# Grinder for lathe cutters



## ttabbal (Sep 11, 2017)

So, I want to make bits. I have a harbor freight bench grinder. Not a great tool to be sure, but can it be made usable?

I've seen the threads talking about modifications to a belt sander. That's another option. Any suggestions on what to look for?


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## darkzero (Sep 11, 2017)

Sure you can if that's all you have for now. But it would be best to get some quality grinding stones for it. The majority of bench grinders come stock with crappy stones. That's usually what makes them vibrate like crazy.

I wish HF still sold their tool grinder, they used to only be $130 & with a 20% off coupon you could get it for $104 + tax. Every time I think about it I regret not getting one at the time!


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## ttabbal (Sep 11, 2017)

Thanks for the reply. The HF tool grinder looks like it was a pretty good deal. 

My bench grinder does vibrate pretty good, and the stone that HF included is probably just good enough to usually not explode when you turn it on.  Can someone recommend a decent brand that doesn't break the bank? 

I imagine I would have to freehand it or add a decent rest for the workpiece. The bit of angle iron that appears to just barely qualify as metal isn't very good at staying put.


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## mikey (Sep 11, 2017)

Tell you what I would do. If I was going to use the grinder only for lathe tools, I would consider CBN wheels. Of course, they're expensive. If I was going to use abrasive wheels then I would contact Norton and ask them what wheels they would recommend. I mean, they make em', right? They should know. Wheels are more fragile than most of us think and when we go putting out body weight behind a tool to get it to cut then we are subjecting that wheel to more force than it was intended to take. Better to get the right wheel material in the right grit for the purpose - Norton will know.

On the other hand, a belt sander cuts cooler, faster and flatter. Belts are cheap, do not require dressing and do not blow up (but they can snap if they're old). It takes seconds to change belt grits and you're back to grinding and you can take a tool from shaping to a near mirror finish in under 15 minutes without significantly changing it's shape. 

I have ground tools for well over 25 years, on bench grinders and belt sanders. While I am definitely in the minority among hobby guys, I much prefer a belt sander for tool grinding.


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## ttabbal (Sep 11, 2017)

mikey said:


> I have ground tools for well over 25 years, on bench grinders and belt sanders. While I am definitely in the minority among hobby guys, I much prefer a belt sander for tool grinding.



I like the look of using a belt sander for this. Do you have suggestions for things to look for in a good tool for the job?


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## mikey (Sep 11, 2017)

ttabbal said:


> I like the look of using a belt sander for this. Do you have suggestions for things to look for in a good tool for the job?



There we have a problem. I have an old Sears 2 X 42, 1/2HP belt sander that works well for me. It is still sold but uses a 1/3HP motor that bogs down sanding wood. If you ever see a 1/2HP version, grab it. Short of a 2 X 72 grinder, it is the best tool grinder I know of. It has a squarish motor housing and looks like this: 




A belt sander for tool grinding must have:

Full and unobstructed access to the right side of the platen. There cannot be ANYTHING in the way; this includes covers or structures or housing or anything. The reason is that the back rake angle on your tool is ground on the right side and edge of the platen so that area must be clear.
The platen must be removable/replacable and very solidly mounted to the chassis. In use, the platen cannot flex so platens that mount on only on end (like those seen on 1" belt sanders) will not work. 

The platen should be very flat and long lasting. I use a piece of O-1 precision ground steel to which I epoxy a ceramic glass (Pyroceram) liner for use as a platen. This platen is attached to an angle iron piece that bolts to the chassis of the grinder. In use, there is zero flex and the glass liner stays flat under heavy grinding for many years.
You must have a tool rest that is solid and unyielding but is quickly adjustable to precise angles. It should be made of steel so the work piece does not drag or catch. A protractor slot is optional and sometimes useful. 
Finding a belt sander that meets these criteria has proven to be difficult. I recently spotted a little Grizzly sander that might work. It uses 25" long belts so I suspect belt life and availability may be an issue but you can see it here: 
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Combo-Belt-Sander-Grinder/H7760
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Combo-Belt-Sander-Grinder/H7760
It is a 1/2HP model and you can even mount a 6" wheel on it. I don't know how it will work but with the cover removed, the platen is exposed on the right side. The platen is removable and the work table locking bolt is up front so that a custom table could be built. I don't know what the belt housing is made of but if it is steel then its possible to cut and extend it to accommodate a longer belt. This is the only belt sander I have seen that meets my criteria and I'm waiting to either see a review or if Amazon will carry it so I can get it with free shipping. If I buy it, I'll definitely review it here.

