Acute Tool System

[VicParticipant @vic]

I’m thinking of making the Acute Tool Sharpening System from Eccentric Engineering from their downloadable plans. Has anyone on here made one of these, either from the plans or the materials kit? TIA.

 

 

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

No experience of it, but – and you may already have seen – Blondihacks is currently making one.

Rob

[Grindstone Cowboy]

On Grindstone Cowboy Said:

No experience of it, but – and you may already have seen – Blondihacks is currently making one.

Rob

Thanks for that, I’ll have a look. 😉

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I made one a couple of years back from a kit and posted a build thread here, I will try to find it.  I haven’t made as much use of it as I should yet.  Straightforward build.

I tried to find the thread but it has been lost in the website change.  Wonderful.

[John Haine]

On John Haine Said:

I made one a couple of years back from a kit and posted a build thread here, I will try to find it.  I haven’t made as much use of it as I should yet.  Straightforward build.

I tried to find the thread but it has been lost in the website change.  Wonderful.

This one?

Acute (a cute?) tool sharpening system

Bill

[peak4Participant @peak4]

John, for your reference, Right clicked on your user name > open in new tab (so I didn’t lose this topic.)
Forums > Topics Started > Search “Acute”

You could get to the same place by going to your own profile, circled in blue

Bill

[Antony PriceParticipant @antonyprice56876]

Hi Vic. Check out Blondiehacks on YouTube she is building one at the moment. Tony

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Are you building it because ?
1) you just want to build something, anything
2) you think it will somehow improve your ability to machine things

if 1) then there are loads of better things to make.
if 2) then er, it probably won’t.

I’m afraid I think it a bit insubstantial and overly complicated with gimmicky features. A bit like the new machine owners who just must have a QCTP and use a 18mm square tool on their minilathe.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Bill, thanks for that.  Yet again the forum search proves useless but your way works fine!

I don’t agree with Bazyle’s assessment, it’s quite substantial enough to for example grind the end teeth of end mills successfully, and a heck of a lot easier to make than say a Quorn, as well as to set up.  I’m glad I’m not a new minilathe owner, I might feel a little piqued by his final comment.

Vic, happy to answer any questions you have.  Given that some of the items (especially the table) are quite complex cutouts getting the material kit is a good way forward.

One thing that I didn’t mention – Gary pointed out that a guard is not really needed on a CBN wheel as it is extremely unlikely to shatter!  You would see on his videos that he doesn’t have one.  This made fitting the wheel much easier.  You do need to ensure that things don’t get dropped on the rotating wheel.

[Bazyle]

On Bazyle Said:

Are you building it because ?
1) you just want to build something, anything
2) you think it will somehow improve your ability to machine things

if 1) then there are loads of better things to make.
if 2) then er, it probably won’t.

I’m afraid I think it a bit insubstantial and overly complicated with gimmicky features. A bit like the new machine owners who just must have a QCTP and use a 18mm square tool on their minilathe.

I could do with a decent grinding rest. I’ve looked at the Harold Hall rest but the Acute looks easier for me to build. I don’t intend to build the entire system but the table, fence and linkage looks useful.

I already have some of the materials needed so I won’t be buying the kit, only the plans.

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

I agree, to some extent, with Bazle’s remarks.  To me it looks like a poorly proportioned device, a lot of “weight” supported on two rather flimsy legs with a not very positive locking method.

It would worry me that that the lack of a positive lock might allow the work rest (?) could tip forward in to the grinding wheel with potentially horrible consequences.

As for functionality, I quite like it and its on my list of things make, although modified to remove the above potential problem.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I’ve looked at a couple of video builds of some of the parts and it’s left me with a few thoughts. This linkage for example. Having several round components didn’t make some machining operations particularly easy. As far as I can see, most of the discs in this picture could be made from square or rectangular parts instead, or am I missing something? The tool holder at the top does need to have a large hole in one of the components but that particular item isn’t even circular to start with.  The complete assembly may look better with round parts, but Aesthetics aside, building from plans only would be much easier using square stock.

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

[…] As far as I can see, most of the discs in this picture could be made from square or rectangular parts instead, or am I missing something? […]

 

Perhaps the risk of superfluous corners colliding ?

… It would be worth just checking your proposed geometry carefully before deciding.

