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Hi everybody. Newbie here just bought Block Grinder!!

helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
Hello! I'm new here bbut something much more important needs reporting first- I just bought my first CM block grinder. $100 on ebay.

It has not delivered yet, this is from the listing. It's a 397.19340/ 5.1 amp/1/2HP. You guys might laugh but this was a good price atleast on ebay! I could not get one locally even after years of looking (New Orleans is a dirth of engineering). The other 1/2 HP on epay was selling for over $400.

I sure hope this is a "real ': block. It has the 397. so I figured I was safe and the placard also says sealed ball bearings.

This looks to have been lightly used in the xtreme. I bought it from a woman who sells chachki decorations and had it listed as a bench grinder for 129. I offered 100 and she immediately accepted. I dont think she knew what it was. Just thought it was a grinder.

So did I do good? - I cant wait to turn it on. I have 4 grinders, a Sears 1940's Thermotron dual shaft AC motor I use as a buffer, a belt drive unit I restored with a pulley drive I use for scotchbright and alum/brass, a small 5" unit I love that I bolted right beside drill press for deburring and lastly a new Ryobi 8" that works fine.

About me I grew up in my fathers machine shop, a cool place that only made his patented pin insertion machines. He was kind of overbearing and Germanic about that stuff and I just worked their as a kid. As soon as he died I got with this old foreman Paul Erskine and started designing camera accessories (i am a tv/movie cameraman). Then he died and I have gradually assembled a shop at my house to built prototypes on. I repair a certain kind of Sony design defect for camera guys all over the world but that camera is superceded and I'm on the jump to make a new product to keep that old money rolling in!

Seneca Falls 9" lathe (my grandads, MIT engineer, his "home lathe" in mint condition
Rockwell 21-100 mill Bought last year, I have it in nearly perfect condition
Delta Rockwell geared Band saw $50 local find
Couple of decent Drill Presses
4" Wilton bullet vise (for some reason I love this thing)
Alot of grinders and belt sanders and a lot of tooling

Man I wish this would get here. Everything I see is starting to look like a Craftsman bloack grinder! ;-)

Howdy doo

Caleb Crosby
New Orleans
 
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bonneyman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
8,850
Location
Desert SW
Welcome to the forum! :rocker:

You'll find lots of block grinder fans here. One member (torqueman I think) is a true craftsman with those (pun intended) and can help with any rebuild questions.

Enjoy!
 

Old Radar

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
2,755
Location
San Antonio, TX
Welcome to the forum, Caleb and congrats on the Block purchase!

Check out the Block Grinder specific thread here: let's see your craftsman block grinders

The thread has been going for years and we are always happy to welcome new Block enthusiasts. You'll find tons of information, restoration stories and photos.
Pump out four more posts and you'll be able to post pictures. We'll be eagerly awaiting your story and photos.
 
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helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
Ok I noticed that 5 post buggaboo - cause I tried to post the ebay listing photo - So pls dont be upset of I post a flurry here ;-)
 
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helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
I work in mostly brass aluminum and delrin. I make ergonomic handholding gizmos for pro cameramen who use hefty cameras sometimes for many hours a day. Any adjustment mechanism in the parts of the camera rig that you grasp. If the handgrip is non adjustable it can be painful after a while. So that's been my effort at learning engineering. My website shootingmachine.net has my slim few products - but It's under "malicious attack" from china and I have to re=load the site - so maybe later this week I'll have it back.

I'd post a picture- but well ...you know ;-)
 
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helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
And here it is the big FIVER.

I learned "milling" on a hefty old 70's drill press I mounted an X-Y table underneath. It was horrible, I called it the lawn mower but found I could do things that way that worked. Just last year I found a Rockwell mill up in Buffalo so I went to buy it and crate it home. Using this mill is just so damn nice!

Ive torn her apart pretty deep and got her oiled and running like a tool room machine. I've had to cheap out to get cheap tooling but I'm pretty well set to work at this point. Things like R8 collets, parallels, angle block sets, 5C collets and holders, Rotary table, V blocks and Niagra corner rounding mills, and just this past week a good facing mill with the right inserts for a mirror finish- getting little things like this working well is a real pleasure. Improving your craftsmanship is a great feeling. So Iscar F45ST is THE face mill to get, and I got the 1.25 diameter bc I found that size for $50 used. I had previously bought a shars 2" and the difference was astounding. The insert is the most important part tho - I found an Iscar on the great recco from a gent on PM and man was he right. it's Iscar SEHT 43 AFN-P, IC 20 K10. Accept no substitute! Cuts like butter with mirror finish.
 
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LNKMK8

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,192
Location
Overland Park, KS
That is a fairly late model one as far as the block grinders go... probably late 70's or early 80's. It is missing the side shields for the wheels and the quench tray.
 
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helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
Thanks LNK, I read somewhere that you can still buy the quench trays but I'll prob just use a tin can. I found one wheel cover but I doubt I'll bother with that unless I find a good deal on a pair. I never use the sides to grind, or almost never.

I looked like a later model to me, iit an exact match with the 1977 manual photo. I'm glad of that if so, that means my grandson will also get the use of it (and maybe his!)
 

Old Radar

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
2,755
Location
San Antonio, TX
It looks to be in great shape. Hopefully it just needs a cleaning.

For photos from your hosting site, I think you need to remove the 's' from 'https' when you link.
For photos from your computer:
First click "Go Advanced",
then in the toolbar click the paperclip icon,
browse to your picture (up to seven per post),
click upload,
then come back to the post you're working on and
click the down arrow next to the paperclip and upload.
Tip--make sure your cursor is positioned in your post where you want the photos to go.

There are more detailed explanations and a wealth of "how to" & "where is it" info here:
Stickie: Index, FAQ, Helpful Hints, and Handy Links
 

Ralf11

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
2,275
Congrats - I hope you live on Gentilly ridge or some other high ground.

Enjoy the food & music!
 

thehorse13

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
3,479
Location
Jefferson County, WV
Normally you see the 1/3 HP version of this later model block grinder. I'm sure this thing will chew through material very well. I know that my 1/3 HP will eat up anything that I throw at it.

Welcome.
 
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helmbelly

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
17
Near Gentilly ridge-not on it, I rewired my home and shop a few inches above sea level. Beyond that I have a machine STACKING plan and installed a special 10" beam with block and tackle to hoist and move stuff in a pinch. I can swim, they can't
 
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