December 17, 20214 yr RRD, question on your wet grinder: Do you crank with one hand and hold the work piece with the other or do you hold what is being ground and have a helper crank the stone? Most of the wet stones I have seen or used are cranked with a foot treadle so that you have both hands available for the work. Thx. By hammer and hand all arts do stand."
December 17, 20214 yr George, That’s how my athol was originally set up from what I can tell looking at old advertisements, but I’m missing all the old peddle parts an linkage,
December 17, 20214 yr Author 15 minutes ago, George N. M. said: RRD, question on your wet grinder: Do you crank with one hand and hold the work piece with the other or do you hold what is being ground and have a helper crank the stone? Most of the wet stones I have seen or used are cranked with a foot treadle so that you have both hands available for the work. Thx. By hammer and hand all arts do stand." The grinder has a crank handle on one side, and a treadle on the the other, so both options are possible. I have an old “hit and miss” stationary engine from 1914, an Amanco, which I hope to be able to hook up at some point in the future - my wife refuses to do the duty of turning the crank…
April 10, 20224 yr Author just restored this c1890s Farrow and Bate blacksmith’s grindstone to sit at the entrance to the forge. Before and after pics. Works with crank handle or foot pedal. iI intend to adapt it to run from a 1914 Amanco stationary engine I have up my sleeve.
April 11, 20224 yr You probably know this but for others: Make sure the stone doesn't sit in water though as that can make a section softer over time and so wear out of balance.
April 11, 20224 yr Author I didn’t know that TP. Good advice. Strangely the stone is somewhat “eccentric”, (by about an inch). I can’t work out how it got that way, unless someone in the past kept it soaked…
April 11, 20224 yr Yep I found that out when I got my powered big sandstone wet wheel. I was lucky in the fact I could clamp an adjustable drill press vise to the table and true the stone with a diamond point stone dresser.
April 11, 20224 yr Roger, I just looked through this whole thread and I absolutely love your shop! Especially those pictures of it at night! What a cozy place to be! I took a few screenshots to add to the list of ideas that will hopefully culminate in a shop of my own! Until then, it is the basement and the backyard for me!
September 27, 20223 yr One year on Roger, hope you are still enjoying it. Is the tree trunk solid enough for the vices? Thinking of doing something like that, but perhaps bury the trunk 2 or 3 feet below ground level to keep it steady.
September 29, 20223 yr Author Well the trunk is going just fine. Four right angle brackets, each with two big screws into the ash, and then a concrete bolt into the floor on each one, and it still solid. The ash trunk has developed a few cracks/creaks but if anything that has pulled it all even tighter. I’m not sure about burying it, you may have to if you haven't a floor to bolt it to. It certainly doesn’t shift when I’m working stuff in either vice. Bark has come away in one or two spots, which is fine. If it starts to loosen up, I’ll try “frankensteining” some screw-in staples.
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