Grinding head on a shaper - poor mans surface grinder??

[SteveG]

Was snooping through eBay today (as you do), and came across a nice little Herless surface grinder which eventually sold for around AUD$600.
Not something I'm currently in the market for as I'm rather attached to the parts of my body that my wife would likely remove if I bought one, but could possibly see one in my future....

There were also plans available for making your own surface grinder - hmmm, its basically just a grinding spindle and a moving table - how hard can it be!!
But still a lot of work for something which likely wouldn't get used very often.
Mmmmm.
Head moving relative to a table in long/slow strokes - that's like a shaper :)

So what about putting a grinding head on a shaper

Turns out its quite an old idea, as I found it documented in the June 1907 Popular Mechanics online:
Google Books Reference

Anyone done it in practice, or seen it done? If it works reasonably it would be a nice secondary use for the shaper in a home workshop.

Steve

[Mike E.]

I recall a thread on the UK model engineering forum awhile back, where one of the members posted a photo of his grinding setup on a shaper.

[Dr Stan]

The first surface grinders were modified planners.  A shaper with a tool post grinder should work just fine, just don't try to take shaper hogging cuts with it.  

[SteveG]

(09-12-2017, 09:39 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: The first surface grinders were modified planners.  A shaper with a tool post grinder should work just fine, just don't try to take shaper hogging cuts with it.  

Yes - I could see a heavy cut ending in many tears and bits of grinding wheel as the shaper is unlikely to be the first thing to give up....

I found a few pictures online - ranging from a mounted dremel, to the toolpost grinder style as you suggested, and also a wheel directly mounted on the motor shaft like a bench grinder.
I think the separate motor and spindle as on a classic toolpost grinder would be the most flexible, as it allows easy changing of the drive pulley to get the correct RPM for different size wheels, and the spindle itself takes up less vertical height.

Steve

[Dr Stan]

(09-13-2017, 02:13 AM)SteveG Wrote:

(09-12-2017, 09:39 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: The first surface grinders were modified planners.  A shaper with a tool post grinder should work just fine, just don't try to take shaper hogging cuts with it.  

Yes - I could see a heavy cut ending in many tears and bits of grinding wheel as the shaper is unlikely to be the first thing to give up....

I found a few pictures online - ranging from a mounted dremel, to the toolpost grinder style as you suggested, and also a wheel directly mounted on the motor shaft like a bench grinder.
I think the separate motor and spindle as on a classic toolpost grinder would be the most flexible, as it allows easy changing of the drive pulley to get the correct RPM for different size wheels, and the spindle itself takes up less vertical height.

Steve

If you cannot find a tool post grinder that is to your liking, I've seen tool post grinder plans using a laminate trimmer as the motor so you can achieve the necessary RPMs.

[SteveG]

Thanks - something to keep in mind.
Most of the trimmers I've seen are 30,000 RPM or higher so would need gearing down most of the time. They've generally got cylindrical bodies which makes mounting them easy I guess.

I guess the other thing to consider with mounting it on a shaper is trying to keep the mass as low as possible while still keeping the rigidity in the spindle. A small high RPM motor like a trimmer geared down would fit that requirement.

Steve