My surface grinder came with just one wheel adapter. It has no provision for static balancing. I want to be able to balance. After watching Steve Summers and Stefan Gotteswinter make their own, I decided to give it a shot myself. I figured I would start with the easy parts first and work myself up.... Here is the result:
a) Locking Ring
This was made out of some 4140. I made a thread gauge for the 1 1/4"-16tpi LH internal thread first; the specs for it came out of the Machinery's Handbook (left pic, background). Then I cut the thread in the ring (right pic) and used the gauge to check fit.
b) Anti-Rotation Washer
This is made from 50 thou sheet stock. I used a hole saw on the mill to cut the rough shape. The ID was machined in the lathe to accept an arbour to then hold it for OD machining (left pic) and centering on the rotary table on the mill for the next step. I used a 1/8" end mill with the appropriate step-over to create the required final 1 1/4" ID with two tabs (center pic). Stefan used a TIG welder to attach the "ears". Steve did all the work with a dremel and files. I cut the little "washer" that was left out with a cut off disc in the dremel and filed the tabs to final size (right pic).
c) Balance Rings
These are made from 1/4" hot rolled plate I had on hand. The process is much like the anti-rotation washers: hole saw, ID and OD work on the lathe, and the rotary table to cut out the 270* sector on one side. I then drilled and tapped a hole from OD through to the ID (approximately where the "F" is) to accept a little set screw to allow the ring to be locked on the rear shoulder of the main body. Two of these balance rings are used in conjunction to statically balance a mounted grinding wheel. (right pic; you can just see the set screw hole).
d) Main Body
The main body is made from a junk of mystery metal (left pic, bottom center). It has 1 1/4"-16 LH OD threads on the nose and 1"-16 RH ID threads to use a removal tool to get it off the spindle arbour (2nd pic from left). There is an internal thread relief groove behind them. It also has a 1 1/4" ground surface for the grinding wheel to sit on and a ground rear flange for the wheel to butt up against. From the rear side, there is a 3" per foot ground taper, which is center relieved (middle pic). The internal taper was finish ground using the tool post grinder and the taper attachment on the lathe. The internal features required some special tools which were not on hand. I made them from broken HSS speciality drill bits used in cabinet making. The profiles were formed on the tool and cutter grinder (last two pics).
Here is how I ground the flange face and wheel seat using the surface grinder and the cylindrical grinding attachment
Finishing off the main body (milling the anti-rotation groves and pin holes) using the dividing head on the mill. The body was mounted on the previously made balancing arbour
All done and wheel mounted ready for static balancing. (pics l-r: overview, front, rear)
None of the items are hardened. I have no real good way to do it. Would be a good challenge though.
Now to make at least four more...
a) Locking Ring
This was made out of some 4140. I made a thread gauge for the 1 1/4"-16tpi LH internal thread first; the specs for it came out of the Machinery's Handbook (left pic, background). Then I cut the thread in the ring (right pic) and used the gauge to check fit.
b) Anti-Rotation Washer
This is made from 50 thou sheet stock. I used a hole saw on the mill to cut the rough shape. The ID was machined in the lathe to accept an arbour to then hold it for OD machining (left pic) and centering on the rotary table on the mill for the next step. I used a 1/8" end mill with the appropriate step-over to create the required final 1 1/4" ID with two tabs (center pic). Stefan used a TIG welder to attach the "ears". Steve did all the work with a dremel and files. I cut the little "washer" that was left out with a cut off disc in the dremel and filed the tabs to final size (right pic).
c) Balance Rings
These are made from 1/4" hot rolled plate I had on hand. The process is much like the anti-rotation washers: hole saw, ID and OD work on the lathe, and the rotary table to cut out the 270* sector on one side. I then drilled and tapped a hole from OD through to the ID (approximately where the "F" is) to accept a little set screw to allow the ring to be locked on the rear shoulder of the main body. Two of these balance rings are used in conjunction to statically balance a mounted grinding wheel. (right pic; you can just see the set screw hole).
d) Main Body
The main body is made from a junk of mystery metal (left pic, bottom center). It has 1 1/4"-16 LH OD threads on the nose and 1"-16 RH ID threads to use a removal tool to get it off the spindle arbour (2nd pic from left). There is an internal thread relief groove behind them. It also has a 1 1/4" ground surface for the grinding wheel to sit on and a ground rear flange for the wheel to butt up against. From the rear side, there is a 3" per foot ground taper, which is center relieved (middle pic). The internal taper was finish ground using the tool post grinder and the taper attachment on the lathe. The internal features required some special tools which were not on hand. I made them from broken HSS speciality drill bits used in cabinet making. The profiles were formed on the tool and cutter grinder (last two pics).
Here is how I ground the flange face and wheel seat using the surface grinder and the cylindrical grinding attachment
Finishing off the main body (milling the anti-rotation groves and pin holes) using the dividing head on the mill. The body was mounted on the previously made balancing arbour
All done and wheel mounted ready for static balancing. (pics l-r: overview, front, rear)
None of the items are hardened. I have no real good way to do it. Would be a good challenge though.
Now to make at least four more...
