FNG Building a GIB

I don't know how many people in the know are reading this but I am wondering about the tracking wheel location. Does the location of the wheel have any role on improved tracking or belt wear? Is there any difference if the tracking wheel is closer to being above the drive wheel compared to being closer the the contact wheel or platen location?
 
My hardware and motor came today. I also painted most of it in hammered silver. I left a few pieces unpainted pending some more work on them. The material I will be making the idler wheels and drive wheel from also came today. Still quite a bit to do but seeing it like this feels like progress.


Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr


Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Bob
 
Looks good.

How strong is your spring?

I suggest at least a 69lbs spring from Home Depot. It will greatly improve tracking for you.
 
AVigil said:
Looks good.

How strong is your spring?

I suggest at least a 69lbs spring from Home Depot. It will greatly improve tracking for you.
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Thanks. I'm a little concerned that my spring is too strong. It is a trampoline spring. I'm going to run it and if it breaks belts, then I'll look at finding something a little softer. Still need to make a bottom attachment point for it.

Bob
 
RangerBobTX said:
Thanks. I'm a little concerned that my spring is too strong. It is a trampoline spring. I'm going to run it and if it breaks belts, then I'll look at finding something a little softer. Still need to make a bottom attachment point for it.

Bob
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Bob, I'd hate to tell you this but no spring will be strong enough let alone too strong for your application. With a tension spring in the rear you will always have noticeable movement of the belt. I fixed this in my GIB by taking Ed Caffrey's advice and moving the arm pivot to the rear and adding a tension spring (gas spring) to the front to resemble a KMG set up. I tried the 20, 40 and 60lb springs and finally settled on the 60. Now my tracking is dead on and rock steady. just my .02
 
Excellent looking grinder. Very clean build.

Carbon steel where did you get your gas spring at? I am curious to try this on my NWG that I have torn apart and am welding up this week.
 
carbonsteel928 said:
Bob, I'd hate to tell you this but no spring will be strong enough let alone too strong for your application. With a tension spring in the rear you will always have noticeable movement of the belt. I fixed this in my GIB by taking Ed Caffrey's advice and moving the arm pivot to the rear and adding a tension spring (gas spring) to the front to resemble a KMG set up. I tried the 20, 40 and 60lb springs and finally settled on the 60. Now my tracking is dead on and rock steady. just my .02
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I've been thinking that I might want to go with a gas spring anyway because I am planning to make the grinder flip-able for horizontal work. The arm sticking out the back would be a issue. For right now though, I'm going to build it this way and see how it performs.

Bob
 
Finished the tool arm for the 10" wheel. It looks to me like I will have to space the wheel out about another 1/2" from the arm. I have the flat platen as well and I think I will have to get everything setup to align with it, as it sticks out the furthest.

Bob


Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr
 
That wheel looks great.

Ian has my wheel and is going to mount bearings to it as well.

Your build is looking great!
 
all of my wheels are spaced to run about .625 from the tool arm. That got me pretty close for all. when you consider most of the GIB's are running the 1/2 platen between the arm thats a good place to start. That wheel looks good and the pinch point on the arm is a nice touch also.
 
AVigil said:
That wheel looks great.

Ian has my wheel and is going to mount bearings to it as well.

Your build is looking great!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliments; slowly chipping away at it.

Theiskell said:
all of my wheels are spaced to run about .625 from the tool arm. That got me pretty close for all. when you consider most of the GIB's are running the 1/2 platen between the arm thats a good place to start. That wheel looks good and the pinch point on the arm is a nice touch also.
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5/8" sounds right to me. I'm wondering how having the 10" wheel cantilevered out like that will affect vibration. My wheel has about .002" runout side-to side and looks to be less axially but I couldn't get a read on the rubber surface. I thought the 1/2"-20 flat head screws would give a clean appearance being countersunk in like this. I didn't realize they would be a PIA to work with. The unthreaded shoulders are exactly .500" O.D. and the bearings are exactly .500" I.D.. I ended up chucking them in the lathe and working them with emery for a few minutes. Nice fit now with zero slop.

Bob
 
that runout on the wheel is very good. you should be good to go. have you seen the spacer that bmw uses to discs the contract wheel? Maybe something like that would work. it's quick and easy and can be gotten at any hardware store.
 
Bob, you are doing a GREAT job with this build. From looking at your photos of turning the Grizzly wheel in your lathe, I think I'll order a Grizzly 10" wheel. After doing some measuring I do think I can chuck the wheel in my 4-jawed chuck. I've got the Grizzly 10X22 (G0602) lathe and had to grind the bed a tad to clear a 10" diameter work piece once upon a time.

Thanks again for the GREAT WIP!

Ken H>
 
Ken H> said:
Bob, you are doing a GREAT job with this build. From looking at your photos of turning the Grizzly wheel in your lathe, I think I'll order a Grizzly 10" wheel. After doing some measuring I do think I can chuck the wheel in my 4-jawed chuck. I've got the Grizzly 10X22 (G0602) lathe and had to grind the bed a tad to clear a 10" diameter work piece once upon a time.

Thanks again for the GREAT WIP!

Ken H>
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Thanks Ken! I'm really enjoying the build. Here's a slightly unconventional setup to machine the bore for the second bearing in my tracking wheel. I cut the first bore and the crown while it was still on the bar. This was a freehand 12" radius cut. I just kept checking it against a radius gauge I have for sheet metal forming. I'm not sure if I will use this wheel. I also have a 4" diameter PVC tracking wheel on order from Beaumont so, I will see which I like better. My wheel is only 2" diameter so the bearings will be spinning twice as fast and the crown may be too much causing the tracking to be finicky

Bob


Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr.
 
RangerBobTX said:
Finished the tool arm for the 10" wheel. It looks to me like I will have to space the wheel out about another 1/2" from the arm. I have the flat platen as well and I think I will have to get everything setup to align with it, as it sticks out the furthest.

Bob


Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Can you explain the mounting setup? Looks like you used a screw that goes all the way through but then the slit snd compression button head screw throw me a curve.

Did you use cold rolled for the tool arm?

Thanks
 
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