# Adjustable Surface grinder dresser



## Janderso (Nov 14, 2022)

I don’t like that I have to move the SG wheel a significant amount to dress in the middle of a job.
I saw an adjustable dresser on a Youtube video.
Here is my version. It works great, I tried it out.
The base is from an extra surface gauge I had laying around. It locks up on the magnet rock solid.


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## jwmelvin (Nov 14, 2022)

Oh I see this thread now. This is neat and I could see it being handy a lot of the time. Thanks for sharing.


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## TorontoBuilder (Nov 14, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I don’t like that I have to move the SG wheel a significant amount to dress in the middle of a job.
> I saw an adjustable dresser on a Youtube video.
> Here is my version. It works great, I tried it out.
> The base is from an extra surface gauge I had laying around. It locks up on the magnet rock solid.


Hmm I wonder how vibration affects the grind finish since this looks a lot less rigid than any of my dressing tools.

Are you going to do some testing and post results of the surface finish after grinding with a typical low height dresser versus your adjustable? Say yes please.


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## mmcmdl (Nov 14, 2022)

Ahha , I see it !


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## Janderso (Nov 14, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> Hmm I wonder how vibration affects the grind finish since this looks a lot less rigid than any of my dressing tools.
> 
> Are you going to do some testing and post results of the surface finish after grinding with a typical low height dresser versus your adjustable? Say yes please.


Well, that’s an interesting question.
Being a hobby guy, I assumed this would be rigid enough.
It sure feels like it will do the job.
I’ll play around with it and post on this thread in the next couple days.

Thanks for challenging me.


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## Janderso (Nov 14, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> Ahha , I see it !


What do you think,
Is this too wimpy? You know this stuff.


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## TorontoBuilder (Nov 14, 2022)

Janderso said:


> Well, that’s an interesting question.
> Being a hobby guy, I assumed this would be rigid enough.
> It sure feels like it will do the job.
> I’ll play around with it and post on this thread in the next couple days.
> ...


Great. I'd like to see what results you get. While I'm a home hobbyist I am a scientist and experimenter who loves to collect real world data. You should see what I do in fermenting to make a simple batch of cider


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## mmcmdl (Nov 14, 2022)

Janderso said:


> What do you think,
> Is this too wimpy? You know this stuff.


The only issue I would worry about is vibration when dressing . I can see where it would save a few minutes when dressing and returning to work piece height , but ................................? On the other hand , most radius dressers are up in the air also . They DO vibrate also . I just stick to a wide base close to the chuck dresser .


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## Janderso (Nov 14, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> The only issue I would worry about is vibration when dressing . I can see where it would save a few minutes when dressing and returning to work piece height , but ................................? On the other hand , most radius dressers are up in the air also . They DO vibrate also . I just stick to a wide base close to the chuck dresser .


Hmm,
This was made from scrap. The one I saw on a video was more robust. I can do robust.


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## mmcmdl (Nov 14, 2022)

Remember L over D like a boring bar . A large bar will cut but it will also chatter when the length is too large . 

Time to make the donuts here .


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## jwmelvin (Nov 14, 2022)

Seems to me that the likely vibration modes are not in a sensitive direction for the dresser. (Dresser moving across wheel surface as stand column bends.)


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## HoboMachinist77 (Nov 15, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I don’t like that I have to move the SG wheel a significant amount to dress in the middle of a job.
> I saw an adjustable dresser on a Youtube video.
> Here is my version. It works great, I tried it out.
> The base is from an extra surface gauge I had laying around. It locks up on the magnet rock solid.


I worked in a grinding shop for a few years. This is how you do it if the dresser is t permanently attached to the machine.


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## Janderso (Nov 15, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> Remember L over D like a boring bar . A large bar will cut but it will also chatter when the length is too large .
> 
> Time to make the donuts here .


I like donuts


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## Janderso (Nov 15, 2022)

HoboMachinist77 said:


> I worked in a grinding shop for a few years. This is how you do it if the dresser is t permanently attached to the machine.


I would love to have a factory dresser in the wheel housing.
That would be convenient


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## Janderso (Nov 15, 2022)

I received a suggestion from Benmychree (John York).
John suggested I introduce the dresser at an angle. 90 degrees to the wheel not the spindle.
I measured the angle on the short standard cast iron dresser. It has an 18 degree angle.
I'm thinking of welding up the existing hole on my dresser and redrilling at the expected angle.

When John speaks, I listen.


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## Janderso (Nov 16, 2022)

It sure is easy to make a hole go away.
Now, I’ll drill another hole at an 18 degree angle.


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## Janderso (Nov 17, 2022)

Many of us have had no formal training.
Setting this angle up I assumed I should angle the dresser toward the wheel on the “safe” side of rotation.
According to some videos I have watched, there seems to be some inconsistencies.
SG‘s that have built in dressers are at 12:00 straight into the wheel or at 2:00 or so, ??

I found this in an instruction manual. Angled away from the wheel on the safe side.

What method do you use?


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## CaZMaN (Nov 17, 2022)

On my Acer 12x24, the built-in is 12:00.  The manual states to use a chuck-mounted one for best results, and there is some flex / chatter likely from the built-in one (their words - I have not compared the results).    Funny - I saw a YT video with the adjustable mounts yesterday & was thinking of making one too.     MMMMmmmmmm....   donuts.......


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## Parlo (Nov 17, 2022)

I saw one the other day where the upright shaft was inclined at an angle towards the front. This gave more clearance above the diamond between the dresser upright and the wheel guard. It was in this video featuring Ellie Price.


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## Janderso (Nov 17, 2022)

Parlo said:


> I saw one the other day where the upright shaft was inclined at an angle towards the front. This gave more clearance above the diamond between the dresser upright and the wheel guard. It was in this video featuring Ellie Price.


About 14 minutes in he just slides the head over, adjusts the height of the adjustable dresser, a quick dress then back to grinding.
This style is available commercially ($125+) but I think I may start over.I like the design and it looks very stable.

This is the guy I was watching when I decided to look through my stock to come up with my version.

Thanks for posting this, I hadn’t watched much if the video.


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## CaZMaN (Nov 17, 2022)

So weird - this is the video I was watching too!


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## HoboMachinist77 (Nov 17, 2022)

Janderso said:


> What method do you use?


Ive only seen them on the downward side or like you said the "safe" side..and I've seen whole dressing arms get ripped off Blanchard machines with 120" tables. But they always got thrown away from operators. Seems pretty standard. I like the reference of the clock on horizontal sgs I've seen permanently installed dressers anywhere from 3 to 6 o clock ha...never at 6:01.


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