Grinding Wheel Guard Project

[GlennW]

Well, one of those projects I have been putting off is making a new wheel guard for my surface grinder. Figured it was about time to get going on it as it's about time for a little fab project.

The mission is to convert my grinder from dry to wet grinding so an appropriate wheel guard with bracketry for a fluid nozzle is necessary. It will also require splash guards on the table.

Drew one up and profiled some of the parts from 4130 sheet using the CNC mill. (Dunno why the pic came out so dark...)

Turned out seven bushings to space the parts apart and hold them in the proper orientation. Bushings are threaded and parts are screwed together.

Cut out a couple of strips and started welding.

Put a little heat on the bends and folded the strips around and tacked them in place.

[GlennW]

Finished the welding, removed the bushings, did a bit of grinding, and it's starting to take shape. Didn't put a whole lot of effort into making pretty welds as they get ground off anyway.

It looks like it might just work.

I prefer 8" wheels, so it will accommodate 7" or 8" wheels up to 3/4" in width.

I was on the fence about making a longer guard that covered more of the wheel, but it seems like I grind to shoulders quite often, so the short guard won.

It may get some sort of removable soft skirt to cut down on the coolant spray.

Lots more to do...

[GlennW]

Quickly knocked the bark off of a piece of 4" ID x 1/4" wall DOM tubing using a belt polisher, cut it to length, machined up a couple of lugs and welded them to the tube. It will be split at the lugs for clamping.

Chucked it up, faced the ends, and bored it to fit the spindle housing collar on the grinder.

The spindle collar is the larger diameter flange/collar. You don't want to clamp the spindle itself anywhere near the spindle bearings.
The machine has a fully adjustable spindle evident by the four set screws in the collar. (two are visible) The spindle can be adjusted using the set screws to get the spindle perfectly aligned with the machine axes by tilting it up or down, left or right.

This may actually all work out!

[GlennW]

On to the mill for some drilled and tapped screw holes.

A little milling and we have this.

Flip it 90 degrees and drill, tap, and slit the clamp to unleash the big BOING...

Screw the cover to it, install the clamp bolt and it's round again.

[GlennW]

Slip it on and snug up the bolt and is't locked on.

Install the wheel and Cleco the cover on and it's starting to take shape.

Now I just need to figure out the plumbing for the coolant nozzle and make the related bracketry.

The problem is that it's back to reality tomorrow with real work waiting, but it's been fun playing for a couple of days.

[ken572]

Glenn,

Very nice workmanship and visual aids.

Thanks

Ken.

[GlennW]

Thanks Ken!

[Patio]

Glenn I sure do like looking at your posts. It gives me something to strive for in workmanship. Your finishes always look real nice.

[GlennW]

Thanks Pat! It's good to see you working on a few projects again.

Got the nozzle thing figured out. Needed a little kink in the 1/4" pipe and didn't have a suitable bender, so a little TIG job using Silicone Bronze solved that. The assembly goes on the other side of the guard, but it's a right handed camera.

I needed a couple of doo-dads to clamp the pipe in place but allow for easy adjustment. Made them from 304 stainless. I cheated on the thread as I already had a die head set up for 1/4-28.

I need to make a pair of slotted brackets to weld to the wheel guard. The threaded stud will fit in the slot and when the knurled knob is tightened it will lock the pipe in place. Loosening the knob will allow near unlimited positioning of the nozzle.

Ran out of time as I had to go home and repair a broken water pipe...

[JackF]

Glenn,

Beautiful work as usual. How did you make the clamping hole in the outer shell and how did you hold it?

Jack.

[GlennW]

Hello Jack,

I always make things like that in pairs, one on each end of the bar. I usually start with around 8" long bars for short parts.

This was 3/4" solid round bar, so I bored the bar to the approximate length of the part on each end. Took the bar to the mill vise, cross drilled it to 3/8", cross bored it with a 1/2" end mill, and then took it to the finished size of .540" using a boring head. It is only .050" wall thickness, so if a drill grabs it will deform it.

Back to the lathe and part them off.

Thanks!

[JackF]

Thanks Glenn,

For outlining your procedure. I want to make some of those clamps for indicators I have that don't fit the standard clamps I now have. I never even thought of making my own clamps till I saw yours.

Jack.