New to Surface Grinders

you're right. If you live near them, they have a lot of stock!
 
Something I noticed just recently about surface grinders and Craigslist. They don't show up much under tools. But search "Surface Grinder" for the whole Craigslist site and they do show up plenty. They are listed as heavy equipment or business for sale maybe other headings.
 
I wound up just buying a Harig Super 612 at an auction last week. A couple of Harig's were available among numerous newer high priced Japanese machines. I managed to speak to the owner of the tool shop who contracted with the auction shop and got the inside scoop on the machine's history. He indicated that it had seen little use in the most recent years and was never used in a "production" environment. At some point several years back it was completely rebuilt by S.T.K. with new bearings and converted to ball races. Not sure what the conversion to ball races means but the spindle/motor is dead silent and all seems to function very smoothly. He said it was a great machine and didn't have any issues so I was pleased with that. I had to hire some licensed/bonded movers to move it to my shop and they are scheduled to move it early next week. My question is how do I prep it for moving? Do I need to remove the table? Does the table just sit on top? If you don't have to disassemble that, is it good to just use wood blocks between the spindle and the table/chuck and let the spindle just rest down on the chuck surface? I am concerned that I need to somehow disassemble a bunch of stuff before they move it...

Thoughts?

Gary
 
You must remove the table or the balls can hammer little divots into the ways while in transit, totally ruining the machine. The table should lift right off, but there may be a cable or other means of traversing the table that needs to be disconnected before it lifts off. Put some blocks under the spindle housing, then let down the head until there is no load on the lead screw, with backlash in both directions. That way there will not be pounding on the precision lead screw threads. It sounds like you may have a very nice grinder there. Without pics posted here, it never happened! Congratulations!
 
I'll try to get some pictures up soon. Are the balls just loose? So all I do is lift it off after disconnecting the cable?
 
I assume the balls will be trapped in holes in spacer plates thinner than the ball diameter. They may well be loose, though, and if so can roll all over the place if you lift the spacer plate off. Take the table off carefully after looking in all the nooks and crannies you can before lifting the table. I would have wanted to take the table off before purchasing it, just to see what is going on in there. But, alas, at an auction that is not a real possibility...
 
OK I will see about doing this carefully then! Here are a couple fairly poor cell phone pictures...
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Here's a link to a thread I started a few weeks ago on that very issue. Several guys here posted some invaluable information when I was looking. General gist of input was to be very careful. There are things that are easily fixable, but some things (like spindle, as Bob pointed out here and in my thread) that basically make the machine a high priced boat anchor.

I just missed out on the one I was looking at. The seller and I had agreed on a price but, understandably, he did not want to remove it from listing until I actually came to look at it. He sold it the DAY BEFORE I could get there. Bummer.

www.hobby-machinist.com

Info on a K. O. Lee Surface Grinder

I am looking at an older model S718H K. O. Lee surface grinder that has had very light use and appears to be in excellent condition. It includes a 6" x 18" magnetic chuck, some additional wheels, and all peripherals. I'm very interested in it, but I've been cautioned against that manufacturer...
www.hobby-machinist.com www.hobby-machinist.com

Regards,
Terry
 
Cosmetically, it looks very nice! Dig as deep as you can to see if it is true...
 
Looks like a clean machine.


As far as moving it since you hired bonded professional movers I would not do anything to it until they had a look at it and recommend the safest way onsite.
 
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