CBN wheel installation on a Vicmarc grinder

[rtyuiop]

Hi folks,

Decided to upgrade my sharpening system, and ordered a vicmarc grinder with a couple of CBN wheels and bushes/washers to match.

Unfortunately there's no installation instructions and I've never actually changed a grinder wheel before - does the order (counting outwards from the grinder body) go bush>wheel>washer>nut ? Should I retain the paper 'washers' washers that are used on the original wheels?

Cheers,

Danny

[BobL]

A bush fits over the shaft and the wheel fits over that.

Trad grinding wheels use a "flange plate" - paper washer - wheel - second paper washer - second flange plate or large washer, and then the nut.
For the CBN you only need to use the flange plates or washers for clearance of the wheel from the guard or if the thread runs out on the shaft do the nut cannot be tightened onto the wheel.
No paper washers needed.

[rtyuiop]

Many thanks (as always) Bob!

[Ozkaban]

This is the setup I ended up going with. I can't really help you too much with the assembly (memory doesn't behave these days...), but I have been very impressed with the CBN wheels on that grinder.

Sharpens beautifully. I think you will be happy with it.

[derekcohen]

Essentially, the CBN wheels need clearance to fit the wide wheel. So remove everything.

I removed all guards as well.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/UltimateGrindingSharpeningSetUp_html_5c5d41f4.jpg


Regards from Perth

Derek

p.s. incidentally, I suspect that the Vicmark is the new incarnation of the half-speed Carbatec I purchased several years ago. This one is no longer available. Excellent machine.

[rtyuiop]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I am looking forward to getting it up and running after dealing with my cheap tormek knock off!

I'm going to have to retain the guards I think, as I plan to have chisel storage behind (or next to, but i don't think I have quite the width on my sharpening trolley) the grinder.

[rtyuiop]

Thanks all. A bit of work this afternoon got me up and running. Only had shop time available for one very quick sharpen of a roughing gouge, but so far it is approximately one zillion times nicer than the Scheppach tormek knock off - even the 240 grit wheel is much faster, and the whole thing is so much easier!

This is the new sharpening station - as the new grinder is wider I may have to re-think my chisel storage:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/sharpening-station.jpg

A word of warning for anyone else installing one of these - if you put the screws holding down the slides too deep into soft pine, it may jam and won't slide. I had to add some washers under it, between the wood and metal - so I suggest putting those screws in with something gentler than an impact driver!

Cheers,

Danny

[rtyuiop]

Quick question for anyone else with this setup - are you supposed to be able to swap the jig and platform between sides (i.e. the bits which are screwed down)?

I thought so, but for the life of me can't figure out how to extract the sliding bit for the jig from that side so the platform can be moved over and mounted.

[Woodturnerjosh]

If it's like the version I've seen (I know vicmarc have a changed it) you have to unbolt the platform from one slide and bolt it onto the other slide, you don't take the slide out. It would be easier to swap if you could just take the slide out...

[rtyuiop]

I'll have to check again - when I looked at it yesterday, it looked like there was no way to attach the platform to the side with the slide installed. I think one of the differences in the new version is how the platform is attached.

[rtyuiop]

So I think I figured out what is causing the problem, but I still can't swap the platform between sides.

The little U-shaped bracket which holds the slide for the jig is in the way of attaching the platform. Unfortunately so far I can't even figure out what's holding it onto the cover for the slide (the part that gets screwed down), let alone how to remove it. I'll give it another go later - last night I got distracted by the fun stuff, turning a pepper grinder.

First heavy use of the new system - reshaped a honking big hamlet scraper into a honking big hamlet negative rake scraper and then sharpened it, very happy with the results!

Danny

[Woodturnerjosh]

CBN wheels are awesome for re shaping!!!!
Have you checked out the video on Vicmarc's Facebook page? They show how to change the platform.

[rtyuiop]

Just had a look. What I have seems different, I'm assuming a different version (although mine has the bolts that they talk about, as opposed to cam levers). I've emailed a question off to vicmarc, hopefully they will be able to sort out my confusion!

[rtyuiop]

Marco at Vicmarc replied to me with an excellent series of photos that sorted me out (have I mentioned how much I love Vicmarc?).

What caused my puzzlement is that to remove the slide, which then lets you remove the bracket, you take the guard off the front of the slide by undoing the screw (basically it's a little extra bit of metal to make it harder for the sharpening jig to escape the hole in the slide), and then you can push the slide out the back. Worth noting you need some spare space behind the grinder if you intend to swap things over like this!

If you had it installed against a wall and couldn't remove the slide backwards I guess maybe you could take off the stop that prevents it coming out forwards (looks like you'd just have to drill out a couple of rivets), but I don't need to so won't try it.

Cheers,

Danny

[FenceFurniture]

Possible to upload the pics for the rest of us please?

[rtyuiop]

Sure - let me check if Marco has any objections if I use their photos, otherwise I'll take some myself on the weekend.

[rtyuiop]

OK, so some photos of the new version of the vicmarc system, and how to change the jig/platform between the wheels. Apologies for any photography issues and the messy shop in the background.

So, first of all a view of how it looks first installed, and a bit of a close up of the slides - left hand slide ready for the gouge jig and right hand slide empty, ready for the sharpening platform to be installed:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/1sharpening.jpg

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/2sharpening.jpg

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/3sharpening.jpg

Note no cam lever on the right hand slide which I think is different to the older version, and the v-rest they include for the platform now. I didn't think I would find the v-rest all that useful, but after a quick sharpen of a roughing gouge I quite like it! Turns sharpening a gouge which is shaped straight across into a complete no-brainer, without even having to pay a little attention to keeping it straight.

So the first step in switching things around is to unscrew the extra guard from the end of the sliding part of the sharpening jig - grab a 2.5mm hex key or bit and find somewhere you won't loose the screw and guard:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/4sharpening.jpg

and push the sliding bar backwards out from the screwed down slide:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/5sharpening.jpg

This is the part that requires a fair amount of space behind the grinder... If you wanted to install it close to a wall, you may be able to remove the stop from the end of the sliding bar to allow you to pull the bar out forwards - this is the stop, should be easy to remove:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/6sharpening.jpg

But note I haven't tried this and have no idea if it might cause issues. If at some point I get sick of uninstalling that little extra guard I might give this a try even though I have space at the back of the grinder.

Once the sliding bar is out you can remove the u-shaped bracket - lift it up a little take it off the front of the slide (this is how it's shaped):

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/7sharpening.jpg

That leaves you with a bare slide ready to install the sharpening platform. This is the base of the platform, which I think is different now to earlier versions:

http://rtyuiop.net/workshop/8sharpening.jpg

It's held on by pushing it forwards onto the slide, then doing up two 13mm nuts, one on the platform you can see in that photo, and one on the slide visible in the first couple of photos. Seems very solid indeed.

Hope this helps someone in the future!

Cheers,

Danny