Restoring bench grinder

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The beast
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Restoring bench grinder

Post by The beast »

I just restored a bench grinder cleaned it all up cleaned all the rust on the outside and clean the inside pull the bearing shaft out cleaned it put it back together painted all the parts but when I went to test it it started making this grinding noise I took it back apart thought it might be a bearing wasn't the bearing but in the end caps of the bench grinder I don't know what you call it the bearing housing the collar the part the bearing goes into on the end cap is cracked not the whole end cab just just where the bearing goes into is it possible to take that completely off the enclosure end cap and change it out or do I have to get a new end cap I was looking at some I guess you would call it a aluminum Bond glue but I don't know what those end caps on the bench grinder are made out of I don't know if it's pot metal aluminum if someone could help me with this l would really appreciate it because I've been online trying to find an end cap for the bench grinder and I found two but they're not even close to what I have and it's the only two that I found and there on eBay but it looks like that bearing collar bearing housing that the bearing sits into on the end cap kind of looks like it comes off there but is it heat treated on there I don't know if there's a way to get that out there and replace it I would like to know or do I have to buy that new end cap and I don't know where to find it I'm tearing my hair out trying to do this please help to search for something online nowadays is very confusing because if you don't know exactly the right words for what you're looking for you're not going to find it some people are calling it a end cap of the bench grinder some people are calling it the bladder some people are calling it motor enclosure end cap if someone can tell me if I can glue it with that aluminum glue will that work or is it made out of pot metal and I have to use a different type of glue or bonding or something else I don't know confused please help
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Bill Shields
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by Bill Shields »

Any chance of a picture?
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
The beast
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by The beast »

Having a hard time sending the picture don't know why it won't go through I'll keep trying keeps telling me low memory
The beast
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by The beast »

Here's the picture
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Harold_V
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by Harold_V »

Do you have a metal lathe? If so, you can sleeve the exterior of the end bell to shrink it back to it's proper position. If you do your work well, it will be restored to original size and work just fine. I'm assuming that the outer diameter was machined originally, so it will serve as a locator for the cracked segment. Once pressed on, it should be quite acceptable. If, by chance, the bore is too tight, not a big deal to open it up slightly to fit the bearing (which you can do by boring on a lathe, or even a mill, assuming you can make the appropriate setup). If you must open the bore, you'd be best served by locating center by dialing in the perimeter of the end bell, the part where it mates with the motor body.

No lathe? You might achieve acceptable results by applying a hose clamp. A bit bush league, but if it works, so what? Install the bearing then apply the clamp until the broken portion is closed and restrains the bearing. Motors are not high precision devices, so even if there's a miniscule misalignment it should still work just fine.

If, by chance, you don't like the hose clamp idea but do like the concept, you could machine a clamp from aluminum that would work well, too. Of course, that would require a lathe and mill.

H
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Russ Hanscom
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by Russ Hanscom »

Might consider a little epoxy along with the clamp, to fill in any unevenness or voids.
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Harold_V
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by Harold_V »

Agree with Russ, although by using a release, so the bearing isn't bonded to the housing.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
The beast
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by The beast »

I don't have Iathe or a mill but that you and I think all of the replays are really good ideas and so the end caps are aluminum Or cast aluminum or pot-metal? Because I was thinking about getting the aluminum Bond proxy and clamp it like the one person suggested but they also have aluminum rods that you use with propane torch to weld them but I don't know if that would work because it might be to hot and melt it but does anyone know if the aluminum epoxy would be strong enough to hold and thanks everyone for your input very helpful so just need to know if the end cap is aluminum I have to say thanks again because I spent hours on the internet and found nothing you guys rock thank you so much
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Harold_V
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Re: Restoring bench grinder

Post by Harold_V »

The end bells are most likely permanent mold cast aluminum, assuming the motor is of any quality at all. Without seeing it in person, it's really hard to say.

Forget applying heat. Any attempt to weld or braze the end bell offers a great risk of total failure, which would be particularly true if it happens to be a zinc alloy. There's no way in hell you can mend it that way and not introduce more problems than you solve. First, you can't get the cracked piece back where it belongs, and second, the heat will distort the entire end bell. The bearing pocket would become unusable unless you have the ability to establish proper center and re-machine the bore.

Do you know anyone who has a lathe? The best possible scenario would be to turn a sleeve that goes around the outside of the cracked housing. Built with a proper lead, it would collapse the cracked portion and restrain it in its original position, as it is smaller in area than the balance of the housing. The sleeve would be best made of steel. Properly done, it would restore the end bell to a useable condition. I've repaired one that way, made of cast iron.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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