How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders? Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Thanks, Steve

wrote:
How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders? Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Phil Duclos made one using just a lathe. You do have to be able to turn however
long your spindle is, within .0002" which is precision beyond the patience or
skill level of many home machinists. The article appeared in Home Shop
Machinist, I believe.

Actual Weldon air bars were ridiculously expensive, several thousand dollars.
They are discontinued now, and Wilton no longer supports them for parts or even
manuals. Very recently the Wilton units still appeared in the MSC catalog but
when I pressed MSC they admitted that was an oversight, like listing Nicholson
die files long after they were no longer available.

I don't think there is anything mysterious about the way they are made, it's
just that the tolerances are very tight, so things have to be temperature
controlled, and of course I'm sure Weldon ground everything.

I believe Phase II makes these. If I still wanted to pursue sharpening end
mills, I think I might pick up one of those.

GWE

wrote:

How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders? Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Thanks, Steve
This has been a popular subject in the Yahoo Quorn_Owners group for the last
couple of months. Interesting stuff in their files area too.
--
Keith Bowers - Thomasville, NC

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
wrote:
How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders? Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Phil Duclos made one using just a lathe. You do have to be able to turn
however
long your spindle is, within .0002" which is precision beyond the patience
or
skill level of many home machinists. The article appeared in Home Shop
Machinist, I believe.

Actual Weldon air bars were ridiculously expensive, several thousand
dollars.
They are discontinued now, and Wilton no longer supports them for parts or
even
manuals. Very recently the Wilton units still appeared in the MSC catalog
but
when I pressed MSC they admitted that was an oversight, like listing
Nicholson
die files long after they were no longer available.

I don't think there is anything mysterious about the way they are made,
it's
just that the tolerances are very tight, so things have to be temperature
controlled, and of course I'm sure Weldon ground everything.

I believe Phase II makes these. If I still wanted to pursue sharpening end
mills, I think I might pick up one of those.



Last time I checked, Darex will happily sell you the sleeve, bar and drawbar
( as replacement parts )...

Concievably, one could build himself an air spindle quite inexpensively this
way.

--

SVL

On 24 Jul 2005 15:37:35 -0700, "
wrote:

How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders? Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Thanks, Steve
If your lathe will turn things round you can make one yourself. Some
lathes have bad bearings in the headstock and will make parts out of
round a little. And air bearings require very round parts. You will
need a VEE block to check for out of roundness. It's possible to turn
parts that are triangular but measure round when checking with a mike.
If your lathe does turn round then turn the shaft as close as possible
to finished size while still being able to polish to get the required
good finish and the accurate size.
ERS

wrote:

How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders?

Is an air spindle a bearing that kinda "uses air instead of oil"?
I need no explanation, I just don't know the therm.


Nick
--
Motormodelle / Engine Models:
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
Ellwe 2FB * VTM 87 * DLM-S3a * cubic
more to come ...

"Nick Müller" wrote in message
...
wrote:

How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders?

Is an air spindle a bearing that kinda "uses air instead of oil"?
I need no explanation, I just don't know the therm.


Nick

Correct. The spindle floats on the filtered, introduced air. Provides for
a superior "feel" and ease of movement.

Harold

I made one from a cheap import spin-indexer using the Duclos' design. I use
it to grind end mill flutes on my surface grinder. It works well and cost
very little to make.

Randy


"PrecisionMachinisT" wrote in message
...

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
wrote:
How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders?
Also
how do they operate? Would it be possible to make one without ID
grinding equipment?

Phil Duclos made one using just a lathe. You do have to be able to turn
however
long your spindle is, within .0002" which is precision beyond the
patience
or
skill level of many home machinists. The article appeared in Home Shop
Machinist, I believe.

Actual Weldon air bars were ridiculously expensive, several thousand
dollars.
They are discontinued now, and Wilton no longer supports them for parts
or
even
manuals. Very recently the Wilton units still appeared in the MSC
catalog
but
when I pressed MSC they admitted that was an oversight, like listing
Nicholson
die files long after they were no longer available.

I don't think there is anything mysterious about the way they are made,
it's
just that the tolerances are very tight, so things have to be
temperature
controlled, and of course I'm sure Weldon ground everything.

I believe Phase II makes these. If I still wanted to pursue sharpening
end
mills, I think I might pick up one of those.



Last time I checked, Darex will happily sell you the sleeve, bar and
drawbar
( as replacement parts )...

Concievably, one could build himself an air spindle quite inexpensively
this
way.

--

SVL

Nick
Check out this like to the T%C grinder they are talking about. The
spindle is a ground tube that is fitted to a close tolerance housing
with clean air introduced to provide a friction free method of regrindin
the sides of an endmill or other cutting tools. They are not hard to
use, but its not one of those things that people pick up by themselves.
I have done a lot of t&c grinding and have tried to teach it to a lot
of others, not everybody picks it up easily.

http://www.heinmanmachinery.com/specs23.pdf

Nick Müller wrote:
wrote:


How are air spindles made in things like tool and cutter grinders?


Is an air spindle a bearing that kinda "uses air instead of oil"?
I need no explanation, I just don't know the therm.


Nick

machineman wrote:

http://www.heinmanmachinery.com/specs23.pdf

Thanks. That seems to be a nice machine. But also unaffordable.


Nick
--
Motormodelle / Engine Models:
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
Ellwe 2FB * VTM 87 * DLM-S3a * cubic
more to come ...

"machineman" wrote in message
news2dFe.132216$HI.23293@edtnps84...
Nick
Check out this like to the T%C grinder they are talking about. The
spindle is a ground tube that is fitted to a close tolerance housing
with clean air introduced to provide a friction free method of regrindin
the sides of an endmill or other cutting tools. They are not hard to
use, but its not one of those things that people pick up by themselves.
I have done a lot of t&c grinding and have tried to teach it to a lot
of others, not everybody picks it up easily.


I've often said that about grinding in general. My experience in that
arena tells me good grinders are born, it's not a learned thing.

Harold