Tony Jeffree’s Grinder letter in MEW175

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Well, to add to the mix, I built a Worden Mk3 as one of my first re-adventures into engineering, having served my time as a fitter/turner back in the late 70’s and early 80’s then digressing into electronics and avionics etc.

Since then, I have realised the limitations of the Worden, as good as it is, I decided a Quorn TC grinder would be an interesting and useful project and a valuable addition to the workhop.

I picked up a complete set of part machined castings, motor etc from a Warco Open weekend last year. Depite a few errors that had been made on the original machining, all of which are easily corrected, work is now progressing well. I do not intend to use ball handles as this will be a workshop tool and not a show piece Wherever practicable, I will utilise, commercially made re-positionable handles to lock the various units.

As an aside, does anyone know where to obtain Quorn castings in the UK, the Model Engineering Services webite does not appear to be active any more.

http://www.lawm.freeserve.co.uk/ now shows a blank page with no html content and any of the previously available sub pages resolve to a page not available message.

Have MES ceased to exist?

 

regards

 

CB

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I made a Quorn. It took me 260 hours, of which 17 were used to make the ball handles. I was young and single then and made it over about 2 months one summer, using pretty much all my spare time. I kept a diary and enjoyed making it, but never really used it and sold it. Recently I’ve been toying with the idea of a Worden but I’ve moved on to indexable tips for the lathe and you can get a lot of new endmills for the price of the kit. Perhaps I should just make a jig for the bench grinder. I’ve got the drawings for a Tinker somewhere….

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Philip Toyne on 15/03/2011 16:32:19:

David

 

Please can you engage Tony Jeffree as a full time contributor?

Very enjoyable reading, even for someone like me who is slowly working my way through machining a Kennet kit which I bought only five months ago!

 

Phil

It sometimes feels as if that has already happened

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by KWIL on 15/03/2011 19:25:04:

One of the names in this modelling of ours once said to me, it is as much taking of the journey as it is arriving. [With the finished device]

 

Ball handles are not difficult if you start with a good ball turning tool and Tony, the diameter of an end mill does not matter if it is undersize, it is the cut you put on that you are wanting. It is not worth resharpening below 3/8″ or 10mm dia anyway.

KWIL –

 

You are of course right that you can use an undersized end mill; however, it is often very convenient if you have an end mill that cuts to size, as it can save you machining time.

 

And yes, for some the journey is the reward; there are as many reasons why people embark on a project as there are people.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 15/03/2011 22:33:13:
I made a Quorn. It took me 260 hours, of which 17 were used to make the ball handles. I was young and single then and made it over about 2 months one summer, using pretty much all my spare time. I kept a diary and enjoyed making it, but never really used it and sold it. Recently I’ve been toying with the idea of a Worden but I’ve moved on to indexable tips for the lathe and you can get a lot of new endmills for the price of the kit. Perhaps I should just make a jig for the bench grinder. I’ve got the drawings for a Tinker somewhere….

Interesting statistics there – it took me about 35 hours make my Worden, so only twice as long as it took you to make the ball handles for your Quorn.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Steve Garnett on 15/03/2011 21:51:22:

I think that it might be a case here of deciding which journey… and looked at from that point of view, starting a Quorn and not even attempting to finish it could simply be regarded as straightforward indecision, or perhaps a navigation error? I get the impression that Tony J. might concur with this as well, judging from what he wrote. And no he wasn’t having a go at Quorns…

 

Steve –

 

I couldn’t agree more.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by John Stevenson on 15/03/2011 01:02:40:

Two 9″ angle grinders

Two 7″ angle grinders

Seven 4 1/2″ angle grinders

Six die grinders

One universal tool and cutter grinder

One 6 x 18″ surface grinder

One 7″ swing surface grinders

Three 6″ bench grinders

One 8″ bench grinder

Two Linishing machines

One Alexendra single lip grinder

One lathe tool grinder similar to the Worden

 

John S.

John –

 

How many of them can you use at the same time?

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Geoff Sheppard on 15/03/2011 14:26:10:

John S – you’ve just not mastered the technique! I remember a quotation from our old contributor Bob Loader – “With the right flux you can solder a cat’s ear’ole to a brick wall”.

Geoff –

 

Unfortunately, by the time you’ve finished, the cat is completely fluxed…right?

 

Regards,

Tony

[Geoff SheppardParticipant @geoffsheppard46476]

Tony

 

Considering that Bob was ‘s l i g h t l y’ misquoting his old training school instructor, I’m definitely NOT developing this train of thought!!!

 

Regards

 

Geoff

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I’m having problems getting the cat to try the experiment with.

 

At the moment it’s still on a paws on CNC training course.

 

John S.

 

[PekkaNFParticipant @pekkanf]

Poor car is exhausted trying to see pinout of D-15 connector?

 

PekkaNF

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Well, I’ve got a Quorn which I inherited from my father – it was his big ME project in his retirement (though he built a lot of other great stuff). It isn’t an exhibition quality version but is workmanlike. Some of the things in the original design you don’t need – for example the 2 tpi thread for elevating the wheelhead, you can get away with a lockable collar on the column to stop it sliding down once adjusted. As a matter of fact I can’t understand why the design didn’t just have a vertical leadscrew and dispense with the fine adjustment. Equally, having ball handles looks nice but isn’t very practical – those resettable lever-operated screws would be much more practical for anyone starting one today I think.

 

The unit was built with the 3C collet arbor for cutters as designed. These are too small really and the collets not readily available. MT2 collets are an alternative, but there isn’t enough meat in the original design for MT3 or R8 (I have the latter in my VMB). So I have designed and built an alternative workhead that takes R8 collets so I can use the same ones as the mill.

