Brent H
Ultra Member
So back in February, when Covid was just a buzz word I bought a (Approx) 1935 to 1940 Cincinnati No 2 Tool Grinder/Sharpener from a sharpening service that was closing its doors. I picked it up for $500 including a bunch of accessories, grinding wheels and some other odds and sods. I have been slowly working on it along with other things. This machine is one of those - built like a tank - items and every piece, including the smallest screw must weigh at least several pounds. I was able to download and find most of the original manuals and accessories pictures - parts are scarce, but I am making most of them so it is not as problematic as much as it takes time.
The machine is capable of just about every sharpening function you could imagine from 10" saw blades to 1/8" end mills. It will let you sharpen most cutter tools if you have the right jig. I have most of them except for a radius accessory and the planer knife holder. @Chicken lights may be able to pick up a few parts I have in the US that will do all the small end mils and another jig that will hold and properly grind saw blades.
The beast was loaded at the sharpening place using a fork truck and was removed from the trailer and loaded into my garage using another fork lift. On the way home the unit crushed a solid oak pallet and tilted sideways when I got caught in a kilometre stretch of road construction - just a bit of panic and cursing the Toronto area for its wonderful roads.
The grinder unit is listed at 2050 lbs plain - not entirely sure what "plain" means but it is heavy considering there are only 4 main parts. The grinder is built to absorb vibrations and keep the wheels cutting true. As I was reading about this type of machine it "appears" to be the best thing for sharpening tools and most large shops will have one or two of this type sharpener set up for some sharpening activity - by shops I mean a large sharpening facility or tool fabrication facility - CNC has pretty much turned sharpening into a past practice and disposable/recyclable cutters are more in use.
The Cincinnati will also surface grind (most say it is just "ok to adequate" but I had nothing before so........) and it will also grind cylindrical items as well - I have a few attachments for that purpose.
Pictures of the start of things:
The first task was to pull apart the top and see what sort of repairs were needed. I found I will be making new shafts and putting in new bushings as needed. The only missing things were two gears in the front handle. The front handle has the ability to engage a planetary gear arrangement that will slow feed the table as you crank verses using the back handles. The back handles are direct drive and I tell you the table can boogie - very fast left to right as it rides on ball bearings. I would also be doing a bit of cast iron welding to fix a few accessories.
Here is the ball bearing system exposed (not x rated but there are a lot of balls......) hahaha
The balls are 3/4" and there are 20 a side. They ride in a brass cage and on hardened ways/ Nothing appeared worn.
I removed the saddle assembly and found that the lead screw nut was badly worn - it was cast iron and pretty much nothing left for solid grip.
But, I am getting better at the internal left hand ACME thread so what the heck - mill it out and insert a bronze threaded bush
It only took about 0.020" and the original threads were gone. I was in the process of making the left hand nut for the lead screw (this screw moves the saddle in and out) when I suffered my gear failure on the Utilathe - other restoration project ...LOL.....
Anyway - after setting up on a different lathe at work I finished the nut.
The machine is capable of just about every sharpening function you could imagine from 10" saw blades to 1/8" end mills. It will let you sharpen most cutter tools if you have the right jig. I have most of them except for a radius accessory and the planer knife holder. @Chicken lights may be able to pick up a few parts I have in the US that will do all the small end mils and another jig that will hold and properly grind saw blades.
The beast was loaded at the sharpening place using a fork truck and was removed from the trailer and loaded into my garage using another fork lift. On the way home the unit crushed a solid oak pallet and tilted sideways when I got caught in a kilometre stretch of road construction - just a bit of panic and cursing the Toronto area for its wonderful roads.
The grinder unit is listed at 2050 lbs plain - not entirely sure what "plain" means but it is heavy considering there are only 4 main parts. The grinder is built to absorb vibrations and keep the wheels cutting true. As I was reading about this type of machine it "appears" to be the best thing for sharpening tools and most large shops will have one or two of this type sharpener set up for some sharpening activity - by shops I mean a large sharpening facility or tool fabrication facility - CNC has pretty much turned sharpening into a past practice and disposable/recyclable cutters are more in use.
The Cincinnati will also surface grind (most say it is just "ok to adequate" but I had nothing before so........) and it will also grind cylindrical items as well - I have a few attachments for that purpose.
Pictures of the start of things:
The first task was to pull apart the top and see what sort of repairs were needed. I found I will be making new shafts and putting in new bushings as needed. The only missing things were two gears in the front handle. The front handle has the ability to engage a planetary gear arrangement that will slow feed the table as you crank verses using the back handles. The back handles are direct drive and I tell you the table can boogie - very fast left to right as it rides on ball bearings. I would also be doing a bit of cast iron welding to fix a few accessories.
Here is the ball bearing system exposed (not x rated but there are a lot of balls......) hahaha
The balls are 3/4" and there are 20 a side. They ride in a brass cage and on hardened ways/ Nothing appeared worn.
I removed the saddle assembly and found that the lead screw nut was badly worn - it was cast iron and pretty much nothing left for solid grip.
But, I am getting better at the internal left hand ACME thread so what the heck - mill it out and insert a bronze threaded bush
It only took about 0.020" and the original threads were gone. I was in the process of making the left hand nut for the lead screw (this screw moves the saddle in and out) when I suffered my gear failure on the Utilathe - other restoration project ...LOL.....
Anyway - after setting up on a different lathe at work I finished the nut.
