Brierley Drill Grinder ZB50

[Smouser]

Today I finally got around to the Brierley again.

The main grinding wheel had missing paper blotters. I made some new ones out of gasket paper.

The dish wheel I bought a while ago still had its blotters but one of them did not make contact with the large nut/flange due to the cup of the wheel.

I also made a blotter for that.

The next problem was that the dish wheel was now too thick and when the wheels are mounted on the motor shaft, the large nut was rubbing against the outside of the bearing and bearing retainer.

I required a washer the same ID and OD of the wheel arbor/shaft.

The one I made was too thick which meant the nut securing the wheels on the shaft was only engaging on a few threads.

I ground the washer down on the surface grinder.

A better fit

I then balanced the wheel. It took quite a while to get it just right.

 

[Smouser]

The wheel was in dire need of dressing.

It is messy business. Even with a vacuum held close to the wheel.

All done.

I then tried to dress the dish wheel. It is supposed to have a 105 degree angle. Following the instructions in the dodgy translated French to English manual did not work for me.

Not sure if I don't understand the instructions properly or if the translation is messed up.

In the end, I dressed the wheel by eye/trial and error but it is still not 100% correct.

One manual has the following to say about dish wheel dressing.

The translated manual has got this to say.

I filled the coolant tank today but unfortunately one of the connections was leaking making a mess. I tried to get it leak free with ptfe tape but had no luck. I resorted to some silicone but that meant I had to wait for the silicone to cure so my first test grind was done dry.

 

[Smouser]

The first drill bit (3/4").

I also point relieved the drill bit to test the dish wheel out.

Probably not needed on a drill bit that size as I always pilot drill larger sizes.

I guess if you want to start a hole with that sized drill bit you will probably have to point relieve and point thin.

I compared the freshly ground drill bit with one of a similar size.

Was the grind successful?
I am not sure. I will find out tomorrow.

 

[Smouser]

I had another go with the Brierley today.
This time, with coolant.

Before

As this was a morse taper drill, I had to use a modified morse taper holder to steady the rear of the drill until it was chucked up tightly.

After

I did not point relieve or point thinned this one.

 

[Smouser]

I then tried to grind the biggest drill I have and also the max capacity of the Brierley 2" or 51mm.

Before

I cleaned it up a little on a bench grinder first to get rid of the worst bits.

However, my angles were way off and the Brierley had to do loads of work.

Even with coolant, it looks like I have overheated the drill bit. I probably need to take much smaller amounts off on each pass.

After

All sorts of colours going on there

The Brierley only looked nice twice in its life - when it came out of the factory and when I refurbished it. Coolant and grinding dust = mess.

 

[Agroshield]

For the bulk stock removal on a bench grinder, can you build some some of rotating fixture that presents the drill at the correct angle to the wheel? Maybe a belt grinder could be better than a bench grinder as it has a wider abrading surface and larger platten/rest. Effectively on the grinder you would be making a 118 degree cone point. Then the Brierley only has to relieve the cutting edge.

 

[Smouser]

For the bulk stock removal on a bench grinder, can you build some some of rotating fixture that presents the drill at the correct angle to the wheel? Maybe a belt grinder could be better than a bench grinder as it has a wider abrading surface and larger platten/rest. Effectively on the grinder you would be making a 118 degree cone point. Then the Brierley only has to relieve the cutting edge.

That is probably the best way forward.
Especially for larger diameter drills.

It will also help if the drill bit I am trying to sharpen has been sharpened 'correctly' to 118 degrees before.

Some of the ones I have have previously been sharpened by their previous owners to all sorts of weird angles.

I suppose with a bit of practice, I could get better on a bench grinder too which will work ok on smaller diameters.

 

[Agroshield]

On the bench grinder, can you increase the size of the rest by screwing on some plywood and then draw a sharpie mark on it at the correct angle to the wheel? That might be good enough or even tack on another strip of ply at the correct angle as a fence. It would not even need to be as sophisticated as the mitre gauge you get with a Lidl belt/disc sander.

 

[Woody.v8]

I then tried to grind the biggest drill I have and also the max capacity of the Brierley 2" or 51mm.

Before
View attachment 479013

View attachment 479014

View attachment 479015

I cleaned it up a little on a bench grinder first to get rid of the worst bits.

However, my angles were way off and the Brierley had to do loads of work.

Even with coolant, it looks like I have overheated the drill bit. I probably need to take much smaller amounts off on each pass.

After

View attachment 479016

View attachment 479017

All sorts of colours going on there

The Brierley only looked nice twice in its life - when it came out of the factory and when I refurbished it. Coolant and grinding dust = mess.

View attachment 479018

View attachment 479019

I've a draw full of mt bits that need sharpening if you need some to practice on

 

[RobCox]

I've a draw full of mt bits that need sharpening if you need some to practice on

Join the queue!