Questions on adding a KMG style tool arm and holder to a square wheel

W

winterbear

Joined
Jul 24, 2009
Messages
229
Hi all I have a old Olympic (pre Wilton) 3hp 3 ph variable speed 4x72 square wheel grinder that I have been running 2 inch belts on. After taking a grinding class with Dave Lisch I really want to add a KMG style arm and holder so I can run a real flat platen setup and be able to fabricate and change tools easier than the square weel atachment. The 4 inch allows me the clearance to add a tool bar holder on the belt side of the frame upright. Questions are: 1. I have on hand 1 inch tool steel square stock will 1 " be suffecint for the tool arm 2. will 4-4.5 inches be enough to support the tool arm adequtely? Plan is to bolt the holder together and bolt it to the 3/16 frame of the square wheel maybe bolted thru ?.
Thanks Chris
 
I have one of those exact same grinders too, and while I have already chopped and turned the 8" contact wheel down to 2" wide, I have thought many times about converting the tooling arm setup. The tensioning setup on the grinder as it is can be a PITA also, and a KMG style tool arm would help a lot with that.

I'd use the standard 1.5" square for the tooling arm. That extra 1/2" width gives you more room to attach your wheel, platen etc. to. Also, if you get another grinder at some point you will more likely be able to interchange tooling between them.

Spacing and alignment will determine whether you can use 1.5", and ultimately whether it'll be compatible with other machines.

With a tight fit and a couple of hand-screw tighteners I think 4.5 would hold the tooling arm securely. You may get more room for clearance and and easier job of it if you just use the frame of the square wheel for one wall of the socket. In that case maybe the tightening screw could come out the right side of the socket rather than the top.

I'll be watching to see how this turns out!
 
Salem so glad you saw this. I knew you had a old Olympic but didn't realize it was a 4x72. My plan is as you suggested a 3 aided box using the upright frame of the grinder as the 4th with a inch and a half or so extending out the front fully boxed with another 1.5 inch piece. Clearance is my biggest concern to both the tension wheel and horizontally to the front so I will still have room to adjust with the flat platen. Too late tonight after getting escapee sheep back in their pen to do anything other than plan but pics and hopefully progress this weekend. Chris
 
ok so I decided to go with the 1 inch bar for two reasons first I had it and second by my initial measurements that would get me very close to centering the belts on the wheel. So far all steel out of the scrap pile so no cost yet, always good right. Mocked all of the pieces up several times before I remembered to take pictures. had concerns with clearance so moved the tool holder up and clipped the top rear corner. well crap I thought I could post pics here , is shop talk restricted differently than other sections?
Chris
 
You can post photos as a registered user, we just have to use an outside source to host them. I use imgur.com and there are plenty of other options out there as well.

Good luck,
Chris
 
Looking forward to some pics of this build. I just got in from the shop, big welding project until midnight. Now I gotta let the smoke clear overnight and go deal with the mess tomorrow!:eek:
 
Ok can't find the help for getting the pic to show in the post via my phone app. Any quick suggestions now that I have them on imgur.
 
vQmFC5E.jpg
 
Salem , thanks I had room and as I said lots of the 1 inch bar so used it for the tool bar holder too. Cutting the steel for the platen and ordering wheels and belts tonight, any thoughts on from where may be best most economical? I am leaning toward USA but wanted to order belts and combine shipping but they are out of 60 grit blaze per the web store.
 
That was last night. Tonight I cut and welded the work rest table to the support.
LXqe4O8.jpg

Ordered wheels and belts from USA/Midwest so now waiting anxiously. My awesome wife also ordered a carbide file guide for me from Bruce Bump today. I am so excited to finally be getting my tools and act together! Chris
 
Nice fabrication work, man! You'll be spraying sparks in no time. The file guide will be so nice, too.
 
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