 

The original design is not very good for lathe tool grinding, so having recently made a tangential tool holder I’ve made a simple holder for square toolbits that mounts instead of the workhead – makes life much easier.

 

The Quorn as designed is not in my view good for flute sharpening, it doesn’t give well-controlled axial movement of the mandrel while you spiral the cutter against the wheel. I’ve tried making air bearings without success, also a plain polished bronze sleeve. I even started to make a new TCG design but have given up! My conclusion, inspired by a Quorn that is regularly exhibited, is that you need a system that allows the tool to rotate freely against the tooth rest whilst being positively moved axially by a lever feed – that’s my next move (so to speak), to add something like this to the Quorn.

 

Setting the workhead up is a bit of a pain using setting pins and the like, but I have a little optical gadget that I use for setting a cutter in the collet which is very quick.

 

The Quorn isn’t so good with big wheels so is distinctly for finish grinding rather than rough shaping – so you need another grinder with some sort of accurate-ish rest for this.

 

I often wonder why some enterprising company doesn’t supply a simple bench grinder with a conventional wheel at one end with a decent rest; and a cup wheel at the other with a simple angled table with guides, a bit like Harold Hall’s design. This would be just the job for most people on its own (as they could make gadgets for cutter sharpening just as Harold shows), and ideal for rough tool shaping for finishing on a TCG.

 

I will try to get round to posting some photos of my mods.

 

John.

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Geoff Sheppard on 16/03/2011 09:32:39:

Tony

 

Considering that Bob was ‘s l i g h t l y’ misquoting his old training school instructor, I’m definitely NOT developing this train of thought!!!

 

Regards

 

Geoff

<Grin>

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

David –

 

When will issue 175 appear in the digital issues? I am globetrotting at the moment & it would be good to have something to read on the plane…

 

Regards,

Tony

Edited By Tony Jeffree on 17/03/2011 01:09:35

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Tony

It does not go on sale until tomorrow.

I have stressed the importance of it being online by the on slae date.

I will ask them to make sure it is up for tomorrow at the latest.

There is no hiding now.

Your Avatar shows what you look like.

regards david

 

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Graham Meek on 19/03/2011 20:50:41:

 

I have a hard hat if you should want to borrow it?

 

Gray

Gray –

 

That’s a very generous offer – thanks

Regards,

Tony

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

On the SMEE Stand at 2010 MEEX Sandown Park there was a well executed air bearing shown on a tool and cutter grinder, very free and precise movement following the spiral of and end mill.

[Ted 047Participant @ted047]

I’m sorry, but I read the letter, and thought it was a waste of quite a lot of time and space: without the woffle, it could have been half a column of interesting and constructive (none intended!) reading.

 

Ted

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Ted,

 

I taught engineering metalwork and design to adolescents for 30+ years and having been exposed to their sense of humour for all that time I must agree with your comments.

 

The story of the Emperor’s New Clothes comes to mind,

 

Best regards

 

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 20/03/2011 22:10:09

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Graham Meek on 20/03/2011 21:24:41:

Hi Tony,

Looks like you will need the lot.

 

Gray

 

 

 

No way, in a vote of of real world V flat earth society Tony wins.

 

Just have a look at his web page of what he has done V the blowhards and make your own mind up.

 

John S.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Well Tony

Seems you have poked your stick into the wasp’s nest!

Those of a more serious disposition and those who have been exposed to a lifetime of torment from a succession of whippersnappers prefer (perhaps understandably) the approach of Mr Gradgrind (Facts.. nothing but facts).

Those who approach the hobby as a relaxation and entertainment, perhaps after a lifetime toiling in other fields, may find the experience enhanced by the occasional diversion and sideways look at life. For my part I thoroughly enjoyed your entertaining letter and interesting article on constructing the Worden. Please continue in just this manner — I found the 3/4 page devoted to your letter very good value for money!

 

Regards

 

Norman

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by NJH on 21/03/2011 00:18:00:

Well Tony

Seems you have poked your stick into the wasp’s nest!

Those of a more serious disposition and those who have been exposed to a lifetime of torment from a succession of whippersnappers prefer (perhaps understandably) the approach of Mr Gradgrind (Facts.. nothing but facts).

Those who approach the hobby as a relaxation and entertainment, perhaps after a lifetime toiling in other fields, may find the experience enhanced by the occasional diversion and sideways look at life. For my part I thoroughly enjoyed your entertaining letter and interesting article on constructing the Worden. Please continue in just this manner — I found the 3/4 page devoted to your letter very good value for money!

 

Regards

 

Norman

Hi Norman –

 

Considering the balance of those in favour vs those against, it hardly qualifies as a poked wasp’s nest so far – more a couple of midge bites

Many thanks for the vote of confidence!

 

Regards,

Tony

 

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Graham Meek on 20/03/2011 13:18:43:

I have taken the photo’s of my Scale Model of the Quorn, (guards have been removed for clarity), they are in My Photo’s

 

Gray.

Hi Gray –

 

Nice job.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 17/03/2011 08:11:29:

There is no hiding now.

Your Avatar shows what you look like.

regards david

 

Hi David –

 

I did try to change my avatar to a certain world famous cartoon mouse so I could travel incognito, but the identity police seem to have disallowed the change Such is life…

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Terryd on 20/03/2011 22:07:50:

 

The story of the Emperor’s New Clothes comes to mind,

 

Hi Terry –

 

Sorry if I’m being a bit slow, but I am failing to see the connection.

 

Regards,

Tony

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