Scale Model Precision Grinding Vises

[old_toolmaker]

This is my first attempt at posting on this site for over two months since I suffered a stroke and seizure back on 10-31-2018. I am slowly recovering and It sure feels good to be back on this site although I am not yet making chips out in the shop.

I built this set of scale model precision grinding vises about 50+ years ago based on the well known Herman Schmidt vise. The larger vise is 2/3 scale and the smaller one is 1/2 scale. I have used them since they were built and they still serve me well today. They are precision ground to size and square to within .0002". Enjoy!!

[steamingbill]

Hey Old_Toolmaker,

They look very decent.

Am puzzled about you folk that own surface grinders - do you make the parts to within plus 0.005" on the mill and the lathe and then transfer the job to the surface grinder to bring in the final surfaces to 0.0002" ?

Or is it possible to carve things on the grinder from scratch ? ie Do you start off with a roughing wheel to get a block to +0.005" and then change to a fine wheel to finish ?

Any good web sites or books or youtube videos you can recommend to someone who knows nothing about surface grinders ?


........ and Happy New Year to you ..... keep on recovering .....

Bill

[aphilipmarcou]

Beautiful work Dick. Hope you can spend more time in the shop, it will speed up your recovery too.

[mwmkravchenko]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Dick. Like the grinding vises. Well made and very well finished.

[wizard69]

Very nice work Dick! Beautiful really.

I have a question though, is there any wisdom in trying to make these out of 4340 HT? I have a round bar of this material but to be honest it is a challenge to machine. I’ve made a few small parts out of it and let’s put it this way, it is unforgiving when it comes to feed and speed mistakes. The other option is to buy some 4140 or similar material, the bar however only cost a few bucks.

[ncollar]

Dick
Thanks for sharing with us that you are on the mending side.
A speedy recovery and a Healthy and Happy New Year.
Nelson

[high-side]

Hey Old_Toolmaker,

They look very decent.

Am puzzled about you folk that own surface grinders - do you make the parts to within plus 0.005" on the mill and the lathe and then transfer the job to the surface grinder to bring in the final surfaces to 0.0002" ?

Or is it possible to carve things on the grinder from scratch ? ie Do you start off with a roughing wheel to get a block to +0.005" and then change to a fine wheel to finish ?

Any good web sites or books or youtube videos you can recommend to someone who knows nothing about surface grinders ?


........ and Happy New Year to you ..... keep on recovering .....

Bill

Bill,
Generally, you make your parts on your mill or lathe, and leave it oversize by several thousandths. Transfer your work to the grinder and bring it down to your final size.

[ncollar]

Dick
Thanks for sharing with us that you are on the mending side.
A speedy recovery and a Healthy and Happy New Year.
Nelson

[ncollar]

Hey Old_Toolmaker,

They look very decent.

Am puzzled about you folk that own surface grinders - do you make the parts to within plus 0.005" on the mill and the lathe and then transfer the job to the surface grinder to bring in the final surfaces to 0.0002" ?

Or is it possible to carve things on the grinder from scratch ? ie Do you start off with a roughing wheel to get a block to +0.005" and then change to a fine wheel to finish ?

Any good web sites or books or youtube videos you can recommend to someone who knows nothing about surface grinders ?


........ and Happy New Year to you ..... keep on recovering .....

Bill

Bill
Everything's made to an oversize state for more than one reason. A tool like the vises Dick created I am sure he heat treated it and then went to the grinder. The grinder takes off thousands to get it accurate and square. Grinding is the finishing step in tool making.
Nelson

[old_toolmaker]

steamingbill,

When tool building and I intend to precision grind, I will normally mill oversize and leave .005" grinding stock per side for finishing to size. It is possible to plunge grind from the solid and I have done that also on ocassion, but for larger flat surfaces it is usually not practical to do so. I will usually use a 46 grit H hardness 7" diameter x 1/2" x 1-1/4" I.D. aluminum oxide wheel for most things.
Thank you for asking.