StrayAlien
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2014
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
Hi all,
About 2.5 years ago I collected some boxes of rusted parts for a Brown & Sharp #2 Surface Grinder SN # 8183. I believe it to be 1928. The location is Melbourne, Australia and there are not too many of these about. Post WWII tariffs on machine tool imports saw to that.
The machine had died long ago I think, likely been bought at auction maybe 10-15 years ago, dissembled for inspection, and then given the apparent scale of repairs needed, discarded in boxes and left to properly die in the elements. The body and column was mostly saved mostly from the elements by being 'inside' but lived next to an open barn door.
It was me or the metal scrapper. I thought it stood a better chance with me, so I loaded 650kg of rusted and abused misery onto a trailer ....
And yes, that is the rusted spindle you can see in there.
I am happy to say it is now fully operational again. All mechanisms are go. The paint is original largely except for those bits left in the weather.
I'm a computer programmer. I've never used a surface grinder. I began this project not even knowing what a grinder spindle looked like. At the end of it, I had a shop-made hand-lapped spindle and taper bearings to about 0.0001" clearance. Not boasting, just saying how much learning can be involved with such a project. I encourage you to give it a go.
It has been quite a journey, full of frustrations and joy, but mostly full of education. Given how much stuff needed to be made or fixed, I am now a more confidence and experienced machinist than I was when I began by a long way. I'm no expert, in fact I am a novice - but to all novices out there, you can do it, just take your time and think about it. You'll be a better machinist for it.
I do truly recommend to anyone to undertake what seems like lost-machine-tool cause. They don't make 1928 BS#2's any more - and they sure don't make stuff like this any more. Heck, you cant even replace your phone battery. Save the old machines.
Except for cutting the gear the gears, pretty much everything was made on my (rather tired) 1941 South Bend 10" lathe.
Full story here: Brown and Sharpe No 2 Surface Grinder - the basket case. Apols, but you do need to log in to see pics. I may make a longer vid. I'll post link here if I do.
Comments welcome,
Greg.
About 2.5 years ago I collected some boxes of rusted parts for a Brown & Sharp #2 Surface Grinder SN # 8183. I believe it to be 1928. The location is Melbourne, Australia and there are not too many of these about. Post WWII tariffs on machine tool imports saw to that.
The machine had died long ago I think, likely been bought at auction maybe 10-15 years ago, dissembled for inspection, and then given the apparent scale of repairs needed, discarded in boxes and left to properly die in the elements. The body and column was mostly saved mostly from the elements by being 'inside' but lived next to an open barn door.
It was me or the metal scrapper. I thought it stood a better chance with me, so I loaded 650kg of rusted and abused misery onto a trailer ....
And yes, that is the rusted spindle you can see in there.
I am happy to say it is now fully operational again. All mechanisms are go. The paint is original largely except for those bits left in the weather.
I'm a computer programmer. I've never used a surface grinder. I began this project not even knowing what a grinder spindle looked like. At the end of it, I had a shop-made hand-lapped spindle and taper bearings to about 0.0001" clearance. Not boasting, just saying how much learning can be involved with such a project. I encourage you to give it a go.
It has been quite a journey, full of frustrations and joy, but mostly full of education. Given how much stuff needed to be made or fixed, I am now a more confidence and experienced machinist than I was when I began by a long way. I'm no expert, in fact I am a novice - but to all novices out there, you can do it, just take your time and think about it. You'll be a better machinist for it.
I do truly recommend to anyone to undertake what seems like lost-machine-tool cause. They don't make 1928 BS#2's any more - and they sure don't make stuff like this any more. Heck, you cant even replace your phone battery. Save the old machines.
Except for cutting the gear the gears, pretty much everything was made on my (rather tired) 1941 South Bend 10" lathe.
Full story here: Brown and Sharpe No 2 Surface Grinder - the basket case. Apols, but you do need to log in to see pics. I may make a longer vid. I'll post link here if I do.
Comments welcome,
Greg.
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