Thread: Eclipse Magnetic Chuck - User's Handbook.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

I thought this may be of some interest.

BT

Thanks Bob for the photos.
I have an 18 inch by 6 inch Eclipse chuck on my Churchill Surface Grinder.
The Machine & chuck are at least 50 yrs old or older & still operating perfectly.
I was interested in the 2nd last photo you forwarded as I have a few self made laminated steel/ brass plates in the form of blocks & a vee block for transferring the magnetic flux from the chuck to the workpiece.
I have used this machine for many different jobs & in particular regrinding & restoring the bottoms of old Stanley wood planes & the like to a flat precision surface.
A wonderful machine!
regards
Bruce ABRATOOL

Originally Posted by Abratool

Thanks Bob for the photos.
I have an 18 inch by 6 inch Eclipse chuck on my Churchill Surface Grinder.
The Machine & chuck are at least 50 yrs old or older & still operating perfectly.
I was interested in the 2nd last photo you forwarded as I have a few self made laminated steel/ brass plates in the form of blocks & a vee block for transferring the magnetic flux from the chuck to the workpiece.
I have used this machine for many different jobs & in particular regrinding & restoring the bottoms of old Stanley wood planes & the like to a flat precision surface.
A wonderful machine!
regards
Bruce ABRATOOL

Hi Bruce,

I'm interested in the mag transfer blocks you made, how did you laminate the steel and brass? Did you use brass bolts? or are they brazed together?

Regards
Ray

thanks bob
perfect timing i just brought a 14" one for my tool and cutter grinder
picking it up this weekend


cheers
Harty

Originally Posted by RayG

Hi Bruce,

I'm interested in the mag transfer blocks you made, how did you laminate the steel and brass? Did you use brass bolts? or are they brazed together?

Regards
Ray

Like a lot of my Toolmaking tools & parts these were made during my apprenticeship days about 50 or so years ago.Strangely it does not seem that long ago.
Anyway a typical pair of blocks measure 3 inches long by one & a half inch high by 2 inches wide.The plates run vertical in the one & a half inch high direction.This carries the magnetic flux up to the workpiece.
There are alternating plates of one eighth inch thick steel & one sixteenth inch thick brass. They are all held together by 6 brass rivets 5 sixteenth inch dia rivetted over on each side. The brass rods or rivets were annealed before assembly so as to make it easy for peening with a ball peen hammer.into slightly countersunk holes on the plate sides holding it all together.The holes were drilled & reamed to be a close fit for the rivets I mentioned I have a larger pair than the above & also a single Vee Block made the same way.Everything is milled then surface ground after final assembly.
Perhaps if I organised a photo might make it easier for you.
regards
Bruce
ABRATOOL

Bruce's description sounds like he was copying an original.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Bruce's description sounds like he was copying an original.

Bob
Thanks for the photo....,yes,the photo is totally identical to the ones I made all that time ago.
You were right we did copy them, but I must say I have never seen the "Original" Eclipse brand blocks before.
Some of these ideas were just passed on down from other tradesmen,so they must have been originally copied from established designs.
I am sure the idea could be simplified to use say brass bolts to hold the plates together.
We just seemed to make everything in an "extreme manner"
regards
Bruce
ABRATOOL

Indeed, I am thinking about picking up a new one. My old one has lost its 'magnetic charm ' and I dare not try any of the remagnatization methods discussed here a couple of months back. I need a NEW cheap 12" one for my S grinder.

No one seems to use them much any more - Strange

Thanks BT and Bruce,

I've got some of these from CTC MAGNETIC PRECISION BLOCKS 1"x2"x4" #L13

But, I want to make up a larger one for taper grinding saw plate, and Bruce's description is exactly what I was looking for. The other alternative method I've seen is furnace brazing.

Regards
Ray

Bruce,

I've seen some of Ray's work. A peened brass rivet would cause him no difficulty.

Bob.

Bob & Ray
Here are photos of the steel brass laminated blocks I made as previously mentioned.
The Vee Magnetic Block was made so that it facilitated the grinding of hardened steel Vee blocks, a number of these were also made in various sizes, & precision ground.
The Vee Magnetic Block can also be used for holding round steel work with suitable stops on the Eclipse table of the Surface Grinding Machine.
The Rectangular Blocks were mainly used for flush grinding the backs of flat punch plates holding hardened steel punches for metal stamping.
Considerable time was spent during Apprenticeship days doing all of these "Foreign Orders" which was allowed.One must also appreciate we were only receiving a wage of about $10 per week so overheads were not excessive.
The time was well spent keeping busy.
I hope this may be of assistance & thanks to all for your interest it has re inspired me.
regards
Bruce
ABRATOOL

Beautiful work Bruce.

Hi BT, Bruce,

Thanks for that brochure Bob, the section at the back on how to use mag transfer blocks has some ideas that would never have occurred to me, cutting out sections to jump over the magnet segments is something I would have never considered...

Nice work on those blocks Bruce, they have stood the test of time well. Must have been well made.

Regards
Ray

Hello Ray,

I had an idea that maybe you and Pete Fleming would be interested given that you both have surface grinders. I didn't know Bruce had that nice Churchill with an Eclipse in place. I have an Eclipse magnetic vee block that might just come in handy on the T and C grinder. Bit like a boy's version of the mag vise. I'll have to save up my play money for a real one.


BT

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Hello Ray,

I had an idea that maybe you and Pete Fleming would be interested given that you both have surface grinders. I didn't know Bruce had that nice Churchill with an Eclipse in place. I have an Eclipse magnetic vee block that might just come in handy on the T and C grinder. Bit like a boy's version of the mag vise. I'll have to save up my play money for a real one.


BT

Bob & Ray
Thanks for your reply & ongoing interest.
I will be away for 6 days but will get a few photos of my Churchill Surface Grinder.
& publish them here for you, when I return next week.
A surface grinder is a very handy machine, its a gentle action in removing metal, & very precise. Also the ongoing accumulations of tools,probably never stops.
I dont think one can ever have enough tools.
My wife sometimes asks about who will value & sell all the "Stuff" when I croke it.
However I think that will be someones problem to sort out.
regards
Bruce
ABRATOOL