Help a newbie get started.

Forrest Silas · Jul 16, 2008

I recently dragged home a tired old Norton 6X18 surface grinder. I have never seen a surface grinder in operation, and know very little about grinding, so I will probably have quite a few questions in the weeks to come. Right now I am waiting for a manual to arrive from another member, so I can figure out how to connect all the hydraulic lines.

In the mean time I need to start gathering the basic tooling, which leads to my first question. I can't afford a new USA made magnetic chuck. I have found several imported 6X18 chucks for around $250. Also I see used USA chucks selling on EBay for the same money or less. What would cause me to regret buying the imported chuck? In other words, what are the deficiencies of the import vs used USA?

Thanks,
Forrest

Holescreek · Jul 16, 2008

Forrest, I doubt there are too many of us with a lot of experience using import chucks. For the most part there are so many used Walker brand chucks around that there isn't a need for import shopping. If there is a dead spot on top of your chuck you'll know pretty quickly no matter if its a new import or a used american chuck. At least if its a used american chuck someone will know how to fix it. My money would go towards a Walker. -Mike

matt k · Jul 16, 2008

i dont think flatness is an issue, ive run a lot of grinders and i never hesitated to take a few thousandths off the mag table.......

MikeJB · Jul 16, 2008

Hi Forrest,

The main problem I have found with cheap imports is that the makers do not consider design principles; they just copy what they see.

In the case of a vice they probably do not age their castings, the casting metal is full of junk and voids and probably not of the correct hardness or strength. It may not even be flat. The magnetic characteristics may also be wrong.

I have always found it to be false economy to buy cheap tooling. They normally need to be rebuilt to get them to be useful. And there is no 'feelgood' factor in owning cheap stuff.

However a used vice will almost certainly have been abused no matter what its original quality. You may be lucky though.

Regards,

Mike.

Forrest Silas · Jul 16, 2008

Thanks for talking me out of it guys. I have not had success with imported tooling in the past, and swore never to waste money cheap junk again. I was just thinking maybe the magnetic chuck would be OK :skep:

since I could grind the top when I mounted it on the machine. I was hoping to avoid the frustrations of searching for a quality used one on EBay.

I will start searching EBay for a good used chuck now.

:cheers:

Forrest

BillDe · Jul 16, 2008

Buy a used Walker, no matter what you get, it is manditory to grind it in.

Bill

easymike299 · Jul 16, 2008

Forrest
You would do better to buy a 6X12 chuck rather than a 6X18.
A 6x12 affords you more finger and hand clearance when the wheel is down low. A 6X18 is rarely needed unless all of your work pieces are nearing 18 inches length. In that case you really need a longer grinder.
Gene

Holescreek · Jul 17, 2008

so I can figure out how to connect all the hydraulic lines.

I'm guessing water grinder. Get the largest chuck you can afford.

Forrest Silas · Jul 17, 2008

Two votes for walker, import is out.

I see two votes for Walker, so I will do my best to find one of those.

I had not considered a smaller chuck. I really don't know what size my work pieces will be. I sorta bought this thing on an impulse and didn't have any particular job in mind for it. Now I see all sorts of stuff in the shop that needs grinding.

If I find a 6X12 first that fits my budget I'll buy it.

Thanks guys.
Forrest

Forrest Silas · Jul 17, 2008

EBay strikes again!

Mike, I think we were typing at the same time. I am not sure what you mean by a "water grinder". It has a separate free standing hydraulic tank and pump that powers the table feeds and incremental down feed. It once had coolant, but that is long gone now. I have a Little Giant pump and tank that I plan to plumb in to it once I get everything else going.

I went to the evil Internet flea market and found a Walker Ceramax fine pole 6X12 that fit my budget that ended in 10 minutes and bought it.
Item # 350078143316

If I figure out that I need a bigger chuck later I can always sell that one and buy a bigger one.

I am reading everything I can find about running a surface grinder. I am sure I will be back with more questions once I get it going though.

Thanks to everyone for your input.
Forrest

sidecar580 · Jul 17, 2008

Forrest Silas said:
Mike, I think we were typing at the same time. I am not sure what you mean by a "water grinder". It has a separate free standing hydraulic tank and pump that powers the table feeds and incremental down feed.

This machine should have the hydraulic motor and pump unit inside the base.
The base is the tank.
JOHN

Forrest Silas · Jul 17, 2008

This machine should have the hydraulic motor and pump unit inside the base.
The base is the tank.
JOHN[/quote]

John, here are some pictures of what I have. This hydraulic setup may not be factory, but the connections on the base look like they were put there at the factory.

This is where I think the seller said the hydraulic lines connect. We both have hearing loss, and I had trouble with his accent so I may have misunderstood.

This is a not very good picture of the inside of the base. There is liquid in the bottom that looks like a mixture of coolant, hydraulic fluid and rust.

Forrest

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