Sorry I don't have better news. If you can afford to build a 2x72 belt sander then that would be ideal.


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## Rockytime (Sep 11, 2017)

I have a HF 6" bench grinder that I use. I use a Norton aluminum oxide wheel along with one of the original wheels. I did make precision washers as well as wheel reducers to replace the loose fitting plastic ones. Vibration is fairly soft now. Most importantly is the tool rest. I use a Veritas tool rest which Is pretty good. I'm 79 sand if I were 10 years younger I would use CBN wheels on a Baldor grinder. If I were 10 years younger I would spring for a new DM 13" lathe. I have sharpened on my HF belt sander but belt changing is a pain and it rattles. Bearings are probably going out, it's very noisy. Mikey has some great advise!


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## ttabbal (Sep 12, 2017)

Thanks for the pics and mentioning the tool rest. It looks like a reasonably priced and functional unit. I might have to pick one up.


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## Aaron_W (Sep 12, 2017)

Mikey, I kept looking around for 2" belt sanders after your comments in my similar post a few weeks back. I found one by Palmgren that looks similar to the Grizzly you found, but uses 2x42 belts instead of 2x27. The small belts was one possible drawback you noted with the Grizzly.

Unfortunately seems to be online only so again not easy to find a physical example to look at.  All the photos also appear to be the same stock photo from the left side so not terribly useful for determining how easily it could be made to work for tool sharpening. Unlike the Grizzly the Palmgrens appear to be available, I even saw them listed at Tractor Supply for online purchase.

https://www.amazon.com/Palmgren-Belt-bench-finishing-machine/dp/B0006577HI


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## mikey (Sep 12, 2017)

Yeah, saw that one. It's basically the Sears belt sander under a different brand. It is a 1/3HP grinder and trust me, I can stop the motor dead just grinding wood. I own the 1/3HP  Sears model and it will not grind tool steel without bogging down. My old belt sander is 1/2HP and it is vastly superior, although the chassis is the same.


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## Rockytime (Sep 12, 2017)

mikey said:


> Yeah, saw that one. It's basically the Sears belt sander under a different brand. It is a 1/3HP grinder and trust me, I can stop the motor dead just grinding wood. I own the 1/3HP  Sears model and it will not grind tool steel without bogging down. My old belt sander is 1/2HP and it is vastly superior, although the chassis is the same.



Hi Mikey, I'm bidding on a Craftsman like yours. It is an older unit looking exactly like yours but it is a 1" belt. I now have three belt sanders, a HF, 1" sander from MSC purchased years ago and a 4" Craftsman mostly used for sharpening wood turning tools. Not sure If I'll win the bis or not but worth trying.


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## mikey (Sep 12, 2017)

Rockytime said:


> Hi Mikey, I'm bidding on a Craftsman like yours. It is an older unit looking exactly like yours but it is a 1" belt. I now have three belt sanders, a HF, 1" sander from MSC purchased years ago and a 4" Craftsman mostly used for sharpening wood turning tools. Not sure If I'll win the bis or not but worth trying.



Good luck, Les! The only difference between the 1" and 2" models are the wheels. If you win it and wish to use 2" wide belts, Sears still carries the wheels for their 1/3 HP model sander so you can just change them and use 2" wide belts. You can certainly grind tool bits on a 1" belt but the 2" belt gives you more stroke and they last longer since you aren't concentrating all the cutting in a small space. 

My brother owns a 1/2HP, 1" sander like the one you're going to win. He doesn't know it yet but if my sander ever dies, his is coming to my house!


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## Aaron_W (Sep 12, 2017)

mikey said:


> Yeah, saw that one. It's basically the Sears belt sander under a different brand. It is a 1/3HP grinder and trust me, I can stop the motor dead just grinding wood. I own the 1/3HP  Sears model and it will not grind tool steel without bogging down. My old belt sander is 1/2HP and it is vastly superior, although the chassis is the same.




Good to know, I was considering it as a future purchase. I find it really odd how difficult it is to find an adequate belt sander for this purpose since it does seem to be a better way to grind tools. Even that Grizzly that might work seems to be hard to get.
Unless I get lucky and stumble onto an old Sears sander like yours on ebay or a garage sale, it may become a future DIY project.


