Abington
Well-known member
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Basement Find/ID this old machine
- Thread starter Abington
- Start date
porcupine73
Well-known member
Nice find! Thanks for sharing!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I'm guessing you have an older grinder that was set up for grinding wood chisels hollow ground, there would be another piece that clamps the chisel, and the fixture gets clamped to the swinging and sliding fixture that is on the grinder's mounting tab.
If this is geared down and a slow speed grinder, that would support such a use. Is there one belt, or is there two with a jack shaft? Or is the motor a slow speed motor?
If this is geared down and a slow speed grinder, that would support such a use. Is there one belt, or is there two with a jack shaft? Or is the motor a slow speed motor?
I believe the head unit has Babbitt bearings, I have a grinder with a similar setup.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
It almost looks like a fixture for sharpening ice skates, but it probably is for sharpening chisel blades.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
What kind of shape do the Babbitt bearings seem to be in, and do you have pics of the separate piece you mentioned?
I wonder if that might have been a grinder for lathe and machine-tool cutting tips?
If you decide to upgrade that motor to something modern, I have a medium-sized vintage Keller power hacksaw that badly needs a vintage motor for when I restore it.
-Brad
If you decide to upgrade that motor to something modern, I have a medium-sized vintage Keller power hacksaw that badly needs a vintage motor for when I restore it.
-Brad
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Wow, wood shims on the bearings, and they are in about aa pristine of condition as I've ever seen, as is the shaft. Incredible find...
Have you been able to figure out how the separate fixture mounts?
Have you been able to figure out how the separate fixture mounts?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
In your first pic of the bearing cap for instance, there is some brown material on one side of the non bearing bolt up surface. That brown shim appears to be wood. They shimmed these types of bearings to adjust them. I guess the wood was so they had some crush to play with.
woody 73
Well-known member
With Babbitt you must pour in the hot lead, I have never seen it done but some old-timers have told me it is very easy to do. I am guessing that somehw wood shims must be a part of the procedure.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
The shimming is an after pouring the Babbitt operation.
To pour, you fixture the shaft in place, use clay I believe to space the top shell, leaving holes for the molten Babbitt to flow through, and pour through the top oiling holes.
I'm pretty sure they pre heat the cast iron as well so the Babbitt does not "freeze" in place when it hits. after it cools you take it all apart, (cutting the top to bottom sprues) and then if needed, hand scrape oiling grooves, and re-drill the top oil port, then you shim for whatever the fit is for the bearings. I'd never seen wood used, but it actually makes sense. you can tighten and crush the wood until the desired clearance is obtained. Oil is fed to the bearings every time its used.
What is nice about this one is it has at least one guard, so it's safer. These ran at lower speeds than modern grinders and wheels, and were often geared down for slow grinding when sharpening tools.
I have two of these both able to take large wheels, and are very heavy, but neither has a wheel guard, and both need new bearings poured, so they are future projects.
Can you imagine pouring Babbitt for a modern engine? they used to do just that in the "good old days"
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Make sure those caps go back on in the exact configuration they came off; these will "wear in" and can't be interchanged at all. the only adjustment you should do is reduce the shims as they do wear. And once again, lots of oil!
camarotoolman
Banned
An Amish guy would shave his beard for that!