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Anyone have a Worden grinder? Experiences?

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Alf Jones26/10/2011 13:44:03
14 forum posts
Hi,
 
I'm thinking of getting the Worden grinder, along with some of the additional jigs.
 
My main uses for it will be for drills, lathe tools, d-bits etc, and I would also like to be able to sharpen chisels as well, and maybe occasionally touch up a milling cutter.
 
I know that the Quorn and the Stent, and I guess the Clarkson, are considered to be more "complete" in terms of their capabilities, but I am not sure I need all of that flexibly, and I AM pretty sure that I will never get something like the Quorn actually finished.
 
The Hemmingway page is here:
 
I was thinking of getting:
--- Worden Mk III
--- Radius grinding attachment
--- Traverse table
--- Chisel sharpening attachment ( plans )
 
I think this should cover all of my needs, and it all seems a lot more "do-able" than a quorn as well.
 
I was hoping to find anyone who currently has a Worden, and hopefully the attachments as well, and get your thoughts on them? Are you happy with the machine? Do you find yourself wishing you had more flexibility from something like a quorn? Would you build another one? Any tips in the build itself?
NJH26/10/2011 14:00:45
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2314 forum posts
139 photos
Alf
 
You should look at Tony Jeffree's articles in MEW 174 / 175 where he describes his build of the Worden. He does appear on this forum too at times but I've not seen him recently.
 
Regards
 
Norman
Gray6226/10/2011 14:00:49
1058 forum posts
16 photos
I have had a Worden Mk3 for a number of years and am very happy with its capabilities.
 
I would recommend getting the 4 facet drill grinding attachment in addition to your list.
Also, take a look through past issues of MEW as there are a number of articles, mainly by Jim Whetren on mods and improvements to the base machine.
 
If I had one criticism of the machine, that would be that the wheel height is not adjustable, this can be addressed in a number of ways. As I am currently building a quorn (for the fun of it) I haven't yet addressed this shortcoming but I would probably go with a round column and a feedscrew arrangement to raise/lower the motor.
 
As far as the build goes, it is quite straightforward, the instructions and plans supplied are more than adequate to produce a useable machine. Just be very careful when boring the cast Iron slide block for the table, I made 2 before I was satisfied with the fit, but then, at that time, I was using a fairly well worn lathe so I ended up with the first one bored about 1.5 thou ouversize, the second was spot on.
 
Also be careful to ensure that all of the guide bars in the sliding frame are absolutely the correct length and all the same as this will affect the ability to move the table easily.

If you are in my locality, I am more than happy for you to come and take a look at the finished machine.
 
regardsGraeme @import url(/CuteEditor_Files/public_forums.css);
 
Clive Hartland26/10/2011 16:21:32
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
Having made one with no problems with an ML10, I offer the following:-
 
The spacing rods, ensure you allow a small clearance so the table will move back and forth easily.
Do NOT paint the sides of the frame where the table slides back and forth.
After painting allow some extra time for paint to dry and harden unless stove enamelled.
Make sure your lathe will take the length of rods so that you can work at the extreme ends ( You may need a Fixed steady)
Make sure you have all the taps and dies for the threads on the Worden.
You need to cut a 40 TPI thread for the thimble micrometer spindle.
Definately buy the Diamond wheel conversion kit. (Essential for carbide tools)
check what milling cutters you have (Metric and Imp.) and buy enough metal to make the different holders.
The table angle indicator is a bit of a conundrum for fitting and making, decide what you will do before you start making the machine.
The finish of the worktable surface, I did this with an orbital sandiing machine as it gives a nice surface.
Do NOT lubricate anything on the machine, it will pick up dust and bind.
I did blacken all the working bits with a commercial blackening kit. ( About £35 all in) There was just enough fluid in the kit to do it if you dont overload the surface area in the fluid. One piece at a time is OK.
The lack of hieght of the wheel is a problem,as the table rises against the hieght of the wheel as the angle increases. I would have thought by now it would have been addressed by Hemingway? (Perhaps look at Jim Whetrens method of raising and lowering the motor)
I have a couple of photos in my photo gallery of my Worden.
 
Clive
David Littlewood26/10/2011 16:23:34
533 forum posts
Alf,
 
I would suggest you also look around for a Clarkson machine. The Mk1 T&C grinder can often be picked up for a few hundred pounds. (The Mk2, though a rather better machine, will usually fetch several times the price, and does nothing you can't do on a Mk1 with a bit of fiddling; the even more sophisticated Mk3 is really out-of-sight for most hobbyists). At these prices, you might find it actually costs you less than the cost of making a Worden.
 
David
Andrew Evans26/10/2011 16:57:49
366 forum posts
8 photos
Alf
 
I have one - personally i find it OK, but it is prone to getting grinding dust on the guide rods which makes it sticky to move and it does have a lightweight feel. I think adding a feed-screw would be a huge improvement. However I haven't used a different model T&C grinder to compare with - grinding up a tool is something I never look forward to for some reason.
 
Andy
Gone Away26/10/2011 18:21:18
829 forum posts
1 photos
Posted by CoalBurner on 26/10/2011 14:00:49:

If I had one criticism of the machine, that would be that the wheel height is not adjustable, this can be addressed in a number of ways. As I am currently building a quorn (for the fun of it) I haven't yet addressed this shortcoming but I would probably go with a round column and a feedscrew arrangement to raise/lower the motor.
 