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## mikey (Sep 12, 2017)

Aaron_W said:


> Unless I get lucky and stumble onto an old Sears sander like yours on ebay or a garage sale, it may become a future DIY project.



Look hard, Aaron, look really, really hard for one. They are good sanders, which is why they're so rare on the used market. Lots of newbie knifemakers own them. Your best bet is some guy who doesn't know what he has.


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## pious_greek (Sep 12, 2017)

hope i'm not hijacking this thread, but i've seen rikon mentioned once or twice on the forum....  anybody have experience or suggestions with using these for shaping metal cutting tools?

https://woodturnerswonders.com/coll...-hp-grinder-with-two-4-in-1-design-cbn-wheels

(https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/rikon-grinders)


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## Aaron_W (Sep 13, 2017)

pious_greek said:


> hope i'm not hijacking this thread, but i've seen rikon mentioned once or twice on the forum....  anybody have experience or suggestions with using these for shaping metal cutting tools?
> 
> https://woodturnerswonders.com/coll...-hp-grinder-with-two-4-in-1-design-cbn-wheels
> 
> (https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/rikon-grinders)



That is what I decided to do. I went with the Rikon 1hp grinder with the idea of upgrading to cbn wheels down the road.
I just got it and haven't had a chance to use it yet, I haven't even been home since it was delivered so can't offer any opinion of it.


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## ericc (Sep 13, 2017)

Do these Rikon grinders have guards?  I think they wouldn't be safe with conventional wheels.


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## Aaron_W (Sep 13, 2017)

Stock they do come with covers, and tool rests. The ones Woodturners offers for use with wide CBN wheels do not.


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## mikey (Sep 13, 2017)

pious_greek said:


> hope i'm not hijacking this thread, but i've seen rikon mentioned once or twice on the forum....  anybody have experience or suggestions with using these for shaping metal cutting tools?
> 
> https://woodturnerswonders.com/coll...-hp-grinder-with-two-4-in-1-design-cbn-wheels
> 
> (https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/rikon-grinders)



If I was to buy one, I would email Ken Rizza and discuss it with him regarding grits he recommends for shaping and finishing. I would also buy wheels without a radius on the corners for tool grinding; you need a sharper edge to grind the rake angles.


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## ezduzit (Sep 13, 2017)

Picked this up in like new condition for $600. 







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## Z2V (Sep 14, 2017)

That's a sweet deal there. What maybe 3hp? Probably 3 ph?  You stole that for 6


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## ezduzit (Sep 14, 2017)

Single phase.


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## Z2V (Sep 14, 2017)

Even Sweeter!!!
Great find, I can never get that lucky


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## ch2co (Sep 14, 2017)

Mmmm Baldor, me likes Baldor. 
Great buy, congrats.


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## Z2V (Sep 26, 2017)

I just made these rests for my 8" Craftsman. The rest itself is steel but the remainder is aluminum. I originally made the whole thing aluminum, it didn't take long to realize that mistake. Adjustable up, down, in, out and any needed table angle.


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## Aaron_W (Sep 27, 2017)

I got home last weekend and had a chance to set up the new Grinder. It is considerably larger that I expected. Although the wheels are the same diameter the overall machine is much beefier than the 3/4 hp Dewalt grinder I had looked at.  Factoring the better quality grinding wheels it comes with and overall quality (more power, more solid construction), I think the Rikon grinder was worth the extra $100.


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## DHarris (Sep 28, 2017)

For the low rent end of the spectrum - Eastwood makes a small machine - has a 2 x 28" belt on one side and an 8" grinding wheel in the other.  Motor is 1/2 hp.  Site says they stock belts too - don't know what the selection of grits might be though.  Price is listed just going on sale as $89.97

edit to fix photo & update Sale price


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## mikey (Sep 28, 2017)

The Eastman sander won't work for tool grinding if that's what you're looking for. The platen and tracking mechanism are integrated and you cannot put a Pyroceram liner on it. In addition, the platen extends beyond the belt so you cannot grind the rake angles on it. Sorry, Dave, but not a good candidate for tool grinding. What's worse is that I don't have a better option beyond the Grizzly combo we discussed.


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## Desolus (Sep 29, 2017)

ttabbal said:


> So, I want to make bits. I have a harbor freight bench grinder. Not a great tool to be sure, but can it be made usable?
> 
> I've seen the threads talking about modifications to a belt sander. That's another option. Any suggestions on what to look for?



