- Joined
- Aug 21, 2023
- Messages
- 121
A basic home shop will usually consists of a vertical milling machine and a lathe. Next in my book would be a surface grinder. You can hold closer tolerances, leaves smoother surfaces, Machine hardened tool steels. With a simple spin fixture grinding hardened shafts are possible and or cut to length. Along with proper fixture sharpening drill and end mills are possible. A good starter surface grinder is a 6”X12”. A good used 6”X18” usually found at the same cost would be an even better choice. At a bigger price power table feeds are nice. Far less work to run and get better surface finishes.
Today I have a U.S. Industrial 6” by 18” surface grinder with a 1/2” wide by 8” Dia. Wheel, a permanent magnetic chuck, over wheel diamond dresser, flood coolant, two-axis digital readouts, and automatic two-axis electric power table feeds.
No better alternative to a surface grinder than a second one. Mine is a U.S. Industrial 12” by 24” with a 1” wide by 12” Dia. wheel, a permanent magnetic chuck, over wheel diamond dresser, flood coolant, two-axis digital readouts, and hydraulic reciprocating table with an electric motor increment cross feed, power elevation to spindle, and two-axis digital readouts. Capacity is the main reason for this grinder. Along with a bigger & wider wheel that can remove more steel in less time.
Grinding two .060" thick precision protractor blades.
Today I have a U.S. Industrial 6” by 18” surface grinder with a 1/2” wide by 8” Dia. Wheel, a permanent magnetic chuck, over wheel diamond dresser, flood coolant, two-axis digital readouts, and automatic two-axis electric power table feeds.
No better alternative to a surface grinder than a second one. Mine is a U.S. Industrial 12” by 24” with a 1” wide by 12” Dia. wheel, a permanent magnetic chuck, over wheel diamond dresser, flood coolant, two-axis digital readouts, and hydraulic reciprocating table with an electric motor increment cross feed, power elevation to spindle, and two-axis digital readouts. Capacity is the main reason for this grinder. Along with a bigger & wider wheel that can remove more steel in less time.
Grinding two .060" thick precision protractor blades.