Grinding machine for drum brakes.

[NeiljohnUK]

Good use for an old optical bench, I use optical bread-board off-cuts to make bases and work surfaces for some of my small machines too. Olderdan's method is similar to Jurid's abrasive coated brake pads we sold in the 80's for cleaning up disc faces and removing the surface layer, these days with most pads being significantly harder with lots more embedded metallic elements the discs wear much faster, so such tricks are no longer required, changing discs every 2-3 sets of pads being the norm now.

[DotWeb]

Well, https://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...-lathe-344580/ may be helpful here!

[tonyfoale]

Good use for an old optical bench, I use optical bread-board off-cuts to make bases and work surfaces for some of my small machines too. Olderdan's method is similar to Jurid's abrasive coated brake pads we sold in the 80's for cleaning up disc faces and removing the surface layer, these days with most pads being significantly harder with lots more embedded metallic elements the discs wear much faster, so such tricks are no longer required, changing discs every 2-3 sets of pads being the norm now.

I got the optical table to use as a motorcycle frame building jig, but that is a very occasional use and as it takes up a lot of room I use the surface for mounting other things.


Click images for full size.

[NeiljohnUK]

Best use I've seen outside of an optics lab, though that ones a little small, some of our set-ups use four 2m by 4m ones solidly linked together and floated on air legs.

[tonyfoale]

Best use I've seen outside of an optics lab, though that ones a little small, some of our set-ups use four 2m by 4m ones solidly linked together and floated on air legs.

Mine is 1.2 x 1.9 m. I lived in the US for 3 years and bought 3 from an optics company in Boston which was downsizing. The other two were much larger and they went to my employer. Mine came with very solid legs with air bag support at the top. When I returned to Spain I had a container for my stuff, this table, mill, lathe, motorbikes etc. just the normal stuff that anyone would accumulate in 3 years. However, there was no room in the container for the original legs and so I built a new support structure when I returned here. Three legs with height adjustment at the top.

Click image for full size.

[DIYSwede]

Thanks Tony - are the 3-leg distances of your stand the same as the original support's?
As your table doesn't seem to be supported neither at its Bessel nor the Airy points,
I wonder about how these dimensions came about.

Cheers
Johan

[tonyfoale]

Thanks Tony - are the 3-leg distances of your stand the same as the original support's?
As your table doesn't seem to be supported neither at its Bessel nor the Airy points,
I wonder about how these dimensions came about.
Johan

As soon as you put some heavy loads on such a table the idea of leg positioning for minimum sag or slopes etc. in the unloaded condition become somewhat irrelevant. In optics work you will generally be placing light weight objects with minimal effect on table stability and great accuracy is paramount. For my use there were other considerations, one being the maximum sensible area between the legs for a storage shelf.
Engineering is about what works and this works.

[DIYSwede]

Thanks Tony, for sharing exactly those considerations and criteria.

[tonyfoale]

Here is a recent picture showing the drum grinder in use with a rim fitted. The initial pictures only showed the hub itself but I never grind a drum like that because they can distort when the spokes are pulled up tight. So I always grind a complete wheel.



There is also a video on Youtube of it in use.