Red Neck shaft finisher...

[John Hill]

I thought I would try a little experiment with a redneck machine...

$10 angle grinder mounted on the tool post and carrying a 120 grit flap wheel.




The result...  a definite improvement in surface finish and an indicated out of round less than 0.008mm



I think it was well worth the effort required to make the mounting bracket.

[vtsteam]

I love it!   

[tom osselton]

No vices were hurt in this mod I hope!! 

[mechman48]

Well done John  simplest ideas are often the best 
George.

[John Rudd]

Great idea...

Can you post a foto showing the mounting arrangement please?

[Bigbadbugga]

Yes, a pic of the mount please.

And do you run the lathe in reverse so the surface passes in the same direction as the pleats in the flap wheel?

[vtsteam]

If the camera position is in back of the lathe, it looks like the lathe would be run fwd.

That would keep the flaps down and counter-rotate the part and wheel.

[mattinker]

The speed of the flap wheel is so high in relation to the lathe , it won't make much difference which way the lathe turns!

Regards, Matthew

[Bigbadbugga]

If the camera position is in back of the lathe, it looks like the lathe would be run fwd.

That would keep the flaps down and counter-rotate the part and wheel.

Yep, you are right, it's me looking at it the wrong way around.

[John Hill]

As requested,  the mounting bracket..






The plate is 10mm brazed to a short length of 20x20 to suite the size of the tool post.

The shallow holes are to clear the screw heads on the grinder (yes, I know one is way out of place, but it is still close enough).

Two 5mm grub screws keep it attached.

The lathe runs in the normal direction and the sparks go upwards.

[tom osselton]

Looks good but looks like it could slip, would it be better if you drilled 4holes and used longer screws?  It would still function as a handle or slit part for compression.

[John Hill]

Nah, it wont slip.  The grub screws engage in a groove which was part of the mounting for the original shield and there is never any real strain on the mount.

[shipto]

Very good idea I have often pondered a way to do this but always thought about using the threaded handle holes never even thought of mounting like that 

[awemawson]

Very good idea I have often pondered a way to do this but always thought about using the threaded handle holes never even thought of mounting like that 

 

That's the brilliant thing about this forum - passing on wrinkles like this.

[John Hill]

OK, just in the interest of science you know, I went out and did a quick test.
I remounted that same piece of scrap in the 3 jaw and it showed a run out of 0.2mm. The red neck flap wheel grinder was fired up and after a few passes the run out showed as 0.15mm. I didnt have the patience to see if it would have eventually corrected the eccentricity.

[Meldonmech]

 
    Hi, just seen this setup nice idea.

                                                           Cheers David

[krv3000]

in a word brill

[micktoon]

Thanks for posting , a good simple idea that seems to work well , top marks 

  Cheers Mick