Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread: Old Atkins grinder
-
2nd April 2015, 09:28 PM #1.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
Old Atkins grinder
The mens shed has picked up two of these Atkins grinders so a brought one home to play with over easter.
The other one is in slightly better shape and was "sort of working" so I left it at the shed, but this one had a missing starter so I have no idea if it runs.
The spindle turns very smoothly without the belt which is promising.
With the stand being made out of between 12 and 16 mm thick cast iron (), these things weigh much more than first appearances.
The motor is 3P 1HP, 2850 RPM and it sits at the very bottom of the base.
Combine that with the weight of the base and this gives it excellent stability.
A long belt runs between 2 two speed pulleys that when combined produces pulley ratios are rather odd, 1.1 for one pair and 1.4 for the other.
The 1.1 x 2850 = ~3000 RPM (thats OK) , the other would be near 4000 RPM, seems rather high.
There is a sign on the spindle cover that says to only use the higher speed when the wheels wear down to less than 8"
As you can see it needs some TLC - a good project while SWMBO is off with her horses over the easter break.
I'll see how it looks after a bit of a refurb.
One could eventually be a good candidate for a VFD and a pair of CBN wheels?Last edited by BobL; 24th February 2022 at 01:32 PM.
-
2nd April 2015 09:28 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
3rd April 2015, 06:57 AM #2Philomath in training
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Adelaide
- Age
- 59
- Posts
- 3,149
Not so odd. I have a similar arrangement for the J&S (in fact, it has 3 belt positions). It would have been done to ensure that grinding could be done at the optimum speed for longer. With direct drive bench grinders it is no longer possible (unless there is a VFD in the system) but I would guess that wheels are relatively cheaper now anyway.
Michael
-
3rd April 2015, 09:44 AM #3.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
-
3rd April 2015, 09:01 PM #4Senior Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 275
They are my favourite grinder. Spent many hours finishing forgings on them.
At Strathfield M.S. I'm custodian of a similar Hebco. Soon should get a set of spanners for the rest adjustments, to hang beside it.
The switch (original) is an odd thing.
I'd be curious to know what the bearing size is, to plan for replacements.
cheers,
Andrew.'Waratah' spring hammer by Hands & Scott c.1911- 20, 'Duffy, Todd & Williams' spring hammer c.1920, Premo lathe- 1953, Premo filing machine.
-
3rd April 2015, 10:13 PM #5.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
Pulled the while thing apart today. It sure is bult like a battleship.
Before I pulled the motor out I ran it on a VFD - only in Y mode but it runs nice and smootly.
The large ball bearings look clean but I will repack them when I put it all back together.
Except for the water bath and a couple of spots nearby on the frame the rest of the rust is just surface rust. Even the rough casting inside the frame shaped up pretty well with a few passes with a a wire wheel on an angle grinder. I was going to use electrolysis on the rust but I think I might just give everything a coat with phosphoric acid. Might use electrolysis on the water bath though.
I've got the motor out on the bench and will open it up in the next day or so to see if can be converted to ∆.Last edited by BobL; 24th February 2022 at 01:37 PM.
-
12th April 2015, 07:00 PM #6.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
I've converted the motor to ∆ and derusted and painted most of the rest.
Most of the bolt heads were rusty. After I took the rust off which a wire wheel, here is how I held them while they got spray painted
-
18th April 2015, 01:28 AM #7.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
I managed to do a bit more on the grinder in the last few days.
Just pottering along with a bit of electrolysis on the badly corroded cooling tank.
Here is how it started out.
Unbolted the tank from the grinder and knocked the loose stuff off with a hammer and gave it a once over with a wire wheel where I could get at it.
12 hours in the electrolysis tank, 2.5A
The pink is almost certainly lead oxide primer.
Couple of coats of paint - Im not planning on refilling it with water - will just use it as a handy place to put stuff.
-
20th April 2015, 05:37 PM #8.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
Just about finished it
Just a reminder of how it started out.
Now almost refurbished.
The casting is fairly rough so I did not see the point in to fancy a paint job so it's only handprinted to keep the rust at bay.
I put back the two grey wheels that were originally on it but I think I might replace one with a wire wheel.
Bit of a closer up view.
Controls
Fwd/Stop
Speed up to 60Hz
2 Emergency stops for extra safety - Nah there was a hole on the Plate and decided to fill it with something.
Internals.
Will fit some dust covered over the switchgear
Std 1.5kw HY VFD
Back view with 240V ventilation fan,
-
21st April 2015, 12:39 AM #9
Looks good, there's a sense of satisfaction in giving a fine quality machine like that another lease on life.
Ray
-
21st April 2015, 01:39 AM #10Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2012
- Location
- Kimberley, West Australia
- Posts
- 139
Atkins Grinder.
Hi there BobL,
Great old machine you have restored there. Must have quite a long history. Trying to recall when the Atkins WA name was last seen. Could have been mid or late 1960's when they became Atkins Carlyle, and more recently were swallowed by Blackwoods. The whole machine may have been made in WA for Atkins at the time, as they bought in a lot of re-branded goods from local firms, and may have had some engineering capacity of their own. Did the motor happen to be an AEC or other Perth built brand? Just curious. Look after the old gal. Regards,
Combustor.Old iron in the Outback, Kimberley WA.
-
21st April 2015, 09:29 AM #11.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
Thanks guys.
The grinder came from a school pre-vocational centre. I reckon the wheels on it are probably the originals.
The Grinder itself is almost certainly a rebrand.
Underneath the Atkins label, the other label says "Universal Grinders, York St Sydney"
The motor is a HEBCO made by H.E.Brehaut in Mont Albert, Victoria.
It's at seriously beefy motor being at least twice the weight of a modern cast iron 1HP motor.
The star point was the easiest to find and there was heaps of room inside it compared to any of the motors I have converted
The motor (sans wheels) runs fine up to at least 90Hz (not that I ever intend using that fast)
I've set the pulleys to the low gear and limited the frequency to 60Hz for the moment.
One thing I will do is move the VFD panel to a transparent box on the front of the grinder.
-
23rd April 2015, 09:38 PM #12.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,794
OK it's done.
I added a dust cover to the back of the switch gear and moved the VFD front panel to the front of the grinder base.
Not the ideal position, a bit low down, but there was very little usable real estate left on the front
Similar Threads
-
My version of the Atkins No. 26 pattern makers saw
By rob streeper in forum Saws- handmadeReplies: 5Last Post: 4th January 2015, 11:13 AM -
EC Atkins Handsaw Info
By pmcgee in forum HAND TOOLS - UNPOWEREDReplies: 12Last Post: 23rd February 2014, 09:07 AM -
William atkins cutter
By rohinmyson in forum CLASSIC BOAT RESCUE & ADOPTIONReplies: 0Last Post: 20th January 2012, 09:57 PM -
William Atkins Schooner in Sydney
By pindimar in forum CLASSIC BOAT RESCUE & ADOPTIONReplies: 4Last Post: 9th January 2012, 05:27 PM