# Grinder Station, Part I



## francist (Sep 6, 2020)

In reply to another post I included a glimpse of my grinding setup that I built for sharpening milling cutters and there seemed to be a bit of interest to see more about it. So with that in mind, I’ll provide a little more substance here but probably break things into a couple parts lest it get too bulky.






First off, this setup is just what works for me. We all have our own needs and our own styles of working, as well as our own tolerances for what we find acceptable as an end product. I enjoy the chase of coming up with a design, it needs to function smoothly for me without a lot of fussing, and I want it to look good at the same time. Only three criteria — simple 

In my shop things tend to evolve and morph as I discover new ideas or skills. The grinding station is no exception and really just started out as a way to sharpen HSS lathe tools. Coming from a woodworking background I like a hollow grind, and that typically requires a solid tool rest for consistency. Most built-in grinder rests are somewhat flexy owing to flimsy material and single-point mounting, at least on smaller grinders anyway. And they usually rely on a thumbscrew or two that is always painfully small and impossible to tighten. I dispatched with both of those concepts and built a rest that stands directly off a solid base platform. 






The toolrest table itself is 3-1/2” x 3-1/2” only because I happened to have a small stack of pieces as salvage from a local stove factory. It’s 3/16” thick and has a notch to clear the wheel but only by a sixteenth or so on either side. It’s also easily exchanged for other versions if needed although I have yet to require that. 






Angle adjustment is furnished by pitching the leading edge (closest to the wheel) up or down relative to a fixed hinge at the rear. The elevation changes are obtained by using a turnbuckle which raises and lowers cleanly and very controllably, but also holds the position so there’s no need for a locking nut or secondary action. One hand can hold the bit or reference angle, the other adjusts the table with the turnbuckle, and that’s it, grind. Fore and aft movement (towards or away from the wheel) is accomplished with two jig-fixture knobs threaded into the base platform through slots in the base channel.






The remainder of the “standard rest” was in anticipation of having to adjust positioning more than I actually have to. Other than table angle and wheel proximity, the rest stays configured in one position all the time. One thing to understand about this concept is that it does away with what some people regard as “the safety feature” of a single-pivot rest. If they jam a bit between the table and the wheel, they want the table to swing down and away and not continue to jam. Mine will not do that although I have yet to ever get anything jammed in it either. Your call.






The second half of this rig, and the part that drew the attention I think, is what I most recently made for sharpening end mills and horizontal cutters. It also proved to be the opening into a large and cavernous rabbit hole from which I have yet to find my way out....

More in Part II


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## CalgaryPT (Sep 6, 2020)

Such great posts—all of them. Terrific setup and work. 

Your workshop reminds me of Norm Abram's from New Yankee Workshop...everything looks well thought-out and like it belongs there. No sense of rush or "good enough." It looks like you follow the motto, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right." Tons of pride in those pics, and rightly so.

Very nice


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## francist (Sep 6, 2020)

Thanks Pete, I appreciate that.

I’ve been in my shop for a quite some years now and even though it didn’t start out “perfect” it’s getting there. I’m also finding, somewhat thankfully, that I don’t need that much anymore and am really enjoying just being able to build without having to acquire first. 

-frank


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## David_R8 (Sep 6, 2020)

Took me a while to figure why the whole test didn’t want to shift position when the turnbuckle was adjusted. 
Then I spied two cap screws on each side of the base. 

Very clever design Frank. And great execution. 
I was at Lee Valley today today and almost bought their jig. Glad I didn’t as your design is much better. 

What’s the material? All steel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## francist (Sep 7, 2020)

Haha, I’ve not used the Lee Valley one but several people have and seem pleased with it. You could always spend the found money on a couple mag switches while you’re out there 

Yes, all steel for the standard rest, just regular A36 hot rolled channel and flat bar. I didn’t have a milling machine back then so had to stick with off-the-rack material.

-frank


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## PeterT (Sep 7, 2020)

Nice work. I have the Lee Valley adjustable jig from probably 25 years ago. Its OK. Better than the postage stamp tool rest you usually see on bench grinders. But now that I have tools to make tools I'm confident I could improve on it for personal needs. 

My bench grinder is a smaller HP model & it really needs to be raised to align properly. Is the black base under your grinder part part of your mods to allow the jigs to function, or the way the grinder came?


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## francist (Sep 7, 2020)

The black plinth is my own concoction. At first it was just a rectangular block shape to raise the grinder about 1-1/2” to work with the standard rest (I wanted a certain size of turnbuckle to be finger friendly so I had to raise the motor a bit to meet that criterion and still allow me to stay on centreline of the wheel). Once I decided to swivel the whole unit for the second milling cutter head I built a new plinth that incorporated the quadrant shape and ears for the fixture knobs. It’s nothing special, just MDF glued up and painted.

-frank


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## CalgaryPT (Sep 9, 2020)

francist said:


> Thanks Pete, I appreciate that.
> 
> I’ve been in my shop for a quite some years now and even though it didn’t start out “perfect” it’s getting there. I’m also finding, somewhat thankfully, that I don’t need that much anymore and am really enjoying just being able to build without having to acquire first.
> 
> -frank


I just identified your next project for you Frank:


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## francist (Sep 9, 2020)

Haha — thanks Pete. Good to know you’re looking out for me...


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## turner (Sep 10, 2020)

Frank, thanks for taking your time to put this post together, other peoples time is one thing I have the utmost respect for. I am always looking for time, even to take a simple picture. I look forward to Part II, these types of post are an encouragement. Todd


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## francist (Sep 10, 2020)

Thanks Todd, I think it’s always interesting to see how others approach things. Even if we don’t agree, it’s useful to see different ways of doing things.

-frank


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## Hruul (Sep 14, 2020)

Frank, thank you for the grinding rest pictures and details.  I am currently looking for plans on grinding rests.  This looks well made.  Looking forward to part 2.


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## Dusty (Sep 14, 2020)

Hruul said:


> Frank, thank you for the grinding rest pictures and details.  I am currently looking for plans on grinding rests.  This looks well made.  Looking forward to part 2.


 
Hi Lee, where or how can I view these plans are they on line?


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## Hruul (Sep 14, 2020)

Dusty said:


> Hi Lee, where or how can I view these plans are they on line?


Hello Bill, I have been looking at Pinterest, and of course Harold Hall has great grinding rests on his site.  I have the plans from the WorkShop Pratice series of books.  I have not started on which one I want to make yet.


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## Dusty (Sep 14, 2020)

Hruul said:


> Hello Bill, I have been looking at Pinterest, and of course Harold Hall has great grinding rests on his site.  I have the plans from the WorkShop Pratice series of books.  I have not started on which one I want to make yet.



Lee you have my PM.


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