Frink grinder mod (sorta) & dovetail grinding jig pics

T

tmickley

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Apr 4, 2001
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Some one asked about a dovetail jig. This one is simply the corner of a 2"x4" cut off at an approximately 45 degree angle. I took some soft steel and countersunk some screw to attach the flat stock. This gave me something to clamp it to the tool rest and a smooth face to slide the bolster or scales on. In the bottom picture you can see (barely) a set of dovetail bolsters clamped onto a blank to see how they line up. I found I had to hand file a bit to square it up after using the grinder jig as the corners tended to round down leaving a high center. I'm guessing the belt tends to wrap around the bolster or scale material.

I would like a variable jig but just don't have the ambition to put one together.

On my Frink grinder, I used threaded bar and some nuts to lower the tool rest for the jig to use on the flat planten. It seems to work and cost a total of $2.75 which is entirely too cheap. I've started to nag Rob to come up with something like it and charge me a great deal more so I'll feel better about it.
 

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I can see that it works great. I'm wondering though, can't you simply unbolt the platen bolts and pivot the whole platen to 45 degrees and achieve the same thing without changing the tool rest position? The platen has two fixed positions. On mine I had Rob slot the space in between so that I can have an infinite number of positions between 45 and 90 and he said he's going to do all the platens that way now. Nice machines BTW. :)
 
The problem I had with the middle pin was that I used super glue for the handle
Click to expand...

yes, but I can get support closer to the belt from the jig for small pieces.
I do need to get Rob to slot my platen though -- as soon as I can live with out for a couple weeks.
 
I have a question,I have a 4x36 belt disk grinder
why can't you drop the table on it to get your angle
I did it to see if it would work and it works great
a couple seconds on each bolster and it is done.
I am green so maybe I have alot to learn I am about
done my first knife I will post a picture to see if
you all like it;)
 
I like it! Very clever! I like it because with the fixture,it seems that you can bevel your bolsters, then go off and work on something else for a while,...like profile the scales, ... then come back to bevel the scales and have a perfect fit. If you inclined the attachment, then you would want to do the bolsters and the scales in the same setup to assure perfect complimentary angles. With the fixture, you can do any piece at anytime.



I do need to get Rob to slot my platen though -- as soon as I can live with out for a couple weeks .
Click to expand...
:confused: :confused:

Heck, I'm faster than that! :p

Tracey,

..Send that baby my way and I'll whip it out in an evening and have it back in the wind the next morning!...Or, I'll just send you a slotted plate and you can return your old one once your back up and running again. I've got some stuff headed to you anyway...I throw in a new plate if you would like.

Thanks for sharing!

Take care,
Rob
 
Shameless plug:
Just an update; Rob is sending me a slotted plate to try out and if I like it send him back my old one. This is without my prompting or asking. How's that for a guy to get a grinder from?
 
T Mickley
I don't think anyone on this thread thought it was a plug
you showed us your neat jig set up and a way you were going to improve
on it.Rob does good work and is very prompt at it,No harm done.
I would like to see your up graded one.I for one enjoy looking at mods
on anything that has to do with making knives
 
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