Good choice. It worked for me.

Russell

Johan

My view is that the more "advanced" tool and cutter grinder designs are not cheap to build and, for their cost, you could buy a lot of cutters! Harolds design appears to offer basic facilities at an affordable cost and will , no doubt, also provide some interesting construction. On the other hand I'm about 70% + of the way through building a Stent which is an interesting experience but is unlikely ever to recoup its capital cost.! However for me the making is more important than the using so I enjoy the exercise.

Cheers

Norman

I'm just starting the HH type rest or was until my Alpine vertical Mill/Drill spindle bearing decided to collapse on me, wouldn't have minded but I was on the final cut on one of the 50mm blocks used

oh well need to strip it and get some new bearings – wasn't in a hurry anyway

Hi Jonathan,

I have made Mr Halls grinding rest from his book WPS 35 "A Complete Milling Course". It is relatively easy and does not take too long to complete with basic tools. Which means that you get to grind your lathe tools etc more quickly. I have not yet made the attachments from the book such as the slitting saw or milling cutter ones, but I will.

I too used a cheap offhand grinder from a DIY store and modified as Mr Hall suggests, also shown in the book. I used the standard clamping strip, not the thinner ones, and have had no difficulty. It only seems to be a problem if you are not accurate enough with the milling of the blocks.  When I attach it to it's new base I intend to make a second angle iron support to attach at right angles so that I can move the rest to the side of the cup wheel ( I hope that makes sense)

Unfortunately Mine was damaged by fire but I managed to rescue it and am at the moment in the process of refurbishing it. I do think that it is worth making, You could build one of the more capable ones at a later date when you have sharp tools . Here's a couple of pictures – you can click them to enlarge if you wish:

As Made.

Rescued from fire :

Best regards and let us know your decision and results. Many people seek advice here, we offer it but all too often we don't get to see the outcomes, not a lot to ask for all the thought, time and effort which goes into posting the advice

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 09/10/2012 12:39:01

Terry,

I have discovered that the great volume of rust compared to original metal can make things look far worse than they really are. I work with a couple of guys who collect old axes etc. and a virtually shapeless lump of rust can appear just well used after derusting.

Out of curiosity, have you tried any of the various de-rusting approaches on that poor beast? If so, what has it come out like?

Neil

Johan

I cannot comment on which sharpening device is the best for you as I know little about the Bonelle or the Tinker, in any case it would be difficult for me not to be biassed, I will though add that having looked at the Raymac in the magazine (MEW issue 76) it describes it as just an end mill sharpening device.

You ask though "Why is Mr Hall using his own design if he can very easily make an advanced cutter grinder with his experience."

Firstly, practically all the items I have made have been chosen to suit the need of the magazine, either, purely as something to make, or to describe particular machining methods. Often though both.

The grinding rest though was a case of satisfying the magazine requirements and my own as at that time my only method was by hand using the workshops off hand grinder.

As, for me, designing an item is as satisfying as making it. In fact, if I had to place my preferences, it would be designing, using and finally making.

Had I have designed a more conventional tool and cutter grinder it would not have met the need of the magazine, the rest being part of a milling series for the newcomer to milling.

Also, such a machine would not do anything more than my rest that I would find beneficial. These would be such things as sharpening reamers, taps, etc. also outside the need of most workshop owners.

I do hope that the comments made by the previous contributors will have helped you come to a decision as either mine, the Bonelle or the Tinker will I am sure produce very good results. I have reservations about the Raymac a I believe it is only for end mills.

If you have not done so already, a look at the following two pages on my web site may be off help. There are also others that you could look at, see the sites index.

For sharpening in general

For shaping and sharping boring tools

Perhaps I should add that I also designed a grinding rest for the workshop who only had a lathe to make it on, though using a milling machine would still be appropriate if one was available. It is a simpler rest but the method of using it is almost identical to the one being discussed above. See here for details

Which ever machine you chose, sharpening workshop tools is a demanding task. Sharpening a lathes knife tool will be relatively easy but sharping a dovetail cutter, of making a cutter for cutting a clocks escape wheel will be much more demanding, Both of which I have done using my grinding rests

Hope this helps

Harold.

Edited By Harold Hall 1 on 09/10/2012 22:44:32

I just found this photo I took of the Bristol Club stand at the Taunton show.so thought I would add it for the record.

I think the designers Collier and Caseley are members of the Bristol club. As it is a simplified Quorn you could adapt many of the published tools and techniques.

 spelling might be Colyer

http://www.bristolmodelengineers.co.uk/gallery/tools/to7.htm

only pictures that google can find.

Edited By Bazyle on 29/10/2012 23:46:37

Like you Johan, I hate getting nice clean books dirty by taking them into the workshop.

As you are therefore going to produce a set of drawings to work to you may be tempted, I would have, to replace the slot in the angle with just two mounting holes for the magnetic bases as the bases would seem to be able to provide all the necessary adjustment.

However, I have very occasionally found it helpful to mount the two bases to one end with the rest at the other. Photo 21 on the following page shows an example.

**LINK**

Have you considered including the modification that ensures that the lower locking handle for the two arms always locks at the same angle, As originally designed the final handle position changes as the angle of the arms change, its a very simple mod.

The details are here if you are not aware of them.

**LINK**

Harold

Hi,

Unfortunately the Axminster grinding rests only articulates in one axis plus vertical movement while Mr Halls articulates in two axes plus vertical making it far more versatile than the commercial one.

I use the original bolt down method, but with two angle irons at right angles to each other on my grinding table, which is a piece of 12mm plywood which I clamp to any suitable surface when I need to grind a tool.  I don't find this at all inconvenient and much lesss expensive than the magnetic bases.

Best regards for the new year,

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 30/12/2012 22:28:43

Hello Norman.

I also have one of these.
I mounted it on a two crossed axis as you can see here ***LINK***

Dias Costa