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Uses for a surface grinder ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by V7, Oct 6, 2008.

  1. V7
    Joined: Oct 8, 2006
    Posts: 162

    V7
    Member

    I've got this Cincinatti surface grinder that I acquired from a senior machinists along with some other equipment.The other machines I've got hooked up and running,but this rather large grinder I've just got covered up and setting outside.I'm trying to decide what to do with the grinder.Is it worth the trouble of making a space for in the shop and then wiring it up.Or should I sell or possibly s**** it.I'm guessing that as s**** it would bring $200.00.Any input that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.Thanks! Steve (V7)
     
  2. punkabilly1306
    Joined: Aug 22, 2005
    Posts: 2,655

    punkabilly1306
    Member
    from ohio

    wow a surface grinder can come in handy alot. with the proper equipment you can make square objects round, and not to mention grinding down brackets, bolts, etc...drill sharpening is another reason to keep one the list can go on and on. Do you have an idea on how to use it, if not pm me and i can help you
    bob
     
  3. paco
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 1,141

    paco
    Member
    from Atlanta

    Hey Steve,

    We had one at our GE facility in the Boston area.......it was great for thin steel spacers & also to grind my & my buddies HD disc brake rotors......aside from that I never touched it in all the time I was working.

    I do know that the stones where fairly expensive & the coolant had to be strained/filtered due to the metal it was removing from parts they surface ground.

    In a big shop setting that required it I think it would be invaluable. If you have a mill and/or lathe I think this is a convenience tool/equipment.

    But that's just my opinion.....I retired now from GE & could have used it a few times last year.

    I have a mill & lathe.....

    Paco
     
  4. bobss396
    Joined: Aug 27, 2008
    Posts: 18,738

    bobss396
    Member

    I've used them extensively in the past in various shops. Mostly doing precision grinding of flat steel parts, composite exotic material using a vacuum chuck. Yours is probably 3-phase power 220V so the chances of hooking it up right away are slim.

    If it has been moved, you need to set it up and get it dead level with a precision machinist's level and probably re-grind the magnetic bed. You need to check the hydraulic oil before using it, they usually have a water soluble coolant tank with them too. Which as was already mentioned is probably full of heavy metals from prior use.

    If you can find work for it, they can be of great value. If not, it takes up a lot of space. Attach a picture of it and include the model, maybe one of us can identify it and give you a ball park price to ask for it.

    Bob
     
  5. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    Is it a recipacating or rotating table? If it rotates and has a magnetic chuck it's good for facing flywheels and such. If it's a back and forth it's good for making things square and flat. Think of it as a mill that grinds.
     
  6. speedtool
    Joined: Oct 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,541

    speedtool
    BANNED

    That's exactly how I think of them when I run them, Rich.

    Some folks think running a surface grinder is like watching paint dry - but I like the precision of it. Get that baby right down to a gnat's ***!
     
  7. I wish I had to worry about spare tools!
     
  8. kustomizingkid
    Joined: Sep 6, 2008
    Posts: 225

    kustomizingkid
    Member

    They have their uses... and I can understand not wanting to have it take up space in your shop if your not going to use it... but s****ping a good tool??? ever hear of Craigslist, someone wants it...
     
  9. Roupe
    Joined: Feb 11, 2006
    Posts: 723

    Roupe
    Member

    How large is large? Measure the length and width of the magnetic chuck. That is how the size of a surface grinder is described. At work we have two Mattison surface grinders. The large one is 30" X 120". For a hot rodder they are good for grinding small parts, decking blocks and grinding heads. The good part is I can use them any time I want.
     
  10. V7
    Joined: Oct 8, 2006
    Posts: 162

    V7
    Member

    You guys have been great..thanks for all your responses.Now by popular demand ,here are some pics of the machine and tooling.Hope this helps!:)[​IMG]
    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]
     
  11. Isaak_M
    Joined: Oct 31, 2004
    Posts: 183

    Isaak_M
    Member
    from LV/WA

    looks like a universal tool and cutter grinder.
     
  12. gas pumper
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 2,960

    gas pumper
    Member


    Yup, not a surface grinder.

    But you could make money with it if there are small machine/production shops in your area.
    Most small shops don't have this and have to farm out the cutter grinding. Or just throw away worn tooling, You could also collect discarded cutters. Sharpen and resell on e-Bay or craigs.

    Large shops have mostly gone to insert cutters that they throw away the inserts.
     
  13. treb11
    Joined: Jan 21, 2006
    Posts: 4,126

    treb11
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    it's best use to you is as trade-in at a machine tool vendor for mill & lathe tooling
     
  14. toddc
    Joined: Nov 25, 2007
    Posts: 976

    toddc
    Member


    +1.

    Sell it and buy something cool. ( Mmmm, superchargers ;) ) I've been in the trade for 10 years, and have maybe 2 hours on those things. Not really worth the floor space in a home shop.
     
  15. Looks like the spindle heads rotates at least a full 90, which would still be considered a surface grinder,,, Make some nice tooling for the milling machine like 1,2,3, blocks... v- blocks ans so on also Nice to have if you need to sharpen loads of end mills, drills and cutters,looks like you can make some nice tapered shafts also......if ya have the room I would keep it and play a little.
     
  16. plym49
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,802

    plym49
    Member
    from Earth

    Oh, baby. That is a beautiful tool. Whatever you do, don't s**** it. Find someone who needs it and who will appreciate it. It is not easy for hobbyists to find nice tools like that. It would be a sin to destroy it. Darn, if I lived closer I'd pay you twice the s**** value for it in a minute.
     
  17. V7
    Joined: Oct 8, 2006
    Posts: 162

    V7
    Member

    Just a quick update on the grinder.Interestingly,one of the tags on the machine states that it is a "Cincinnati Milling Machine".The bed,which has T slots,appears to be powered for side to side movement.I still haven't decided what to do with it,but I will probably offer it ,under misc. for sale,at a special Hamb price.If space wasn't at a premium,I would definitely keep it. Thanks again for everyones' input. Steve (V7):)
     
  18. burl
    Joined: Nov 28, 2007
    Posts: 888

    burl
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Definatly worth some money to the right person.We needed one to sharpen our gundrill drills at our shop,had to pay around $1200.00 at an online auction.These are not that easy to find.Cincinati made some great euquipment in their day.Wouldnt be much use in a home shop unless you planed on sharpening cutters for shops that still used regular end mills or drills.In our shop we use inserted cutters or carbide endmills and when gets dull its thrown in the recycle bin.Most shops now days are dont resharpen much.Burl.
     
  19. bobss396
    Joined: Aug 27, 2008
    Posts: 18,738

    bobss396
    Member

    Wow, that thing needs a little help! You could Google it under the model number and find some info on it. But I agree, for at home use, don't bother. That was probably from an old aircraft shop by the looks of it.

    Fixing it up would be a real chore IF you had everything there. You might find a manual for it though. There are some yahoo groups that cater to odd pieces of machinery, deffo some lathe and mill groups, I'm not sure about grinders.

    Bob
     

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