I use a wrongfu harbor freight bench grinder to make my tools, I freehand everything, holding the tool steel with a visegrip. I'd advise you to get something that will turn a grindy bit for the cheapest price to hp ratio you can find IF, all you want to do with it is grind lathe tools; if you want to use it for anything else I'd still look for cheapest price to HP ratio, but with a few more qualifiers added depending on what else you want to do with it. With that said, I would buy the absolute best grinding wheels money can buy, if you can afford them or not. Abrasives will pay you out in spades if you get good CONSISTENT ones. It's a huge deal to get a consistent abrasive, so much so that the range of particle sizes in most grinding wheels is actually quite large, and for wrongfu wheels can be several orders of magnitude in either direction from the grit size, causing gouging or painfully inefficient cutting. Any manufacturer of precision tools will be proud enough of their product to list the abrasive particle size range somewhere in the tec sheet; and you can always just ask.

Something else to consider is the abrasive particle shape, in the better wheels the particles are sorted not only by size, but also by shape, and only the particles with better cutting geometry are used. In the best wheels, care is taken to align those particles in a specific direction for the most efficient cutting possible.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

ttabbal said:


> So, I want to make bits. I have a harbor freight bench grinder. Not a great tool to be sure, but can it be made usable?
> 
> I've seen the threads talking about modifications to a belt sander. That's another option. Any suggestions on what to look for?


I use a Black and Decker BT3500 6" bench grinder with coarse and fine stones, which is about as cheap as they come. I have used it for grinding bits mostly 5/16 and smaller for several years and it does a decent job. I first ground bits holding them in my hand against the rests which I adjusted  for the desired angles. Then I purchased a small cheap Chinese quick change tool holder for 10.00 on Ebay to put the bits into for grinding. Now I am seeing these for 5 bucks. Later I found a tool bit grinding holder for 25.00 on ebay which can hold the bits at different angles on the grinder rest for shaping the bits. There are diagrams on the internet which show how bits are ground. You may be already beyond all this and way ahead of me but I thought it might help someone. I am strictly amateur and this is my limit LOL. Wayne.

Here is a current quick change bit holder like mine available directly from China for 5 bucks. Holds up to 1/2" (13mm) bits. I use one for holding bits when sharpening. I didn't cut off the height adjust stud on mine but it could be removed to get it out of the way.



Here is the other holder I found on Ebay. The slot holds a 5/16" bit. I don't have a source for these, it is an old one. I wonder if any like these are even still made. As you can see there are various slope possibilities for making the rake angles and even the bit slot is sloped.


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## mikey (Sep 29, 2017)

South Bend made a tool grinding fixture that was pretty cool. Looked like this: 






You could lock a square tool bit in the jig and set the angles you needed with the tool rest set at zero degrees. 
This tool is not commonly found and are sought after on eBay. I suspect you could regrind a tool to pretty precise angles with one of these fixtures.

Then again, you can grind whatever you need with a ruler, a Sharpie, and a good tool rest. After some practice, you can dispense with the ruler and Sharpie. Just my opinion but I find fixtures too restricting but there are a lot of guys out there who like these things and will pay good money for them.


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## WoodBee (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> South Bend made a tool grinding fixture that was pretty cool. Looked like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks quite interesting. If someone were to measure one it would make a fun project for a starting toolgrinder I think.
Peter


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> South Bend made a tool grinding fixture that was pretty cool. Looked like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is a fine piece of equipment!


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

ttabbal said:


> So, I want to make bits. I have a harbor freight bench grinder. Not a great tool to be sure, but can it be made usable?
> 
> I've seen the threads talking about modifications to a belt sander. That's another option. Any suggestions on what to look for?


