Eagle Surface grinder - who here uses one?

Thanks NDIY,

Some bedtime reading there! Looks like a really good build thread.

Yours has the motor mounted on top of the head? Not seen that before - mine has the normal motor in the base, but does seem to be a very long belt run.

I don't think mine will get a lot of use, but a nice thing to have in the workshop.

Yours has the motor mounted on top of the head? Not seen that before - mine has the normal motor in the base, but does seem to be a very long belt run.

No, mine is completely normal - the motor is in the base, just driving the spindle outboard rather than inboard. I can change the belt sooo much more easily than most! Good - because I found the belt fitted was far too long. It moved the spindle to prove it worked, when I picked it up, but he did not run it up to any appreciable speed. (I was not bothered about the state of the bearings at that stage).

Seen clearly at the beginning, and even better at about 24s, on This video of one for sale. It also has the additional (small) benefit of the table-height screw easily clearing the motor pulley (as the motor is turned through 180 degrees).

James,

On my machine the outer races are held tight in the housing by the front cover. The inner races are clamped against the shoulder on the spindle by the spindle nut and wheel hub. Pre-load is whatever is inherent to the bearing set. It's not perfect, but it's 'okay'.

If I get a chance I'll pull it out and take some pics for you.

Pete.

Hello all fellow Eagle grinder enthusiasts .

I am about to start re- assembling my machine . So far I have made some plate brackets to support the castors I am mounting the machine on . Whilst the machine is all in pieces I was able to invert the base casting and drill 4 holes in the outer flange for the new bolts for the castors using my mag. drill .

Also, I have removed the original 1 hp. 3 phase motor and replaced it with a similar single phase unit . Not a 5 minute job as I found the second hand motor had been full of water at some time in its life - so that had to be stripped and cleaned , the bolt holes in the mounting plate had to be re- positioned to suit the new motor and the pulley bored and a new keyway to suit the motor shaft . When I have assembled the column and the wheel head, assembly I will align the two pulleys with a plumb line, but I expect to have to reposition the motor platform to get the drive belt running in line.

As I re-assemble the rest of the machine, I will weigh the various sub assemblies so that the total machine weight can be determined . Taking note of the previous comments about the slideway lubrication, again it will be an opportunity to have a look at that problem . I won`t dismantle the wheel head bearings at this stage - the previous owner had not reported any problems and I have enough machines in bits at the moment !

MARK

BRIDGNORTH

Edited By MARK RIGG on 31/01/2021 17:22:54

It will be interesting to compare your weights with my machine. Are you not going to weigh the base and column?

I used my 250kg load cell suspended from a plate bolted in the roof.🙂

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=169212

Wow great job Pete.

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the info - so on yours, does the outer race rest against a collar pressed onto the bore of the housing, or does yours have a machined step to rest against? Please don't pull your machine apart on my account, but if you happen to have chance to get any photos around the wheel head it would be useful - thank you.

Hi NDIY,

I see what you mean about the outside pulley - that does look a good arrangement. Mine has the belt in between the bearings, similar to Pete's machine it would seem. The belt on mine measures approximately 90 inches long - which does seem a lot. Have you noticed any problems with belt flap? I'm thinking of putting two jockey wheels half way up the column to reduce this, maybe with a poly fee belt as Pete's - not sure if that would help or not.

Hi Mark,

Good luck with your machine. It's really good to find such a useful source of information - when I started mine a few years back I couldn't find much at all, and it has sat unfinished for a while. I will take a few pics tomorrow of mine - it has the knee assembled, and I have been working on the saddle today - maybe of some use to you.

James

Also Pete - meant to say, have read your thread on the mig welding forum start to finish, really impressive stuff.

Hello again . I`ve got a cheap battery operated 300 KG load cell I bought on E bay. Suspend this from my engine crane . I did weigh the base casting the other day but I`ve since lost the piece of paper I wrote the weight down !.

The smaller parts I`ll use the bathroom scales ( when the `boss` is not not looking ! )

MARK

BRIDGNORTH

Thanks you!

Yes you're right my housing has a step to seat the outer races against at the back. The spindle also has a step for the inner races. The outer races are clamped by the nose piece at the front and the inner races by the wheel hub.

Hello all . At last I have made room in my workshop, got the base , column and knee assembly installed . The general condition is good and the slides are in nice condition except for a small area of galling which is no problem .

I am thinking that the means of lubricating the slides and screws is very minimal which is something I am going to correct and fit more oiling points and some internal pipework . What oil nipples there are, a grease gun has been used which is surely not the best lubricant. What does anyone think ? I`d be interested in any comments .

MARK

BRIDGNORTH

Hello fellow Eagle grinder folk .

I have just completed the reassembly of my Eagle surface grinder , and this included changing the motor to a I hp single phase unit .

I have weighed the individual ` lumps ` and the total weight of the complete machine with the mag. chuck fitted comes out at 330 Kilos . The base unit ( without the motor or mounting plate ) is the heaviest part at 127 kilos .

Whilst the machine has been in pieces I have made some additions to the lubrication of the slides . This has involved drilling additional oilways, machining new oil grooves in the removable gibs and fitting several oil nipples to feed the oil in . I would appear that the original manufacturers did bother to much about the lubrication !

Anyway , I have pumped in plenty of oil and all feels OK - just need a DOL starter to complete the electrics and I can see how the machine performs !

Then on to the next project - the reassembly of the Elliott 10 M Shaper - not a lot to do to this apart from mounting it on casters and fitting a VFD to the original motor And then there`s the CVA LATHE to sort .

Can`t buy anything else - got nowhere to put it in the workshop now !! Oh , just forgot about the nice Pollard pillar drill that needs a repaint , reassembly , a new spindle to up grade from 1 to 2 MT or possibly 3 MT , a larger 3 phase motor and a VFD to run it and lower the speed . Where will it go ?? It will up grade the Meddings and the I can sell it - problem solved !

Wow! That has surprised me. The base, weighing nearly 30kg more than mine, yet the total weight being 25kg less means there was a reduction of about 55kg (in the column and working parts) for that later machine.

The difference could partly be table travel and cross feed, I suppose. My model is 18” x 8”. What is yours?

11kg of that difference could also be accounted for if yours has a smaller magnetic chuck.

My travel and cross feed aren't nearly that much, about 14 and 6 inches or so.

Yep, long travel stops are 20” apart and bed is 8” wide. Needs about 53” of space for the full long travel operation.

Probably need a right narrow wheel to use all the bed width. The only wheel I have is 200mm diameter x 20mm wide and it easily cleared a Morris Minor block when I ground the deck. Have an A series cylinder head (or two) as the next job lined up for it. I initially thought I might need a smaller diameter wheel to do the block but it fitted on nicely.