The Old Lawnmower Club
Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers
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looking for a cylinder grinder please.

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redfernmowers Sat, 08/09/2012

hey all.

I'm trying my best to find an old cylinder grinder  and if possible, a bed knife grinder or suitable tooling  for the workshop.. don't mind how OLD it is even if it needs some care and attention. 

I generally use honing compounds, etc but I've come across a restoration I've undertaken where the cylinder required more serious attention that honing alone wouldn't solve, even with several coatings of super coarse and resetting.

if anyone happens to know of any suitable units, I'm not looking for one of the new units which are rather crazily out of my budget, please let me know.

ed

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wristpin Sat, 08/09/2012

Would you be happy with a machine that can only single blade/relief grind or do you want to be able to spin grind? Also what is the maximum length that you envisage grinding.

If you can't find a suitable grinder at the right price I've seen satisfactory results achieved with a lathe with an angle grinder fixed to the carriage. Looked pretty Heath Robinson but did the job.

Attached image is of my 36" BRL which is probably 50+ years old but does a good job - it can spin, relief and do bed knives.

Guard removed for photographic purposes!!

redfernmowers Sat, 08/09/2012

I wouldn't mind being able to perform  spin and relief grinding, if not, just spin grinding would be enough. finding a decent lathe these days is impossible with all these chinese machines flooding the market under various names. even those in the £4k range are really shocking. I probably would be upto the 20" mark depending on what I was taking on as a restoration job.

Can't find anything on ebay and I have to admit, the new units sound nice but pricing is a huge issue.

ed

wristpin Sat, 08/09/2012

If you get one that spin grinds it will also single blade/relief grind but a single blade only / bed knife grinder will be much cheaper. Been a couple on eBay over the past six months that have not made big money.

I've also got a bench top BRL that takes 20" cylinders and with a bit of fiddling will do 24" bed knives so I have it permanently set up for bed knives as it saves the hassle of switching the big machine over except for 24"+ units.

I know that it's nice to have the kit there for when you want it but in a "head over heart" calculation just how many times a year will you use it compared with the hassle of taking the cylinder to someone who has already made the investment.

redfernmowers Sat, 08/09/2012

depending on restoration works as well as servicing, etc probably 2 or more a month maybe more than that. my local service agents who I DON'T trust at all charge either per inch or set prices. as an example, cylinder alone 12" one chap charges about £60 with single pass on the bed knife, the other varies, adds VAT, etc and also his mood. not kidding. this is where I'm looking for a unit to do what I need and sit in the corner of my workshop. it'd also come in handy where scrap machines can have their cylinders removed, refurbished, ground, etc and available as spare cylinders for reasonable prices.

I'm about to start offering grass box manufacturing services, so if any OLC members would need custom boxes or boxes for specific machines, I would be able to undertake small orders in the very near future as I'm taking on a plasma system and MIG / TIG unit. all being well.

Lapping can only do so much, but when your cylinder has a few nicks in it or a taper, etc full grinding is the only option. I don't want to be waiting 4 days before either start work, then mess up the paint finish with  hand prints, etc.

ed