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Tool post grinder in a shaper - poor man's surface grinder?

Just a Sparky

Just a Sparky

Hot Rolled
Joined
May 2, 2020
Location
Minnesota
Just wondering if anyone's ever heard of the notion of putting a tool post grinder into a shaper as a way of improvising a poor man's surface grinder.


As long as great care is taken to protect the ways and capture the abrasive particles released by the grinding wheel, is this a viable technique? I imagine ideally one would want to construct a shroud and adapter for a shop vac to collect the bulk of the grit. (Not to mention for safety in case that wheel decides to let go.) Probably via a cyclone bucket with a little bit of water in the bottom of it so the vac bag/filter doesn't get toasty. Probably not a bad idea to wipe down the whole machine afterwards either.

Any thoughts?
 
I have seen variations on that theme for planers and shapers going back to the 1920s and before in old magazines .
I would imagine that they have been around almost as long as suitable electric motors could be found and perhaps even been powered buy a line shaft on a planer with a wide pulley up top to allow for the cross feed while the table moved back and forth underneath.
I don't have any links handy at the moment for examples.
It probably wasn't a highly regarded or promoted use of these machines given the potential wear problems due to the grinding dust getting in the ways but sometimes other considerations had to over ride those to get a job done.
Regards,
Jim
 
Looks like it is working.. A spray bottle of homemade coolant would not hurt.

good would be to know a guy down the block with a SG and trade shaper time for grinding time.

Most of the sparks are going away.. a top over guard could reduce the all-around flying sparks.

Looks like a decent finish.
 
Seems a false economy to me.

- Totally wrong way to clamp a plate and expect it to end up flat. Any heat and it gets even worse with thermal expansion
- There's a reason you want a magnetic chuck.
- Messes up a cheap-these-days shaper (or takes forever in prep and clean up) in order to not buy a cheap-these-days surface grinder?
- Look around 1:34 and the surface finish is lousy.
- Shapers tend to introduce vibration every time they switch directions - worse than grinders.
- Tool post grinders aren't especially robust, rigid, or productive for surface grinding. Lots of flex for that 5 tenths downfeed "final pass."
- Most shapers are old and don't have the tightest travels or reliable tenths control of downfeed.
- If a truly poor man wanted it flat- there's milling (or planing) and sraping.
- If a truly poor man wanted it to just look ground, there are belt sanders
- Or if you want it flat, even thickness, and look ground, as suggested above, find someone with a surface grinder
 
steve-l said:
I like the solution. The biggest issue is setting the small DOC accurately.
Click to expand...

It is NOT a "solution". It only LOOKS LIKE one, visually.

It is actually a problem in the process of creation. A PLANER could do this. Totally opposite philosophy as to support and guidance of its table versus an only partially-supported reciprocating ram.

Planers, bedway grinders, even GOOD surface grinders are design-philosophical if not also mechanical-implementation "cousins" in sharing full-travel - or near-as-dammit full-travel- table support.

Even the very best of shapers.. not so much.

Abrasive machining to fit and accuracy is a whole 'nuther level above shaping or milling regardless.

All this guy is getting is a cheap shot at "PBS".

Pure Bullshit LUCK!

Grinders exist for good reason. And then we optimize them FOR it.
 
Surface grinders have been around for a while (says my pre WW1 ! B&S) and they're plenty cheap, prob cheaper than the shaper. Way easier to move, too. If one has the space, buying an SG in addition to the shaper would be my choice.
 
neilho said:
Surface grinders have been around for a while (says my pre WW1 ! B&S) and they're plenty cheap, prob cheaper than the shaper. Way easier to move, too. If one has the space, buying an SG in addition to the shaper would be my choice.
Click to expand...

My need of a SG is so infrequent that I job it out when needed. I cannot afford the space. I do think this could work in an emergency.
 
I thought a surface grinder was a "poor man's surface grinder"? They're so cheap I've never considered trying to coble one.
 
I thought I wouldn't use a small surface grinder that much, but it turned out I use it all the time and couldn't live without it. No room for a shaper and desirable ones aren't as cheap and available as you might think.
 
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