Crystal Lake grinder rescue

R

ruralearl

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 21, 2007

Location

ne IL

• Mar 8, 2013

• #1

Hello, Some years ago we were given this Crystal lake grinder:

Recently completed work on it mainly cleaning up, making new dead center pulley & bushing, using grinder to true up the spindle that the bushing runs on, & making replacements for missing table extensions:

Can anyone tell me what this attachment was/is used for? It rotates & and the body moves laterally. Serial number 712-272.

Regards, Earl

Any way to edit typo in the title?

 

Last edited: Mar 8, 2013

M

mfisher

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 24, 2006

Location

Annapolis, Maryland

• Mar 8, 2013

• #2

My guess is a radius and tangent dresser for the wheel.
Are there two stops, to keep it from moving to the sides?

 

R

ruralearl

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 21, 2007

Location

ne IL

• Mar 8, 2013

• #3

Hi mfisher, Yes it has stops on both rotation & lateral movement. That makes sense, thank you for the reply. Regards, EArl

 

M

mfisher

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 24, 2006

Location

Annapolis, Maryland

• Mar 8, 2013

• #4

By the way, looks like you did a great job on it.

I have a similar dresser, which I am thinking to convert to a light duty radius attachment for my lathe.
Not really convert, but remove the vertical part that holds the dressing diamond, and add a bit holder for a lathe tool. Mine happens to line up nicely with center height of my lathe.

 

L

L Vanice

Diamond

Joined

Feb 8, 2006

Location

Fort Wayne, IN

• Mar 8, 2013

• #5

To aid people who are searching for info on Crystal Lake grinders, I have spelled it correctly.

Larry

 

jhruska

Titanium

Joined

Jul 5, 2009

Location

Munster, In. USA

• Mar 8, 2013

• #6

Very nice clean up!
What is the taper in the footstock?
John

 

S

SouthBendModel34

Diamond

Joined

Feb 4, 2004

Location

Metuchen, NJ, USA

• Mar 8, 2013

• #7

To edit the title, press the EDIT button and then press the Go Advanced button. Move the cursor to the title field and click it. The rest is obvious.

Regards, John Ruth

 

L

Leg17

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 21, 2011

Location

Kentucky

• Mar 8, 2013

• #8

An excellent machine. I used them, (we had three), for a few years in a tight tolerance gage shop. Roundness and finish can be extremely fine when you get the bronze bearings adjusted just right. Diameter, squareness, and straightness +-.0001 all day and occasionally half of that.

 

Rock Crusher

Hot Rolled

Joined

Mar 27, 2006

Location

20 mi West of Salem

• Mar 8, 2013

• #9

What a neat yet simple grinder. I really like the drive motor shafted at both ends and turning both the spindle and the work. Plus you did a really good job on the restoration, looks great. Ed.

 

R

ruralearl

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 21, 2007

Location

ne IL

• Mar 8, 2013

• #10

Hello,
mfisher, thank you

Larry V, thanks for fixing my typo

jhruska, Thank you. The taper is #4 Brown & Sharpe in both head & tailstock.

John Ruth, Thanks for the info

Rock Crusher, Thank you.

Regards, Earl

 

L

Leg17

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 21, 2011

Location

Kentucky

• Mar 8, 2013

• #11

ruralearl
I see your in NE Illinois.
This grinder didn't come from Alfro Gage Co in Harvey IL by chance did it?

 

R

ruralearl

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 21, 2007

Location

ne IL

• Mar 9, 2013

• #12

Hi Leg17, No, it came locally from a guy in Woodstock. Not sure where he got it, but i think he got it from another man who ran a machine shop, also in Woodstock. Incidentally, Crystal Lake is the next town down the road. Regards, Earl

 

Last edited: Mar 9, 2013

S

stephen thomas

Diamond

Joined

Jun 3, 2001

Location

downhill from Twain\'s study outside Elmira, NY

• Mar 9, 2013

• #13

Spectacular restoration!

smt

 

G

GeoD

Aluminum

Joined

Oct 13, 2012

Location

USA Mass

• Mar 9, 2013

• #14

Wow looks fantastic. Well done.

 

R

ruralearl

Aluminum

Joined

Dec 21, 2007

Location

ne IL

• Mar 9, 2013

• #15

Hello,
smt & GeoD, thanks for the kind words. Regards, Earl

 

S

sheys

Aluminum

Joined

Jul 13, 2006

Location

brooklyn, ny

• Apr 2, 2013

• #16

Very nice job, that thing was in rough shape to start with.

I just picked up a slightly larger and slightly newer Crystal Lake and am in the process of cleaning and getting it back together. I have a brief but original operator's manual which says to use Velocite E oil in the spindle once it is broken in (no end play). I couldn't find a cross reference for this but I am guessing that the lightest of the current Velocite oils might be appropriate, #2. What did you use in yours?

My machine has an old added-on variable speed DC drive for the workhead and a strange modification to the cross feed. Also came with a drowned mouse in the absolutely disgusting coolant tank. Everything seems to be in decent shape though, I'm excited to get it running.

 

L

Leg17

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 21, 2011

Location

Kentucky

• Apr 3, 2013

• #17

Looks great!
The belt driven Bronze wheel spindle reduces the possibility of chatter sometimes found in direct drive roller bearing arrangements.
And when you get the hang of lapping centers, the belt driven work head does the rest.
You will be pleased with roundness and finish.
Every set-up may require adjusting for squareness and straightness.
Fiddle with the tailstock, possibly shimming with paper or something, until the sidewheel pattern is crosshatched. That will be square.
Then fiddle with the taper to get whatever degree of straightness is required, (or taper for that matter.)


To lap centers, tighten abrasive center lap in lathe headstock chuck.
Adjust workpiece to fit slightly loose between center lap and tailstock center.
Turn on headstock while holding workpiece from turning and then tenderly apply pressure by advancing the tailstock center.
Careful. it takes a little practice to get the 'feel' of it.
You may sacrifice some lap while getting the hang of it.
Laps can be re-dressed with a diamond.

At least, that's how I was taught and it worked perfectly.