I used my grinder and eventually it gummed up and grinding became difficult. I am new so I read up on it and found an interesting word.... "DRESSER". I got a cheap grinder dresser and cleaned the stones. Makes a big difference. You guys are probably way way ahead on all this but maybe it will help some greenhorn like me. This one is a Forney.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

Just for laughs I have a photo of my grinder bench. I sit on an old castor swivel chair in a 2 1/2  foot space between the lathe and the grinder bench. If I rotate 180 degrees in my chair from the lathe I can access the grinder bench. The available space in the room is 7 1/2 by 8 feet between walls including the space taken by lathe and the bench. You may notice the aluminum pie pans behind the grinder to deflect sparks. The salsa jar holds water to cool bits. The bench is an antique cast iron wood stove stand with plywood backed up with 2x lumber set on top of the stand. The drill press has a cross slide vise on the platen and I have the platen turned to the side to keep it from interfering with my swivel chair when I am turned toward the lathe. There is a cheap vise mounted to a piece of plywood under the bench which I pull out and place on my lap to use. There is an igloo ice chest insert plastic box which is under the bench next to the vise board to hold a hand drill and other tools. You can see the drill cord draped over the bench going to the box. There is a plastic storage tray cover on the floor standing on its edge between the lathe bench and the tool chests which I use on top of the drawer on the lathe bench as an extra platform to take stuff apart without losing small screws etc. That long dowel leaning against the press with an end stuck in the plastic whipped butter container on the floor is a long dowel with a magnet attached to the end for picking up dropped steel parts/stuff. The walls are covered with antique tools and implements. Have a good laugh!


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## mikey (Sep 29, 2017)

WoodBee said:


> Looks quite interesting. If someone were to measure one it would make a fun project for a starting toolgrinder I think.
> Peter



This tool has been reproduced by a number of guys. Pretty sure you can find the plans somewhere on the net, Woodbee. I think the only hitch might be broaching the holes but that can be overcome with some tooling. Have fun if you go for it.


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## mikey (Sep 29, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> Just for laughs I have some photos of my grinder bench. I sit on an old castor swivel chair in a 2 1/2  foot space between the lathe and the grinder bench. If I rotate 180 degrees in my chair from the late I can access the grinder bench. The available space in the room is 7 1/2 by 8 feet including the space taken by lathe and the bench. You may notice the aluminum pie pans behind the grinder to deflect sparks. The salsa jar holds water to cool bits. The bench is an antique cast iron wood stove stand with plywood backed up with 2x lumber set on top of the stand.The drill press has a cross slide vise on the platen and I have the platen turned to the side to keep it from interfering with my swivel chair when I am turned toward the lathe. There is a cheap vise mounted to a piece of plywood under the bench which I pull out and place on my lap to use. There is an igloo ice chest insert plastic box which is under the bench next to the vise board to hold a hand drill and other tools. You can see the drill cord draped over the bench going to the box. Have a good laugh!
> 
> View attachment 242923



Heck, Wayne, you still have open space in your shop! We got a guy named Charlie Spencer here and you should see his shop space. I saw a picture of it once quite some time ago and I'm STILL impressed! 

Compared to some of the guys here, your shop is well equipped.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> Heck, Wayne, you still have open space in your shop! We got a guy named Charlie Spencer here and you should see his shop space. I saw a picture of it once quite some time ago and I'm STILL impressed!
> 
> Compared to some of the guys here, your shop is well equipped.


U R Right. I think I have about one square foot to the left of the grinder bench. I can just move the junk on the floor and maybe put a parts drawer set up there. 
"Before the beginning of great brilliance there must be chaos."


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## WoodBee (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> This tool has been reproduced by a number of guys. Pretty sure you can find the plans somewhere on the net, Woodbee. I think the only hitch might be broaching the holes but that can be overcome with some tooling. Have fun if you go for it.


Thanks, I'll take a look if I can find them. I am a sucker for this kind of projects. It will take a while though. I am in the process of changing shops (for 10 months already). The new shop will be very nice, but it will have less than 1/4 of the floorspace and because I am a "collector" it is a time consuming and painful process.
Peter

edit: I found this:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/nos-nib-sb-lathe-tool-sharpening-jig.33527/#post-283649


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## WoodBee (Sep 29, 2017)

B.t.w. does anyone have experience with grinding lathe tools on Deckel so Machines or clones? (D bit grinder, u3 grinder etc.)?
I am going to pick one (used) up this weekend (Chinese clone, looks very much like the one Stephan Gotteswinter uses) with all the bells and whistles and am wondering if it will also be any good for this.
Peter


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## Metal (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> South Bend made a tool grinding fixture that was pretty cool. Looked like this:
> 
> You could lock a square tool bit in the jig and set the angles you needed with the tool rest set at zero degrees.
> This tool is not commonly found and are sought after on eBay. I suspect you could regrind a tool to pretty precise angles with one of these fixtures.
> ...



