Picador Grinding Wheel Flanges

Years ago, I bought a couple of pairs of Picador diecast aluminium flanges for use on bench grinders. They were 2 1/4" diameter, 1/2" bore and 5/16" thick with a 1/16" deep recess, 1 1/2" diameter. These were a much better bet than the steel flanges supplied on typical cheap bench grinders today. Internet searching for these reveals little - only a website listing Picador Engineering in Grimsby, (103 Louth Road, Holton, Grimsby, DN15 8QJ). None of the links on the page works. Does anyone 'out there' know whether these flanges are still available, as it wastes valuable workshop time making two sets for the latest bench grinder that I bought? Alternatively, does anyone else supply them?

Many thanks

To the best of my knowledge, the real 'Picador' is long-gone [although knock-offs of their products seem to be available on ebay]

Best bet is probably to grab these flanges as and when you see them at Car Boot Sales, etc.

MichaelG.

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Edit: ... even Grace's Guide doesn't tell us much

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Picador_Engineering_Co

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/09/2019 15:25:36

Thanks - I thought as much. Its making my own I think, to get the wheels to balance better than the pressed steel ones fitted to the grinder as supplied.

The last time I repaired a bench grinder I made a steel flange abiut 8mm thick and run true, which was a tap on fit to the shaft with a recess that clamped the wheel on the paper washer and a slightly looser washer the same diamiter to clamp the wheel.

David

Edited By David George 1 on 14/09/2019 16:26:57

I had suspicions about the wheel washers on my bench grinder, due to a vibration that wasn't cured by replacing the abrasive wheels. I took the pressed steel washers off, put them on the milling machine, and took a truing skim off the outer face to bring them parallel.

Hi David,

Thanks for this - I think I'll go the whole hog and machine them from steel - I think that I might have a problem machining the existing washers flat. I managed to balance the first grinder using Picador flanges, and I too, have a similar vibration problem on the latest grinder I have - hence the need for proper flanges.

Thanks to all for the advice

The Mad Professor

Extract from the relevant HSE advice

Safety in the use of abrasive wheels Page 18 of 53 Health and Safety Executive

Material for flanges

Flanges should be made from good-quality mild steel such as that specified in BS 970: Part 1: 19966 or another material with sufficient strength and rigidity to resist undue deflection when the flanges are tightened on the wheel. In view of its low tensile strength and the risks of cracks developing in service, grey cast iron cannot be regarded as safe for the flanges of abrasive wheels. For small abrasive wheels (for example straight wheels on small bench grinders) flanges of non-ferrous alloys have been used successfully.

Sorry about the mess of fonts!