Next Project... a take down.

I've decided not to hide my shameful first attempt at using the grinder. Please bear in mind all I have is a contact wheel, no flat platen, no tool rest. Excuses aside, I know it sucks, and I'll definitely be spending time finishing it out with hand tools/sanding.

TakeDown3.JPG


TakeDown4.JPG
 
I just realized we're neighbors. I'm just a few minutes north of you in Bothell.

It's coming along nicely, man. You can clean those up as you get more and more comfortable.
 
You know, it's not half bad for what it's worth. You at least have relatively even plunges, and the grinds appear to be pretty much the same height on both sides. Practice makes perfect!

Nothing some drawfiling and sanding won't fix :D
 
Spent some time yesterday wit my beloved files and sandpaper, and resolved most of the problems on one side of the blade. For some reason it feels like I'm cheating, though, as this was supposed to be my first blade done with the grinder. As it happens I am snowed in today, which suggests I will have a lot of time to work on the blade.

Michael, we ought to arrange a meeting some day. I don't often make it to Bothell, but could make it a point to some day. Problem is I have a day job and a wife that likes to manage my off-work hours. ;)
 
You got some finer grit belts Greg don't you. Go back to the grinder again and go slowly. Leave the darn files behind! ;)
 
What Patrice said... go slowly with a finer grit and apply light pressure - only way to improve is to do it :). I found that practicing on paint stirrers that you can get from your friendly local HW store helped me a bit in the beginning, and saved a lot of steel from the scrap pile...
 
Actually, I already did that to try to even up the transition line on both sides. I even put on my new 2" contact wheel and gave it a spin. It's very clear I just don't know how to use it well.... but I managed to get the job done... well enough for me to clean up the results with file and sandpaper, at any rate.

The blade is getting close to the next picture point. Hopefully before tonight's chat session (where I feel certain Patrice will chew me out).
 
As a preview, this is what I'm thinking in terms of the final design. It's not to scale.

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Greg, I find it helpful to have several blades under different stages of progress. When I get frustrated with one blade or am not sure how to acheive my desired results I work on some totally different. It seems to help, letting whatever issue ping around inside my grey matter. I do pick up the problem from time to time and maybe just hold it and "look" at it with my fingers. Often the touch will tell me where a change needs to be made. I suppose that comes from the body and fender days. Don't rush. Jess
 
Nicely cleaned up, Greg! How are you going to attach the thread to the end of the blade? Welding or force?
 
I was thinking of threading the slot, but the fallback plan is welding (post HT).
 
Just checked in and saw your after grind pics. It aint that bad. Better than what I would of done that's for sure. Two days later and it is looking really good. You've also done a bang up job on cleaning the plunge cut area out.

Dumb question here, but with no flat platen you are hollow grinding correct? With a hollow grind, wouldn't draw filing be difficult if not counter-intuitive? Wouldn't it make the curved area that is hollow ground flat or less curved? I'm thinking it would make an inverted wide bell curve shape, but I really don't know what I'm talking about so thought I would ask.

Also, I am digging the hand guard. I really hope you go over how you make this when you get to it, cause at this point I have no friggin clue how it's done.

Thanks for doing this WIP.
 
Talesin said:
With no flat platen you are hollow grinding correct? With a hollow grind, wouldn't draw filing be difficult if not counter-intuitive? Wouldn't it make the curved area that is hollow ground flat or less curved? I'm thinking it would make an inverted wide bell curve shape, but I really don't know what I'm talking about so thought I would ask.
Click to expand...

Yes, it was ground mostly on the 6" contact wheel freehand, so hollow ground. The filing has been done with both sides of a half round file, not so much to protect the hollowness of the grind but to make it less likely that I'll create deep scars that need to be sanded out.

Talesin said:
Also, I am digging the hand guard. I really hope you go over how you make this when you get to it, cause at this point I have no friggin clue how it's done.
Click to expand...

Honestly, there's no guarantee I know what I'm doing either, but I will show the steps... whether they work as expected or not. I hide very little about my work. ;)
 
For the love of Mike....order the flat platen for that grinder. It isn't like it will cost a lot, you know.

Having a 2X72 without a flat platen is like having a Corvette with only first gear. Yes, you can drive it, but it sure will be better with more gears.

About 70% of the tasks done on a grinder require a flat platen.
 
I didn't know what to order either, so I made one from 2" x 2" x 1/4" thick angle iron. I made sure the face of the platen was flat (granite surface plate), after which I welded an edge to the bottom of it (sticks out about 3/16" but you can just drill a couple of holes and tap two screws in so that they sit parrallel to the edge of the squared-off angle). This is necessary to support the glass platen that will be lued to it later. Then I matched the radius on my large wheel (10") and gave it about a 1/2" gap and cut/gound the other leg of the angle iron so that it would sit above the wheel, without interfering with it's rotation. Then simply made two slots for two cap screws with locking washers on them to bolt into the multi-platen. When all was done, I JB-Welded a pyroceram platen on it, let it dry for 24 hours, and bolted it to the multi-platen.

It might seem like a lot of work, but it only took me about 2 hours, and it's pretty easy. If you have the flat platen arm for the GIB, this is even easier, because you don't have to worry about the radius of the wheel - it just forts in there squarely. Shoot me an email if you have more questions.
 
Greg,
PM or e-mail me. I have 9' of 2"x3" angle iron, 2"x8" or 9" Pyroceram and also have 8' of heavy wall 1-1/2" tubing. I think? It might? Fit in a large priority mail box. I only paid for the tubing. Happy to donate to the cause for the price of shipping.

I like the design so far! Especially the D guard!
 
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