Neat
I'll print one out of carbon fiber this weekend and see how she works!


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## T Bredehoft (Sep 29, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> Here is the other holder I found on Ebay.



That's something a fella  could make for himself from a chunk of scrap. 

Thanks, Wayne.


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## Desolus (Sep 29, 2017)

mikey said:


> South Bend made a tool grinding fixture that was pretty cool. Looked like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I just drew almost this exact tool in cad a few nights ago. It's on my list of things to make.


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## ch2co (Sep 29, 2017)

Are you going to share that CAD drawing with us?  Huh! Huh!
(please)

grumpy


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

I ran across this grinder rest with slot setup that might be interesting:








http://www.micro-machine-shop.com/bench_grinder.htm


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## T Bredehoft (Sep 29, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> this grinder rest


Thanks, Wayne, I installed one of those 'rests' today, tried to order an other. The guide block is something Ii'd been studying about.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> I ran across this grinder rest with slot setup that might be interesting:
> 
> View attachment 242958
> 
> ...





T Bredehoft said:


> Thanks, Wayne, I installed one of those 'rests' today, tried to order an other. The guide block is something Ii'd been studying about.


Hi Tom. Where did you find it?


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## T Bredehoft (Sep 29, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> Where did you find it?



Google (or rather Duckduckgo) is your friend. Its name is Veritas, look for *Veritas tool rest.*  The one I had came from a high end carpentry supply in Harrisburg, PA, over a dozen years ago, when I was contemplating a hobby of wood working. Metal work won out. I found a retailer in Oregon, haven't heard from them yet. Probably shouldn't expect an answer till Monday.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 29, 2017)

Found this Veritas jig on Ebay...... A holder that slides on the existing standard grinder rest.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Veritas-Gri...338476?hash=item33d665f62c:g:H3AAAOSwi8VZPEEX


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## waynecuefix (Sep 30, 2017)

T Bredehoft said:


> Google (or rather Duckduckgo) is your friend. Its name is Veritas, look for *Veritas tool rest.*  The one I had came from a high end carpentry supply in Harrisburg, PA, over a dozen years ago, when I was contemplating a hobby of wood working. Metal work won out. I found a retailer in Oregon, haven't heard from them yet. Probably shouldn't expect an answer till Monday.


The Oregon retailer is probably the way to go. I checked Ebay and there were three Veritas Tool Rests listed for 58.00, 65.00 and 80.00 shipping not specified all from the UK. You can bet shipping will be high from the UK.


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## waynecuefix (Sep 30, 2017)

Also found an Accu-sharp grinding jig on Ebay 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACCU-SHARP-...044561?hash=item466aa71151:g:xbUAAOSwVJhZSaOc


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## mikey (Sep 30, 2017)

I own one of them Veritas tool rests. It's okay but a little flimsy. The tool rest is aluminum, which is the worst material for a tool rest; you really want steel for the table so the burrs on the tool don't snag on the top. Not trying to discourage you but I would not buy another one myself. I also have the Glendo Grind-R table and that one is solid. However, grit gets into the angle adjustment and makes it a bit balky when adjusting it. It does work and is solid steel so I like it better than the Veritas-type rest on my bench grinder. 

For lathe tool grinding, I don't like fixtures at all. It locks you into the restrictions of the fixture and that is a deal breaker for me. I much prefer a good rest that can be set at precise angles and then free hand shape the tool. This is far better when grinding custom tools and the skill is easily learned. 

Just my $0.02.


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## Ken from ontario (Sep 30, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> Here is a current quick change bit holder like mine available directly from China for 5 bucks. Holds up to 1/2" (13mm) bits. I use one for holding bits when sharpening. I didn't cut off the height adjust stud on mine but it could be removed to get it out of the way.
> View attachment 242919


Hey Wayne, how do you like the QC bit holder from China?does it fit your tool holder like it should?  I ordered one just to see how it fits my  OXA QCTP ,still waiting but in the meanwhile I made 3  of them myself (used Aluminum) , very happy with how they turned out.


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## ezduzit (Sep 30, 2017)

Ken from ontario said:


> ...made 3  of them myself (used Aluminum) ...



Why aluminum? That would seem an unlikely choice for tool holders.


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## Ken from ontario (Sep 30, 2017)

ezduzit said:


> Why aluminum? That would seem an unlikely choice for tool holders.


