- Joined
- Sep 17, 2000
- Messages
- 279
I recently modified my Coote Grinder to eliminate some of the issues I had with it (albeit minor).
It's a good little grinder and I like it, but my main issue with it is that no matter what you do with the work rest, it is always sticking out past the platen (even with the top part of the work rest removed and tilted down as far as it will go as in this picture). It gets in the way when I try to grind the flats on the hatchets I've been making lately.
A few weeks ago I pulled the rest all the way out to get it out of the way, but noticed that the side plates both bowed inward a little which caused the platen to move so it wasn't in line with the belt anymore.
I then I decided I would make the grinder take 1 1/2" arms like the nicer ones (like the Wilmont that is still in it's box under my workbench). My goal was to make as few new holes in the Coote as possible so it would go back together and still look half way decent.
Transferring the hole locations to the side plates...
I shouldn't have been as happy to use transfer screws as I was. I haven't touched them since I was a pattern maker, and it's been about thirteen years.
The lower holes in the front replace the nuts that the platen screws to. The upper holes hold it to the grinder (the front ones use the same pivot holes as the original work rest).
This would have been a lot easier to make if I still had use of a mill. I've never worked with 6061 before and it is a lot tougher (grabby) than I thought it would be, plus I found out really quick why aluminum is used as a heat sink when sanding the edges.
Here it is in place. I stole the adjustable handle out of the parts box of my Wilmont LB1000. I'll get a smaller version for the Coote from McMaster Carr. I'm not sure how long the threads in the 6061 will hold up, but I have some Helicoils that I can use once they do wear out.
With the first rest on it. I need to remake it so the height and angle are adjustable for convenience, but this works for what I need right now...
I also bought a Moffatt light and mounted it to an "L" bracket to the same bolt that holds the upper part of the grinder on. I should have bought one a long time ago as it is awesome. A good eye will also notice that I re-drilled and tapped for a new tracking adjustment knob... which I also stole out of the parts box for the LB1000.
This works a lot better for my needs. In a couple weeks I'll get the LB out and paint/put it together.
It's a good little grinder and I like it, but my main issue with it is that no matter what you do with the work rest, it is always sticking out past the platen (even with the top part of the work rest removed and tilted down as far as it will go as in this picture). It gets in the way when I try to grind the flats on the hatchets I've been making lately.
A few weeks ago I pulled the rest all the way out to get it out of the way, but noticed that the side plates both bowed inward a little which caused the platen to move so it wasn't in line with the belt anymore.
I then I decided I would make the grinder take 1 1/2" arms like the nicer ones (like the Wilmont that is still in it's box under my workbench). My goal was to make as few new holes in the Coote as possible so it would go back together and still look half way decent.
Transferring the hole locations to the side plates...
I shouldn't have been as happy to use transfer screws as I was. I haven't touched them since I was a pattern maker, and it's been about thirteen years.
The lower holes in the front replace the nuts that the platen screws to. The upper holes hold it to the grinder (the front ones use the same pivot holes as the original work rest).
This would have been a lot easier to make if I still had use of a mill. I've never worked with 6061 before and it is a lot tougher (grabby) than I thought it would be, plus I found out really quick why aluminum is used as a heat sink when sanding the edges.
Here it is in place. I stole the adjustable handle out of the parts box of my Wilmont LB1000. I'll get a smaller version for the Coote from McMaster Carr. I'm not sure how long the threads in the 6061 will hold up, but I have some Helicoils that I can use once they do wear out.
With the first rest on it. I need to remake it so the height and angle are adjustable for convenience, but this works for what I need right now...
I also bought a Moffatt light and mounted it to an "L" bracket to the same bolt that holds the upper part of the grinder on. I should have bought one a long time ago as it is awesome. A good eye will also notice that I re-drilled and tapped for a new tracking adjustment knob... which I also stole out of the parts box for the LB1000.
This works a lot better for my needs. In a couple weeks I'll get the LB out and paint/put it together.
