Home built universal grinder

[albertq]

I served a toolmaking apprenticeship back in 1974 to 1978 but never practiced it during my working career and, now retired from business I have more time for my metal working hobby.

Having used a surface, cylindrical and tool & cutter grinder back then, I appreciated the precision and fine finish capability that these machines provided and wished this for my workshop, but a lack of space and the cost to buy individually was too prohibitive.

So, using Fusion 360 CAD I set out to design a single universal grinding machine that could do all these functions and that I could build at home on my existing Chinese milling machine and lathe.

The precision I wanted was 0.01mm or better for both surface & cylindrical grinding. To achieve this, I included both a course and fine feed system for each axis with a DRO for positioning in addition to the standard mechanical vernier scales. To achieve this accuracy, it had to include a coolant and drainage system.
The sheet metal parts, also designed on Fusion 360, I had laser cut and bent by outside contractor.

The basic design is a X & Y axis table with a rotatable grinding head using a vertically mounted motor on the Z-axis with 90-degree gearbox driving the grinding wheel spindle. A removable 4^th axis (the cylindrical grinding attachment) would be lifted from shelf below and placed onto the table using a remote arm, ….to save damaging my back. This could be interchanged with the magnetic chuck and Tool & cutter grinding attachment.

I’m a novice at posting so not sure how this post turns out.
I’ll post an overall CAD sketch of the machine and some photos showing the different uses and some build photos.

Also adding Http files for the subassembly's that you can view and disassemble even without downloading Fusion 360.

Universal grinder complete assembly: https://a360.co/4jypWQL (large file)

Base subassembly: https://a360.co/4prFZRw

Cross slide assembly: https://a360.co/4sM6Lav

Table assembly: https://a360.co/49J9ny4

Column tower assembly: https://a360.co/4jAbCHA

Column drive assembly: https://a360.co/4q7c1Dz

Grinding head assembly: https://a360.co/3YvQZT5

4th axis Work head assembly: https://a360.co/4pwdvGq

Tool & Cutter attachment: https://a360.co/4slHNOK

Pedestal assembly: https://a360.co/4jrXZKd

4th axis lifting arm assembly: https://a360.co/4svGYD7

X-axis fine-feed worm screw assembly: https://a360.co/44UQhCA

Zip file with 44 additional photos: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...der_photos.zip

Zip file with 17 additional PDFs: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...bertq_PDFs.zip

Post ID grinding clocking:

First OD grind:

Worm screw fine feed engagement:

Surface grinding with auto Y-axis feed:

Testing sliding dust shield movement:

[ductape]

That is very nice. I'm in the middle of building a Tinker grinding jig and now have thoughts of mission creep. thanks

[ozylee]

Hi Albertq,
Did you ever get a chance to post your cad files for your Home Built Universal Grinder?
How long did it take you build the grinder??
Do you have a materials list etc. for the grinder?
Love the job you have done with your machine.
I am like you, cramped for room in workshop but want the machines.
Cheers
Ozylee.

[albertq]

Hi Ozlee, A year to design and a year to build, not full time as I have other hobbies.
There are approx 160 different sheet metal parts and probably a similar number of machined parts, I haven't counted all of them hence not considered posting all those files. If you have Fusion 360, I could try find out how share the entire project.
I'll attach an example of a sheet metal and machined part file, more to test if I can do so.
Base plate https://a360.co/49K4rHg (fusion CAD file) .pdf bending drawing BASE PLATE #1 B-Drawing .pdf, Base plate #1 .pdf, .dxf file for laser cutting Base plate #1 .dxf
Gearbox housing (fusion Cad file)https://a360.co/3GzR6nP, .pdf Gearbox housing VER4 #310 Drawing A v5.pdf, .pdf Gearbox housing VER4 #310 Drawing B v2.pdf
You will notice there are many dimensions missing on the drawings, as these are on the .dxf and CAM files, but too many to post here.

[ozylee]

Hi Albertq,

I have been involved with machine tools in building and repair (mainly CNC) machines for over 45 years and very impressed with your quality machinery and drawing details.
If you could send the .dxf files I would be most appreciated.
I have often thought about building a universal grinder but yours is the next level up.
It would be a project that I would love to attempt.
What I see on your parts photo I may have many of the bearings and linear way in my workshop already that I have collected over the years.
Just waiting for the right project to attempt.

Cheers
Ozylee

[albertq]

Hi Albertq,

I have been involved with machine tools in building and repair (mainly CNC) machines for over 45 years and very impressed with your quality machinery and drawing details.
If you could send the .dxf files I would be most appreciated.
I have often thought about building a universal grinder but yours is the next level up.
It would be a project that I would love to attempt.
What I see on your parts photo I may have many of the bearings and linear way in my workshop already that I have collected over the years.
Just waiting for the right project to attempt.

Cheers
Ozylee

Hi Ozylee, I could send you all 160 odd sheet metal .dxf and .pdf bending drawings but that would only be for all the sheet metal bits. The problem would be all the machined parts which I have only in Fusion design and drawing files. If you are running Fusion, I'm happy to give you access to the project then you would have every detail.

[ozylee]

Hi Albertq,

When I was serving and repairing CNC machines for my work, I told myself I would buy a machine than build one.
Now that I have retired, I find that going back to my old craft of precision machining for a hobby is more satisfying than purchasing a finished machine.
I do use Fusion software and if you are willing to let me have access to your files it would be most appreciated.
Look forward to hearing back from you.

Cheers
Ozylee.

[Jon]

If it's easier for you to send files by email, you can send them (or a zipped folder of them) to me at jon@homemadetools.net, and I'll take care of uploading them and linking them in this thread.

[albertq]

Hi Jon,

I've added some sub-assembly Http files to my post, thus allowing non Fusion 360 viewers to study the assembly's in more detail and can also remove parts for more clarity.
If they have Fusion 360 CAD, these files can be opened in Fusion with all associated details.

[Saltfever]

WoW! What a beautiful design and fabrication. I love how you packaged the X & Y parallel rather than orthogonal. I have never seen timing belts that look translucent like that. What are they and why did you select that particular type? What grade of "precision" bearings are in the spindle? How did you fab the indexing plate? X & Y coordinates or some other way? Sorry about the questions, I hope you will continue to post about this machine.