Capco Surface Grinder- Restoration-Help needed!

[Ancient_Axeman]

The reason I say I believe the Z axis is original is that it has what looks like manufacturers incremental markings and works so well you can turn it with one hand.

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

have you had a look under the table to see if the rack is present?
A spiral bevel gear will have to be made for the drive

Heres a view underneath the table from both sides.
Aalso a look at that nut arrangement from the front and underneath.

 

[pressbrake1]

Nasty hacksaw finish on stud cant be original
As spindle bearings sockets are parallel it makes things easier
Id be tempted to make spindle nose j&s 540 wheel hub compatible
As for bearings id try good grade ball and a thrust arrangement at the rear that way by using frictionless bearings you will get away with a non heat treated turned not ground spindle

 

[gaz1]

it maybe like this one

http://www.lathes.co.uk/superiorgrinder/

take note of its spindle reference

 

[pressbrake1]

Very expensive are those bearings
If there was physical room a pair of taper rollers up front and a floating bearing at the rear

 

[Seadog]

That seems to have been modified. The B great nut would be where there crank should be with, I guess a helical gear and rack.

 

[gaz1]

on another model i have these pics



some info on spindle

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=67394

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

Very expensive are those bearings
If there was physical room a pair of taper rollers up front and a floating bearing at the rear

Excellent idea sir, I popped down to check if possible thinking that the frontmost taper could be fitted into a small extension in front of the casting BUT.... as always the machine said no. lol
It seems the nose of tha casting is already near center of the Y axis travel on the table and it seems to have less travel than most other Capco machines where pics are available.
I do like your thinking tho

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

That seems to have been modified. The B great nut would be where there crank should be with, I guess a helical gear and rack.

I wish I had a photo of when I first had it with the motor and pulleys bodged on top with a collet type spindle clamped in what can only be described as 'budget' use of metal brackets so everyone could see what the guy had attempted, for they say a picture paints a thousand words!
I may lay the parts out on the floor and take a pic of them?
Yes pressbrake1 noticed early on that the X axis didnt suit the machines design.
Could the small helical gear needed be decribed as a 'pinion gear?' or am I getting words mixed up?

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

gaz1 thanks for looking up that stuff and including those pics!
The articles were interesting on model-engineer, info similar to what pressbrake1 mentioned regarding be able to get a decent cut on and also I found by searching Capco on there a guy asking for info years ago and not getting much further back then and even an old boy telling people also about the crap and grit these things throw up and even onto the ways! I have kept it in the garage with my welding stuff etc away from my Atlas lathe and TS mill in the shed up the gardun [that word is best said with a Brummy accent ]
The pics were great, kinda showing me that some [really old] machines have that type of Z axis adjustment.
The first photo tho ended up doing my head in as I couldnt figure out how the X axis moves as it appears connected to the same bit of casting as the Y ?! LOL I realise that it must be either me being thick or the photo angle just hiding the join?

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

Heres some more pics of the 'situation'
I have included pics of the components that the previous owner used to have it as a vertical mill aswell as pics of what it looks like when I took the table off today.
I was wondering why the X axis seemed to take forever to traverse and the answer seems to be that wondeful stuff called 'all thread?'

 

[Pete.]

Man that machine is so close to being a lost cause that even I would baulk at it. If you're looking for a project fair enough, but there's a lot of work and not a little money to go into that yet. On the other hand I might know of a much nicer (and bigger, and complete) surface grinder not so far from you soon to go up for sale from an estate clearance. I've only the most ephemeral of connection to it but I'd chase it up if you were interested in a more realistic endeavour.

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

Man that machine is so close to being a lost cause that even I would baulk at it. If you're looking for a project fair enough, but there's a lot of work and not a little money to go into that yet. On the other hand I might know of a much nicer (and bigger, and complete) surface grinder not so far from you soon to go up for sale from an estate clearance. I've only the most ephemeral of connection to it but I'd chase it up if you were interested in a more realistic endeavour.

Pete your comment really made me laugh when you said that 'even you would baulk at it!' Very tactfully said sir and indeed I am kind of realising that it might be a little more involved that I originally thought.
Theres probably two dumb reasons that I pursued this idea :
1. The thing is so compact and solid, restored it would be an asset at slinging grinding dust around my garage! Aswell as sharpening my woodchipper blades and possibly others?
2. I kind of feel somehow responsible as it has come into my possesion that as its a little unusual by Capco specs that I dont want it to just disappear to the scrapyard, just in case theres not too many around at the moment?? Does that even make sense to anyone?
Indeed by the way I am always interested in looking at other old machinery, especially if they have an excuse that I can use them for helping my working life [in case the wife asks ]
If your ephemeral connection might lead to me sharpening my woodchipper blades that sounds good to me

I suppose if the Capco got restored in a longer time scale [excuse to hang on to it] I could buy lots more machines with the excuse of needing them to restore it!!

 

[gaz1]

i grabed these off the bay



now reading up you need to check this

The spindle, double-ended and 20 inches long, is drilled for a Tommy bar to undo the retaining nuts.

This particular machine was fitted, originally, with plain spindle bearings but, someone having butchered them, these were changed to four angular ball bearing races,

two being fitted at each end.

An advantage of the conversion has been an increase in the safe spindle speed from 2000 to 2500 and 3200 r.p.m. by means of a 2-step drive pulley. The grinding wheels used are a 1" 1/4" bore to suit (with sleeve adapters) the 25 mm spindle.

from youtube video of tonys

 

[Ancient_Axeman]

i grabed these off the bay

View attachment 204157

now reading up you need to check this

The spindle, double-ended and 20 inches long, is drilled for a Tommy bar to undo the retaining nuts.

This particular machine was fitted, originally, with plain spindle bearings but, someone having butchered them, these were changed to four angular ball bearing races,

two being fitted at each end.

An advantage of the conversion has been an increase in the safe spindle speed from 2000 to 2500 and 3200 r.p.m. by means of a 2-step drive pulley. The grinding wheels used are a 1" 1/4" bore to suit (with sleeve adapters) the 25 mm spindle.

from youtube video of tonys

View attachment 204165 View attachment 204166 View attachment 204167 View attachment 204168 View attachment 204169

Thankyou kindly gaz1
The Ebay one I had taken pics of with my phone aimed at my monitor, the guy i had Ebay messaged him twice then looking the company up I rang up and left a message also, as i was desperate after seeing that one listed, the answers to my riddle were so close but alas the guy totally ignored me. lol
The Tony videos I think I skipped through as 90% of it was about scraping but might have missed a bit of spoken info it seems, a thankyou for sifting through that, I assumed he would release the 4 th vid with it all about the spindle!
I am wondering if that sleeve is used to hold the inner bearing in place at all?
See how those little differences keep poking up with the Z axis and my X axis spindle surround seems different too?
I know it sounds weird but I keep thinking my Y axis is a tad shorter than most of the other pics? they seem to have more sticking out by the hand operating wheel?
Big thanks for investigating this, I realy appreciate it !
A good shot of that bevel geared pinion that I dont have and even the rack!!

 

[gaz1]

the z axis is the bottom one but i think thats fine feed i think the right side one is for either up or down or left right fast

i suspect fast left and right

your also missing the rack where the threaded rod is your bolt holes are in the middle top