All shown nicely in motion in Eccentric’s own video:

MichaelG.

https://youtu.be/bzEQCvE1cIk?feature=shared

 

[VicParticipant @vic]

I did wonder that Michael, but provided there aren’t any sharp corners I can’t see that happening. Should be quite easy to ensure it doesn’t occur with some small modifications though if needed?

[VicParticipant @vic]

Another thing I noticed is this clamping disc on the right. It seems to be the same thickness material as the other disc on the left. As the one on the left is raised up by the two vertical links and bolts the clamping disc is much lower. This requires two small spacers to be fitted to keep the lower two links in the picture parallel with the table.

If the clamp disc was thicker you could dispense with the spacers?

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

…..

 

If the clamp disc was thicker you could dispense with the spacers?

…..

Quite possibly – I guess that wasn’t the approach Gary took because the blanks are all laser cut from the same sheet thickness, but if parted off from bar you could make them whatever thickness you want.

I think actually that it’s easier not to use square stock if making from scratch because all these components are easy turning, facing and parting jobs from round bar.

 

[VicParticipant @vic]

I’ve watched two people making these components on YouTube. Milling and accurately setting up for drilling and tapping etc seemed to cause some headaches working with round discs.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Not so much headaches as challenges, but you’ve seen 3 approaches that work.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Should not be too hard to drill them in the round, central hole can be done while in the lathe. Then fix your 3 Jaw to the mill table, put the first disc in the chuck and locate ctr, offset to drill the holes. Then just put the other discs in and do them to the same handwheel or DRO settings.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Should not be too hard to drill them in the round, central hole can be done while in the lathe. Then fix your 3 Jaw to the mill table, put the first disc in the chuck and locate ctr, offset to drill the holes. Then just put the other discs in and do them to the same handwheel or DRO settings.

One guy did that on the lathe and then discovered the spotting, and resultant hole were not central to the blank. The piece looked a mess when finished with an oval central hole.

Another did it on the mill and spent ages setting up the disc in a mill vice. One additional problem is that being laser cut the edges aren’t square. It was commented that the spotting is not as helpful as it appears.

 

[John Haine]

On John Haine Said:

Not so much headaches as challenges, but you’ve seen 3 approaches that work.

Yes, I’ve seen a few videos now and seen quite a few mistakes. Some of the results were poor so clearly didn’t work, at least very well.

I can’t start work on this project at the moment but when I do I’m going to attempt making some of the parts for the linkage with square plates, albeit it with rounded corners. I’m sure this will make construction much easier for me and the equipment I have.

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

On John Haine Said:

Not so much headaches as challenges, but you’ve seen 3 approaches that work.

Yes, I’ve seen a few videos now and seen quite a few mistakes. Some of the results were poor so clearly didn’t work, at least very well.

…

Unfortunately, there’s no real quality control on youtube, so technical videos vary enormously.   I fear quite a lot of publishers are better at the arty side of video making than they are at workshop practice.   Entirely satisfied with their own output, many can’t cope with criticism, as happens when more skilled viewers report errors.

Approach youtube with caution.   One fault is leaving steps out.    This may have happened with the laser cut discs.  They look good from the supplier, but there is no guarantee they are round!   So, when accuracy matters, a laser cut edge should be machined first.  Make sure the discs really are round, and the correct size, and create at least one accurate reference on straight work.   Many machining operations fail if the work piece is wonky at the start.

I choose not to make youtube videos because I can’t ensure their quality adequately.   Instead I prefer the forum because it’s interactive, and others can highlight my mistakes and misunderstandings;  it’s all open to comment.   Youtube videos don’t work like that : once published, that’s pretty much it, no matter how carp the content!

Dave

 

 

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Why does the spotting or laser cut edges matter?

I thought you were wanting to do it from the drawings only so won’t have pre spotted plates and they won’t be laser cut

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Why does the spotting or laser cut edges matter?

I thought you were wanting to do it from the drawings only so won’t have pre spotted plates and they won’t be laser cut

It doesn’t matter to me, it was just a comment on the problems experienced in the video’s.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I have only skimmed through, but his own series of constructional videos seems to cover most aspects quite thoroughly:

https://youtu.be/hdgM3jsiKjQ?feature=shared

.

MichaelG.

[Author]

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