grinder but now I have realised this I kinda want a slotter  :lol: must resist I need the grinder.
Turns out this life c**p is just one big distraction from death but a good one. For the love of god dont give yourself time to think.
https://myshedblog.wordpress.com/

Offline awemawson

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Re: surface grinder ID
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2022, 04:57:12 PM »
Could have been for the frame for a back gear pulley arrangement to slow it down  :scratch:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex