3D printed grinder tool rest

bmac2 · Apr 10, 2021

I’m pretty sure if you look up “weedy tool rest” in the dictionary it just shows you a picture of this thing. I’ve been meaning to replace the rest on the grinder in my garage since the day it came out of the box but never got around to it until now.

After a little head scratching and a few internet searches I came up with this idea.

Printed the patterns and then gave them a couple of coats of high filler primer to help smooth out the layer lines and sand cast it. The surface finish is not the best but I hadn’t properly reconditioned my sand after the winter when it freezes close to solid. The parts all machined nicely and showed no signs of porosity. It locks up very solidly and should be a great improvement over the one that came with the grinder.

coulsea · Apr 10, 2021

Looks good, I have one from eccentric engineering which is similar. if you share the stl files maybe others might want to have a go.

goldstar31 · Apr 10, 2021

I made a pair- one for each end of a DE Grinder and to the Eccentric design.

To get the angle right without a setting jig( Eccenbtric). I have published the formula here several times.

Of Course, the Tinker design uses a DE Grinder and the same formula.
Instead of all this, I guess that using a spare vertical slide would improve the versatilty further.

Regards

Norman

bmac2 · Apr 10, 2021

Must be spring time in Alberta. Yesterday I did my lawn. This morning started out clear warm and sunny but started to cloud over and rain after lunch and now (8pm) it’s snowing so hard I can barely see the house across the street. Oh well it will be good for the grass and this time of year it’s just “slow release rain” to go with my “slow release fertilizer”.

coulsea thanks I should have thought of that.

I made the pattern so I could use it on my 8” grinder as well as the little 6” I use for touching up lathe tools in the shop, you just have to mill the notch to match the width of the wheel. The table is 100mm x 100mm and flat on the top so milling the slot is optional. The maximum height is 120mm so for the 8” the base needs a block to bring it up.

awake · Apr 11, 2021

Bob, nicely done. Now make that grinder REALLY work for you - replace the way-too-hard rock that came with it for a much softer wheel. For sharpening tool steels, you want something around an H in hardness. The difference that makes is unbelievable!

bmac2 · Apr 12, 2021

awake I hear ya, that round paving stone is used for lawn mower blades and garden tool. If you’ve ever had a tough time digging a hole sharpen the shovel.

I have an 80x aluminum oxide I picked up from lee valley tools on the grinder downstairs in the shop I use for cutting tools. I like it on the little 6” because it runs cool and keeps me from getting overzealous when sharpening.

goldstar31 · Apr 12, 2021

Of course, you can BOTH be right

Over the years, I bought and made several tool and cutter grinders- and the grit and compsition of the abrasives is quite rematkable in variety.
My little Quorn is happily performing on a softish grade of 80 to 100 grit whilst my Chinese Deckel clone usually has a HARD CBN disk.
Again, one end of my 6" grinder had a 80 grit at one end whikst the t'other is a diamond or CBN.

But BUT- I use a 300 grit diamond to HONE-- and there lies the difference.
You either dig into the scrap bin for bits to make one of the Eccentric Engineering things or you go the whole hog and spend intially £650 for a Mark3kit and then realise that to build the thing, you really do need RATHER a LOT of additional tooling --------------and put it in a Finely varnished Mahogany and glass case.

What should be apparent and that is THIS is a HOBBY. It's bit like my son the other day who delivered me to 2nd Covid-19 *** in his WORK car- a big Mercedes but was waxing lyrical- in French about the recent acquisition of a French farmer's Citroen Deux Chevaux which had been recuilt umpteen times and had had 9 previous owners. So I offered him can of ether meths-- just in case it would not start.

Rational Root · Apr 17, 2021

Thanks for posting the stl.

I printed off the patterns,and cast 2 sets.
I'll start machining next week

ajoeiam · Apr 18, 2021

Good go there sir!

You cast that in straight Al or ?????

skyline1 · Apr 18, 2021

bmac2 said:
but I hadn’t properly reconditioned my sand after the winter when it freezes close to solid.

Frozen moulding sand, I know all about that one. when we were casting in cold weather we used to put a bucket of facing sand in the domestic oven to get it warm enough to actually mould with (assuming it wasn't full of crucibles of course).

This was much to the annoyance of the lady of the house (my mum) but it worked both ways as the residual heat in the furnace was great for slow roasting a joint of meat. (and free !)

The project came out great though smashing job. Ain't these 3d printers great. I'm glad I bought mine (both of them !)

Best Regards Mark

Rational Root · Apr 18, 2021

ajoeiam said:
Good go there sir!

You cast that in straight Al or ?????

Ford's best aluminium wheel

ajoeiam · Apr 19, 2021

Grin - - - - love the way you write that!

Proculation · Nov 11, 2024

Love the idea and design, Thanks for sharing and posting!

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