That's what I had available, I have a mini lathe and a mini mill, don't machine a lot of mild steel with them even though I can, actually I'm planing on making a couple more with steel.


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## T Bredehoft (Sep 30, 2017)

mikey said:


> For lathe tool grinding, I don't like fixtures at all. It locks you into the restrictions of the fixture and that is a deal breaker for me.



MIke, with your experience you can cut the angles you want by eye-ball. I want something to hold the tool at the right angle to get the rough grind on it. then I can polish/hone it to do the cutting. I''m making a steel guide with a couple of angles, for starters. Probably, once i''m accustomed to what I'm supposed to be doing I can go back to eye-ball.


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## mikey (Sep 30, 2017)

T Bredehoft said:


> MIke, with your experience you can cut the angles you want by eye-ball. I want something to hold the tool at the right angle to get the rough grind on it. then I can polish/hone it to do the cutting. I''m making a steel guide with a couple of angles, for starters. Probably, once i''m accustomed to what I'm supposed to be doing I can go back to eye-ball.



Tom, I totally get it, believe me. How do you think I knew about that South Bend jig?


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## waynecuefix (Sep 30, 2017)

Ken from ontario said:


> Hey Wayne, how do you like the QC bit holder from China?does it fit your tool holder like it should?  I ordered one just to see how it fits my  OXA QCTP ,still waiting but in the meanwhile I made 3  of them myself (used Aluminum) , very happy with how they turned out.


Hi Ken. Well actually I bought that holder only to hold bits when shaping them on the grinder so there would be a larger surface area to stabilize the bit on the grinder rest, especially for smaller bits like 1/4". I used it for 5/16" bits and it was great as there was more to hold onto with my big hands. At the time I didn't have a QC post set but I purchased one later which was an all steel post with wedge type locks and all steel holders. The QC holder I got from China actually was smaller than my OXA QC post. I have never ordered a OXA size holder from China so I cannot verify their quality. All mine came from Little Machine Shop and Shars which may or may not be made in China. I saw where Shars claims US made carbide cutting tools but I am not sure of their holders. (The one I had posted in the photo was one on ebay but not exactly the one I bought, just posted it as an example)


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## ezduzit (Sep 30, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> ...Shars claims US made carbide cutting tools but I am not sure of their holders.



You can be sure Shars' holders are Asian imports.


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## mikey (Sep 30, 2017)

ezduzit said:


> Why aluminum? That would seem an unlikely choice for tool holders.



Actually, for a small lathe, aluminum works fine for tool holders provided they are made well and have enough mass in the upper ledge where the locking screws go. All my tool holders that I made for my Sherline are aluminum and so are the tool holders that came with the tool post. My aluminum boring bar holder will hold a 3/8" carbide bar at full extension with no issues at all; very solid, very accurate. 

For bigger than about an 8" lathe, I agree that steel is a better choice.


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## uncle harry (Oct 1, 2017)

waynecuefix said:


> U R Right. I think I have about one square foot to the left of the grinder bench. I can just move the junk on the floor and maybe put a parts drawer set up there.
> "Before the beginning of great brilliance there must be chaos."



I must be well on the way to brilliance considering my chaotic small shop.


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## Reeltor (Oct 1, 2017)

Wayne,

Where are these "antique" tools that you have.  All I see are very usable, well organized tools on the wall.







Those screw drivers look to be ones that really work without stripping out the screw heads (screws today are made of marshmallow)

Getting back to the original post, I think that the South Bend tool grinding jig would be great to get the angles on a new not previously ground bit and would be very useful to hold 1/4" tool bits.

When I bought my lathe it came with a coffee can full of used bits.  Many appear to be ground for a special use and some are for general use, all were definitely used and look to be ground by an expert.  None match the "standard" grind that you see in How to Run a Lathe or on MrPete222/tubalcain's YouTube channel.
There are a million ways to grind a bit, just give it some clearance and try it out.


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## waynecuefix (Oct 1, 2017)

Reeltor said:


> Wayne,
> 
> Where are these "antique" tools that you have.  All I see are very usable, well organized tools on the wall.



My shop wall of tools and implements can be seen in entirety at the end of my website
http://waynescuefix.weebly.com/


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## crazypj (Oct 1, 2017)

One tool rest broke on my 6" grinder, I removed the other for some reason and never re-fitted it (or the outer cover) I just offhand grind bits when I need to. I have had quite a lot of practice though


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