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Norton Surface Grinder Question

tws869

Plastic
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Hello all - hoping to get a bit of help, I'm a hobby tinkerer and picked up a Norton surface grinder a few years back. I stripped it all down, painted it, updated it to have a VFD for 3ph and have been enjoying using it when suddenly I ran into the fact that it requires the wheel adapters for wheel changes (sorry for my ignorance). Oddly enough when I purchased the unit the guy gave me a box of Norton wheels all with 1" or 1/2" diameter spindles which surely wont work on this grinder without what appears to be a very expensive Sopko adapter.
My question though is what other machines have the same taper? I've been ebay hunting for additional adapters, the Sopkos are typically very proud/expensive. I've seen a few which don't specifically list the taper but they are selling them as Harig or Okamato grinder adapters, hoping that I can find 3-4 more adapters to increase my available options for the hobby.
 
You can go to the Sopko site ..I think it tell the wheel hub ID taper.
1" and 1/2 " ID is not very common for a surface grinder the size of a Norton.. Most often 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 ID wheel is more common..Do you have adapters in those sizes?

Likely 1" and 1/2" wheels (if the ring test) could be sold on craigslist ..
Buying wheels that fit be sure they state the same RPM (or lower ) than you spindle RPM. That they ring test, that you wear safety glasses, that you know how to block-in a work piece, that your mag works, That you know how to feel/find the high place on a work piece, how to know a wheel is dressed, how to ring test a wheel, how to come to the work from the grind side (not the climb side)for first pass...
 
If you have a surface grinder I will assume you have bench lathe. You could make some adapters with some scrap stock you may have.
 
Think they (small Nortons) are 3.000 tpf and 1" at the big end...think that the same as Brown and Sharpe and many other SGs.
The Cincinnati has the stub Taper (forget the size).

I suppose you could make a 1" wheel adapter but that not a very good idea IMHO.......Good to ring test all wheels..and look for RPM notation on wheels.
 
As others said, you don't need an adaptor, you need the correct wheels.

Standard wheel for that machine would be a 7" dia, by 1/2" wide with a 1 1/4" hole. Commonly called a "Type I" wheel. Most are vitrified (glass) bond. Probably a 60 grit, aluminum oxide, with a "K" hardness for general grinding.

That's all the generic stuff. There are many different brands and prices are all over the place. Cheap imports start around $20 each and the pricey ones will approach $60. I don't know where you shop or what your budget is, so you can decide.
JR
 
That is a very high grace machine. Never had on apart but be sure all the travel movements oil pots are full with the right oil. You may find good used surface grinder wheels at auction.. but for the cost it is best to use name brand wheels... I picked up a box of Carborundrum AO wheels this year at auction and they are top wheels..That is an older top brand wheel name..China bargain wheels IMHO are not worth buying .. I tried and then tossed them in the dumpster.

Wheels can differ for hardness so a Norton wheel perhaps a K will/may not act the same as a Radiac K wheel (both having the same grit)

Wheels should look clean, dry, ring test well and fit the mount fairly close. Good to pen a mark up line if taking a wheel off and back on as this saves the amount you need to dress.
 








 
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