Alexander 2CG Tool Grinder Questions

Hi All,

One lot I just got is this tool grinder in working order but with the motor mounted over the top of the machine for some reason. The original motor mounting plate is sill there and the spigot.

there was only the single collet in the machine but was just rummaging in another lot (80 Lot numbers away!) and found these and another user made part with a dovetail that matches and the same collet size.

The collets are metric and imperial.

This seems to be a clone of another machine, is it very inferior or of some quality please? Seems to run quite well and is not noisy. Never had one of these before and probably not of much use to me so it will probably have to go. The question of whether it is worth restoring refinishing etc rears its head?

A machine like the ARC 'spaceship' would be of more use to me.....

Cheers,

Martin

Martin,

I cant think why anyone would mount a motor like that other than for the original motor being defective.....Have a look here....http://www.lathes.co.uk/alexander/page2.html

Should you decide to sell it on, let me know....

Its a clone of a thing called a Deckel S0, if I understood the story correctly Mr Alexander used to work for Deckel and bought the designs when Deckel packed in making this model. Its actually an engraving tool sharpener/ grinder, but makes a good end mill grinder etc. The history is on the web. Anyway the collets are USUALLY ( but not guaranteed) type U2 collets avaialble from Vertex via Rotagrip or Chronos. I found the Deckel one in a junk shop in Buxton, but without the collets so you did well. User manual etc all on the net, but you need to used Deckel soemtimes and Alexander othertimes just to search for what is there.

Either model is well made, solid and useful, and they seem to make good prices on Ebay. One sold recently, if you search completed listings you'll find it.  Very definitely worth restoring this one, even if you sell it on for someone else to play with. Anyone looking to buy this won't be fazed by the odd motor mounting, it juat adds to ots character

Hth Simon

Edited By Simon Williams 3 on 02/02/2017 15:40:01

Mr Alexander didnt work for Deckel he was born in 1866 and worked for Pratt Whitney and Goodyear before setting up on his own in 1896. His relationship with Deckel was as i understand it making/ importing Deckel stuff under license until WWII when that was impossible. After the war he carried on making them (grinders ,toolmaker mill) without license obviously with slight differences to Deckel specs..

Edited By mark smith 20 on 02/02/2017 16:57:11

Any thoughts on what the green painted bit is for? The collets fit it and the dovetail slide on the bottom 'looks' to be the same as thebusiness end on the machine.

Might be a converted tailstock from something possibly?

Just waiting for the forecast storms to come through here in Dorset, starting to blow a bit now and cannot take any more pics for listing the pile of stuff I have to get through! I cannot believe how a person can buy so much stuff and never take it out of the boxes or use it, very weird!

Cheers, Martin

Ive been musing on the strange looking alternative work holder. The screw driver blade right of picture looks like a detent blade, and the air fitting might be to intrpduce air ito the bore of the fixture, perhaps to make ot easier to turn? Not able to see what's up the centre, but could this be a fixture to present a slitting saw or a side and face cutter to the grinding wheel.

And my thanks to Mark Smith for setting my history right.

Best rgds to all. Simon

If you don't know what it is you don't deserve it. that's the green envy smiley

Doesn't fit the GA but for a bigger T&C grinder for sharpening the sides of end mills. It is an air bearing for smooth operating. I think the ARC machine doesn't do sides because nobody bothers anymore and just does the ends.

Hi Martin the Cutter grinder is quite a good thing to have except for the motor in the unusual position. I was using one last year at work quite regularly, till I retired, but with a diamond wheel on mostly, for modifying cutters re sharpening used ones and engraving points. The green painted part is for grinding the sides of end mills or slitting wheels which you can't usually but with that it makes it very useful. You use the adjustable finger to position the cutter radially on each edge as you withdraw the cutter to keep the edge at the correct angle and then just repeat the same on each tooth.

If you are not keeping it I would also be interested! also.

David

Bought this one last Saturday for ZAR 500 (about thirty pounds) only 4 imp collets with it but with a diamond

wheel and a stone cupwheel. Pics on my album

Martin

I have sent you a PM.

Phil

I spotted that in John's emporium a while ago; realistically Ii was out of my price range, and I couldn't really justify it whilst Jane was with me, particularly as I'd recently bought a house just up the road at the time.

Looks like his shop's closed at the moment; whereabouts are you?

Regards

Bill

Whilst rummaging about tonight looking for a chuck I knew I had I spotted one of these buried under a pile of other goodies.

However I think its the simpler version that used to go with the pantograph machines. Can't see at the moment as can't get to it with being buried under a load more gear.

General enquiry.

What lathe can handle a 17" faceplate on a D1-3 fitting? Big plate for a small fitting and must have to be a gap bed.

Are Harrison M250's or 300's on D1-3 ? Asking because found one of those as well.??

It looks to me as though the green painted attachment is from a Vertex clone. I have one myself, and the attachment is the end mill sharpening fixture. the flat ended rod is a guide for the end mill flutes.

Posted by John Stevenson on 02/02/2017 23:12:21:General enquiry.

What lathe can handle a 17" faceplate on a D1-3 fitting? Big plate for a small fitting and must have to be a gap bed.

Are Harrison M250's or 300's on D1-3 ? Asking because found one of those as well.??

My Mk 2 Bantam will swing 18" in the gap, but whether it's prudent to do so on those three little studs of a D13 camlock I'm not so sure. If the Bantam will then I'd expect the Harrison to do the same.

There are two 18" faceplates on d13 camlock been for sale for ever on ebay, I've been eying them up but don't have a use for one, And in any case, having one will only lead to the experiment "is it safe to do this"!

Simon

I'm in West Gloucestershire, nearly S Wales, but my brother lives in Great Hucklow, we were visiting for Christmas. Shame the shop's closed, but the cutlery we bought is in good service everyday. So is the grinder!

Rgds Simon

Both are nice parts of the world. Bit far for you to pop in for a brew to our new spot though.

I presume he must have realised that he was overpricing it a bit by the time you got there. Since I've already got a Clarkson and am in the process of making & modifying tooling for it, I couldn't justify spending too much, even as a restoration/resale job.

Glad it's gone to a good home.

Regards

Bill