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Blanchard grinder noise

jim may

Plastic
Joined
Oct 24, 2014
Location
Houston
We have a 42" blanchard grinder. Grinds a good finish and flat.
Recently it is making a noise like skipping a tooth.
Anyone know where to start looking for this noise. Have not pinned
down where it is coming from.
 
Do you get the noise only when the magnet table is turning? If you drag your finger on the table while it's spinning (safely), do you feel anything "extra" when you hear the noise?
 
dont really feel anything on the tabel, the finishes look fine. we think the noise is coming from under the table and head.
thinking it could be the driveshaft Dont really know what the week points are on these machines.
 
The table drive system is a real weak link on a Blanchard. Under the saddle, there is a set of spiral bevel gears that drive a pinion gear that turns the chuck. Those gears have their own oil reservoir and they usually fill up with coolant or anything but oil.

Typically, I figure on replacing the input shaft, bearings, bevel gears, pinion gear, pinion gear bushing, felt wick, and all nuts, washer, keys and gaskets. These parts are not cheap. It's not an easy job either. You have to lift the chuck off. You have to pull the drive shaft cover back and unhook the shaft. Then pull the input shaft out the end. Then the pinion gear shaft goes out the bottom. If you have an integral coolant tank, there is usually no issue doing that. If you have a separate tank and there is very little space under the saddle, you have to lift the whole saddle up which is a large job requiring you to remove the water guards and disassemble the ways.

I've probably done a dozen or more. It takes me maybe 6-8 hours for a simple one and twice that for one that fights me (drilling out all the screws and chiseling off inches of crusty build up). If you have to lift the saddle, add another 6+ hours.

I have seen broken teeth on the chuck drive gear before, but it rare. That will require scraping a new gear to match the bearing surface in the saddle.

Also, the drive gear boxes occasionally fail, but if it make a racket in all gears, it's not likely to be the issue.

Attached is the view from the parts manual.

Blanchard Table Drive.jpg
 
I have rebuilt several Blanchards and teach classes at Bourn & Kohl. I would also be able to rebuild the machine. I am available first of June. If your employees would want to also get a short class in machine scraping, we can do that also. Also with my connection with Bourn & Koch who now owns Blanchard we can get the parts that are needed very fast. You can call Bourn and kolh and ask who the would reccomend. I would suggest you do that no matter who you pick. You can email me at [email protected].
 
There are several members hear on Practical machinst who can cut gears too. If your thi king of down time versus repairing the machine you have in place. It might seem expensive, but timd is money too.
 
As long as the machine is down di some preventive maintenance: Gear rack under saddle and rack pinion transmission, clean tank, check ways and either rescrape them or a good cleaning and relieve bottom middle, 1/2 moon flake bottom of saddle. Clean, check under chuck circular way, check lube oil cup and oilers for ways (some were grease). Remove, clean and scrape new oil pockets in wheel head gibs (one at a time). I save the customer money and have them do most of the mechcanical work and cleaning.
 
well the machine is running. Had 4 teeth missing in the bull gear in the magnet. Pulled the saddle and the bearings
for the pinion gear were bad. The ways on the saddle and the machine base looked great.
Have not got the bill yet but it is running now and how we have missed it.
 
The table drive system is a real weak link on a Blanchard. Under the saddle, there is a set of spiral bevel gears that drive a pinion gear that turns the chuck. Those gears have their own oil reservoir and they usually fill up with coolant or anything but oil.

Typically, I figure on replacing the input shaft, bearings, bevel gears, pinion gear, pinion gear bushing, felt wick, and all nuts, washer, keys and gaskets. These parts are not cheap. It's not an easy job either. You have to lift the chuck off. You have to pull the drive shaft cover back and unhook the shaft. Then pull the input shaft out the end. Then the pinion gear shaft goes out the bottom. If you have an integral coolant tank, there is usually no issue doing that. If you have a separate tank and there is very little space under the saddle, you have to lift the whole saddle up which is a large job requiring you to remove the water guards and disassemble the ways.

I've probably done a dozen or more. It takes me maybe 6-8 hours for a simple one and twice that for one that fights me (drilling out all the screws and chiseling off inches of crusty build up). If you have to lift the saddle, add another 6+ hours.

I have seen broken teeth on the chuck drive gear before, but it rare. That will require scraping a new gear to match the bearing surface in the saddle.

Also, the drive gear boxes occasionally fail, but if it make a racket in all gears, it's not likely to be the issue.

Attached is the view from the parts manual.

View attachment 227463
can you let me know what the bearing size are for the shaft I have everything off. Bearings are just torn apart not sure what bearings to buy. Thank you
 








 
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