The original design of the Worden had the table pivoted on the other side (i.e. close to the wheel). Wheel height wouldn't have been much of an issue in that case.
 
Someone (Hemingway ?) subsequently redesigned it and moved the pivot to its current (front) location as an "improvement". I've asked around but could never discover the reasoning for that.
Clive Hartland26/10/2011 19:32:21
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
I think it was the position of the tool holder and that there was too much overhang of the tool being sharpened.
Working with the present set up means only the tool is presented to the wheel and any further movement forward keeps the tool holder away from the wheel.
The machine really does need a hieght arrangement to allow the wheel to be put in the best position hieght wise for grinding when the table is tilted over 20 Deg.
I was thinking of four round section pillars and a screw feed. Movement would not need to be more than 50/60mm.
The wheel rotates clockwise and anticlockwise by switching which makes it versatile.
It has a face run of about 4.5" so it is possible to sharpen planer blades with a suitable mount.
Apart from planer blades there are not many tools that need 30 Deg. angle as the chisel blades are sharpened off there sides so there is only the width of the chisel set at 30 Deg.
 
Clive
mgnbuk26/10/2011 20:35:17
1394 forum posts
103 photos
moved the pivot to its current (front) location as an "improvement". I've asked around but could never discover the reasoning for that.

I have an early version with the pivot at the front - bought competed at a Myford Open Day several years ago. It looks like it was assembled in a bit of a rush (or by someone learning the ropes) as it was unpainted & some areas of machining were a bit "rough and ready".

I have not used it much, but it does a better job of grinding lathe tools than I can accompish by hand. It has had a modification done to the table tilt arrangment - a snail cam instead of a curved, slotted strap and lock screw. I was only made aware of this when I came by a set of the original construction drawings. I can only guess that the original builder found the as-designed arrangement lacking.

One of the reasons it hasn't been used for much more than lathe tools is (IMHO) probably the reason for the change of table bearing arrangement. The front-mounted bearing gets covered on grinding dust and gets very sticky in operation. This isn't a problem when doing lathe tools, as the tool is swept across the face of the wheel, but I wouldn't want to try doing the end face of an end mill trying to avoid overshooting & catching the opposite tooth. It also doesn't have the angular markings on the table top, so I use a combination set protractor to set the angles.

I have (just another project !) a linear ball bushing & hardened shaft to fit in place of the original close-bored cast iron on mild steel arrangement. Hopefully this will give a bit more "feel".

I am happy enough with it for the £75 it cost me. I'm not sure I would spend upwards of £400 on the kit, though.

Nigel B.
Tony Pratt 126/10/2011 20:55:44
2319 forum posts
13 photos
Hi folks, Jim Whetren has designed and built many excellent attachments for the Worden and all fully described in MEW. Guess what, he has even come up with a height adjustment for the wheel!
Tony
Tony Pratt 126/10/2011 21:05:06
2319 forum posts
13 photos
Hi, issue 145 - page 46 gives details of the height adjustment. I was half way through a home made "Worden" when I got a Stent cutter grinder for a bargain price.
Tony
Clive Hartland26/10/2011 21:22:17
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
The Worden has stops fitted to the cross bar and these limit the travel of the table so crashes on the opposite teeth on an endmill wont happen.
I think a linear bearing will suffer from dust penetration, so far I have had no problem with the cast iron block binding.
One thing I have found is that the three cams that elevate the front of the table pick up abrasive dust and wear into the bar that sits on them, the cams can be moved to another location so it is easy to fix.
 
Clive
mgnbuk27/10/2011 07:45:07
1394 forum posts
103 photos
The Worden has stops fitted to the cross bar
 
Mine doesn't - the snail cam modification to the table tilt arrangement meant the original stop design wouldn't work. The original builder didn't come up with an alterative stop arrangement to work with the snail cam. I only realised that it should have had stops when I got a set of original drawings - I guess that's another project !
 
I think a linear bearing will suffer from dust penetration, so far I have had no problem with the cast iron block binding.
 
The ball bushings do at least have wipers to help keep grit out. As the two complete ex-equipment bushes & hardened rods cost nothing but my time to remove them from their original installation, I have little to loose trying them. Should the bushing life prove short, Igus manufacture plastic lined bushings designed to run dry that are dimensionally interchangeable with standard ball bushings. I had intended to add an oil seal at each end of the bushing as an additional wiper - might add a bit of extra drag, but it won't be as bad as the "as designed" arrangement. If your machine has the guide bar at the rear, you won't suffer the grit problem that causes my front bearing machine to get stiffer with use.
 
Nigel
Clive Hartland27/10/2011 08:11:53
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
Point taken on the wipers Nigel and I hope it works OK, I remember that the rods that are used with the linear bearings have a micro fine finish and that will give a smooth movement.
The Worden is limited in certain areas, and adaptors to carry out other functions are up to the role it plays in the workshop.
I need to make a holder for my 4" planer blades that have a 30 Deg.holding angle, no good tilting the table to 30 Deg. as there is not enough table movement to achieve it.
So the holder will be a block of Alu. and a slot milled through and then set on a the table at 0 Deg and run back and forth.
Also looking at sharpening bigger circular saw blades but only the tops of the teeth.
 
Clive

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