Surface Grinder

Z

Zebra13

Member
Gentlemen,

I have the oppurtunity to buy a Boyer & Schultz 6 x 12 surface grinder in good shape for $500. I'm trying to talk myself into or out of it and thought maybe you guys could help.

For those of you who have them around the shop, do you use them much in the course of your gunsmithing ? Would it be worth having around? I can see it's utility in grinding tools and such, but...

Justin
 
I picked one up a few years back and to be honest I dont really get much use out of it. It comes in handy here and there but I could live without it. Good for surface grinding recoil lugs etc but not a big neccesity in everyday shop work. You'll probably be forever wondering what if I bought the damn thing so just save yourself the hardship and just buy it.
 
I've had one for a long time and don't use it alot. I wouldn't take for it though. The more that you learn it can do the more valuable it becomes.
Butch
 
Zebra,
I bought a big heavy duty DoAll a year ago, got a helluva deal on it. Magnetic chuck, coolant system, the whole works...haven't used it, not even one time. Had to have the darned thing, once I got it I realized the only forseeable use I would have for it was to true recoil lugs. I cannot true one up for a significant difference in the price of a new Holland lug. Plus I realized it would most likely make a big mess of my shop ( after going to someone else's shop ((not a gunsmith)) that used one ). It is out of my shop now being stored in another shop until I can find someone to take it off of my hands.
 
It's somthing that you don't use a lot, but it's sure nice to have when you need it. I used ours yesterday. I had a new Timney for a customers 700 and the cocking piece sear was dragging on the inside of the trigger box. Zinged a few thou off the sides and everything was happy without having to send the trigger back to Brownells. The gun's done, customers happy and I'm paid. I seem to find a job for our grinder 1-3 times a month. For only $500 I get it. It may not pay for itself in jobs but it probably will in convenience. Like they say, you can't have too many tools.
 
I have a cheap import I picked up at an auction several years ago. For the most part I just use it for recoil lugs, but it does come in handy for other uses. Mostly I use it for grinding my angles on HSS toolbits for the lathe. It works very well for grinding specialty boring tools, etc.. and leaves a great surface finish. If I ever get around to making the proper jigs I'll play around with truing up the outside of a few actions and such.
 
Jeff Walker said:
Zebra,
I bought a big heavy duty DoAll a year ago, got a helluva deal on it. Magnetic chuck, coolant system, the whole works...haven't used it, not even one time. Had to have the darned thing, once I got it I realized the only forseeable use I would have for it was to true recoil lugs. I cannot true one up for a significant difference in the price of a new Holland lug. Plus I realized it would most likely make a big mess of my shop ( after going to someone else's shop ((not a gunsmith)) that used one ). It is out of my shop now being stored in another shop until I can find someone to take it off of my hands.
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a DoAll is a good grinder, and a lot of shops use them to grind gauges. I personally like Taft Pierce surface grinders that have the Pope Head on them, but as you said there's little need for one
gary
 
A surface grinder is one of the triumvate of machine tools that every shop needs - lathe, mill and surface grinder. Of course it depends on the work that you wish to do, but a surface grinder (with other tooling) makes a lot of things possible. I use mine to grind sear/hammer surfaces, make special tools, cutters and tool bits, true recoil lugs (noted in other posts) and use it to square up other holding devices and tools. It doesn't get the use that a lathe or mill does, but it is needed when precision flat surfaces are wanted. The surface grinder works to make other tools precise, and with a little ingenuity will work as a tool and cutter grinder. It cuts steel that is too hard to work by other methods and does it precisely. Ask any machinist about what is needed to make things, most would say that a surface grinder is something needed for advanced metalworking. For a small shop, a cup wheel in the mill may suffice for some precision surface grinding chores. For $500 any good surface grinder is a bargain.

Scott
 
shevelin said:
A surface grinder is one of the triumvate of machine tools that every shop needs - lathe, mill and surface grinder. Of course it depends on the work that you wish to do, but a surface grinder (with other tooling) makes a lot of things possible. I use mine to grind sear/hammer surfaces, make special tools, cutters and tool bits, true recoil lugs (noted in other posts) and use it to square up other holding devices and tools. It doesn't get the use that a lathe or mill does, but it is needed when precision flat surfaces are wanted. The surface grinder works to make other tools precise, and with a little ingenuity will work as a tool and cutter grinder. It cuts steel that is too hard to work by other methods and does it precisely. Ask any machinist about what is needed to make things, most would say that a surface grinder is something needed for advanced metalworking. For a small shop, a cup wheel in the mill may suffice for some precision surface grinding chores. For $500 any good surface grinder is a bargain.

Scott
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Yes Scott;

I can't imagine a shop with out a surface grinder..
Mine is used daily, and often...and $500. is a steal..

Jerry
 
If you have a spin indexer you can make precision punches and pins. As stated above with the right tooling you can grind precise lathe tools.
Butch
 
Butch Lambert said:
If you have a spin indexer you can make precision punches and pins. As stated above with the right tooling you can grind precise lathe tools.
Butch
Click to expand...

Butch,

The first thing I will buy after the surface grinder is a spin index.

I have a bunch of HSS tool bits my dad ground in the 60's. They look like works of art. He did them on a surface grinder and a spin index.

Justin
 
Zebra13 said:
Butch,

The first thing I will buy after the surface grinder is a spin index.

I have a bunch of HSS tool bits my dad ground in the 60's. They look like works of art. He did them on a surface grinder and a spin index.

Justin
Click to expand...

actually a spin idexing device is not the first thing you need. The very first thing you want to get your hands on are a couple gauge quality angle plates (I always tell folks to get their hands on three similar ones. The next thing is a universal vee block (I have two of them in different sizes, and really wish I'd made a third one to bridge the size gap). I'd also be seriously looking for a couple mag parrallels, and a sine bar (the thin ones are great. Down the road be looking for a sine plate that has plenty of holes in to clamp the piece your grinding. ( I built a 6" sine plate, and used it all the time). Lastly Brownells sells a block that you can use as a fixture to hollow gring screw drive heads to fit screws without messing them up!
gary
 
Butch Lambert said:
I use my Hardringe Omnivise on my grinder also.
Butch
Click to expand...

we had several of them at work, and used them daily. Considering the range of collets that they make, this thing is worth it's weight in gold (well maybe after ten years)
gary
 
Gents,

I've gotten a bit busy re-modeling my house but I did take your advice and managed to sneak away and reduce said surface grinder to possession...which leads me to a couple of more questions:

Does Jewell make a replacement trigger for a Skilsaw? The trigger on mine is horrible...

Has anybody heard of, or have pictures of a grinding/tool sharpening fixture made by/called a "Durn/Dern"? My dad used one extensively on a surface grinder back in the day and said they were the cat's meow. I've never seen one so I can't describe it to you. If you're familiar with one, does anybody make something similar?

Thanks,
Justin
 
Perhaps:

On the South Bend Lathe section of Ebay there has been a cutter grinding fixture offered and marketed as a South Bend. These are new Manufactur fixtures. It comes with inserts to make whatever angle one wants; a bit pricey, however.
 
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