Hello all,

We need to occasionally surface grind for an excellent finish.
Sometimes we need to surface grind smooth surfaces on ceramics,
sometimes hard steel. But we don't have a surface grinder.

Does anybody have experience with the right angle attachment sets that
they sell for Bridgeport mills? One is shown here;
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1638

If one is slow (yeah, that describes me alright!) and patient, can
simple occasional jobs be done with something like this?

-jim

"jjjjj" wrote in message
om...

If one is slow (yeah, that describes me alright!) and patient, can
simple occasional jobs be done with something like this?

I think there are a host of reasons why you cannot use a mill to surface
grind.

The table feed strikes me as the biggest issue, although there are others
that come to mind that would prevent the mill from being used. I don't think
I've ever used a knee mill that was free of vibration to the degree required
for a good surface finish.

I'm sure you can get a surface grinder cheap if you look in the right place.
That or farm the work out.

Regards,

Robin

I would think you would spend alot of time covering the ways then cleaning
after the grinding work. The ways are to open to the elements.
"Robin S." wrote in message
. ..

"jjjjj" wrote in message
om...

If one is slow (yeah, that describes me alright!) and patient, can
simple occasional jobs be done with something like this?

I think there are a host of reasons why you cannot use a mill to surface
grind.

The table feed strikes me as the biggest issue, although there are others
that come to mind that would prevent the mill from being used. I don't
think I've ever used a knee mill that was free of vibration to the degree
required for a good surface finish.

I'm sure you can get a surface grinder cheap if you look in the right
place. That or farm the work out.

Regards,

Robin

"jjjjj" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

We need to occasionally surface grind for an excellent finish.
Sometimes we need to surface grind smooth surfaces on ceramics,
sometimes hard steel. But we don't have a surface grinder.

Does anybody have experience with the right angle attachment sets that
they sell for Bridgeport mills? One is shown here;
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1638

If one is slow (yeah, that describes me alright!) and patient, can
simple occasional jobs be done with something like this?

-jim

Of necessity, I've used my Bridgeport sans the right angle attachment (using
a cup wheel) to grind with reasonable success, and recently. I do not
recommend it, not at all. The addition of the right angle drive will do
nothing positive in an attempt to grind, and is likely to ad certain
problems to the attempt. There are certain issues associated with grinding
on a mill, not the least of which is the potential for ruining the machine.
Assuming you're willing to risk that, and willing to spend roughly an hour
fully masking the machine, here is what you can expect:

You will not be able to achieve a decent finish, especially on light duty
machines like a Bridgeport, or clone. Robin already addressed that issue,
and he's right. It will be a better finish than you would expect with
other tools, fly cutters being excepted in some cases.

You will be unable to take much of a cut with the wheel because you don't
have the ability to traverse quickly like a surface grinder does. You
can't move wheels slowly over surfaces and expect them to behave. The
localized heating creates monumental problems, especially if you try
grinding stainless.

You will be unable to cool your work with coolant, so that fact, coupled
with the slow table traverse speed, restricts you to VERY light passes. A
thou tends to be too much when grinding a narrow surface, like the planer
blades I sharpened recently. A large surface would be impossible, or nearly
so.

Now that you've been advised that it won't work, you're likely to try
anyway. When you do, DO NOT diamond dress your wheel if you use a cup
type. The large area in contact with the part raises temperatures way too
quickly. A hand dress with a dressing stick and an angle on the outside
edge of the (grinding) surface will yield the coolest cutting surface
possible. Due
to the fact that it spins parallel to the part, it will still yield a
reasonable surface finish, unlike a straight (type 1) wheel, which runs at
right angles to the part. They must be diamond dressed in order to leave a
decent finish. They also cut very hot when so dressed.

Use an aluminum oxide wheel for all steels, and silicon carbide for cast
iron and all
non-ferrous and non-metallic objects, especially ceramics. Diamond in that
instance would be far better.

Good luck, and check out a used surface grinder for long term happiness and
successful grinding.

Harold

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 22:33:09 -0800, "Harold & Susan Vordos"
wrote:


Use an aluminum oxide wheel for all steels, and silicon carbide for cast
iron and all
non-ferrous and non-metallic objects, especially ceramics. Diamond in that
instance would be far better.

Good luck, and check out a used surface grinder for long term happiness and
successful grinding.

Harold


I have a pair of Boyer Shultz 6x12s for sale Cheap. Both have good
ways, but are likely to need spindle bearings, paint and a good
cleaning.

Id make someone a hell of a deal on one or both if you wanted a
relatively painless and easy project machine that could be put back in
good order in a couple weekends of laid back work.

Gunner



"If I'm going to reach out to the the Democrats then I need a third
hand.There's no way I'm letting go of my wallet or my gun while they're
around."

"Democrat. In the dictionary it's right after demobilize and right
before demode` (out of fashion).
-Buddy Jordan 2001

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 22:33:09 -0800, "Harold & Susan Vordos"
wrote:


Use an aluminum oxide wheel for all steels, and silicon carbide for cast
iron and all
non-ferrous and non-metallic objects, especially ceramics. Diamond in
that
instance would be far better.

Good luck, and check out a used surface grinder for long term happiness
and
successful grinding.

Harold


I have a pair of Boyer Shultz 6x12s for sale Cheap. Both have good
ways, but are likely to need spindle bearings, paint and a good
cleaning.

Id make someone a hell of a deal on one or both if you wanted a
relatively painless and easy project machine that could be put back in
good order in a couple weekends of laid back work.

Gunner


The one negative is that replacing spindle bearings on grinders can be very
expensive. On the other hand, unless the bearings are trashed, even rough
bearings would likely serve one far better than a mill as a grinder.

Harold

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:10:53 -0800, "Harold & Susan Vordos"
wrote:


"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 22:33:09 -0800, "Harold & Susan Vordos"
wrote:


Use an aluminum oxide wheel for all steels, and silicon carbide for cast
iron and all
non-ferrous and non-metallic objects, especially ceramics. Diamond in
that
instance would be far better.

Good luck, and check out a used surface grinder for long term happiness
and
successful grinding.

Harold


I have a pair of Boyer Shultz 6x12s for sale Cheap. Both have good
ways, but are likely to need spindle bearings, paint and a good
cleaning.

Id make someone a hell of a deal on one or both if you wanted a
relatively painless and easy project machine that could be put back in
good order in a couple weekends of laid back work.

Gunner


The one negative is that replacing spindle bearings on grinders can be very
expensive. On the other hand, unless the bearings are trashed, even rough
bearings would likely serve one far better than a mill as a grinder.

Harold

Ayup. However the Boyer Shultz uses common bearing that are
relatively cheap to purchase.

Id hazzard to guess, that including the price I want for these and a
new set of bearings, the price in total would be less than $500 for
surface grinder, each.

G

gunner



"If I'm going to reach out to the the Democrats then I need a third
hand.There's no way I'm letting go of my wallet or my gun while they're
around."

"Democrat. In the dictionary it's right after demobilize and right
before demode` (out of fashion).
-Buddy Jordan 2001

I can sell you a KO Lee 6" x 12" surface grinder with mag chuck, fully
operational, for less then you can buy a new B'port right angle head.
It's in SoCal. While we are on the subject of surface grinders I
brought another KO Lee 6" x 12" last week. Mid-'80s machine with 99%
of the original paint intact. This machine has coolant, hydralic
powerfeed, over wheel dresser,all requisit tooling and manuals. If
someone wants it before Dec. 1st, I'll sell it for $2500. Leigh at
MarMachine