Masterlap double ended precision grinder, any info?

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Hi all, another obscure machine that I am looking for info about, or pictures of. It is a masterlap double ended grinder, mounted on a square tapering sheet steel column, which contains the coolant tank, pumped coolant to both wheels, two large tiltable CI tables, with T slots, Worden style, mounted on a large Glassfibre splash tray. It is complete apart from starter and control gear, just needs a good clean, and some new control gear, which I have various types of, but would like to keep it as original as possible, . Google comes up with two pics, both on auction sites, one a similar model, but dry, and the other on an earlier cast iron stad, so any pics, info, diagrams, manuals etc much appreciated. it is a 1973 model, made by Lester Brown machine tools, Bayton Rd, Exhall, Coventry. The green one is one of the two google image results to give an idea of the machine assembled. this machine appears to have a rotary switch control on the front of the grinder, which mine does not, and this one appears to be a dry model.
Phil

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Phil not seen your model but we had a similar piece of machinery for lapping carbide turning tools with dish style diamond wheels.

David

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

That may well be what this one was used for, I noted it had a coarse and fine green wheels on it!, hearly ready to reassemble it, I will post up some finished pics.next on the production line is a Q&S hacksaw, and then an Alfred Herbert precision drill, followed by two three phase mig welders, on the basis of keep the best and sell the other! should keep me busy for the next few weeks!

Phil

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

The reason I am asking about this machine, apart from just needing to know, is that there are two holes in the front of the column, you can just see one in the pics, and there are 4 holes in the back of the column, and the outline where some sort of box has been fixed, the two on the front (1&quot line up with two on the back (1" and 3/4) we could easily say" well thats where the electrics went, possibly with buttons on the front (or rods going right through) operating a NVR starter at the rear, but the coolant does not drain directly back into the column, but goes outside the column, at the rear, and then I assume back into the column via one of the four holes, perhaps after draining through a filter?, given the lengths of the original cables on both the pump and the grinding head, it does look like the electrics were on the back, and the cable from the head goes through the centre of the drip tray through a gland, into the column, and then out again. Some of the holes on the back appear to be threaded either 3/4 or 1" conduit thread. Prior experience has brought home to me the inadvisability of mixing three phase with water based cutting oils! The outlet from the drip tray has a hose barb on it, which suggests flexible pipe, but in the absence of any pics or info, I will play it by ear, though after all the crap I scraped out of the sump, a filter would seem like a good idea! I will post up more pics when it is back together.

Phil

Edited By Phil Whitley on 03/06/2018 20:05:55

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

Most of the laps were either used dry , or they used a cutting oil. Not seen any that used water. Often the double sides was for a roughing and a finishing diamond wheels,

Neil

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

I am assuming this one is set up for using a coolant similar to a surface grinder, it has certainly been built for wet use, and the sludge in the sump was oily, which I assume is the residue of the coolant after the water has evaporated. The wheels are a coarse and fine green grit, so I guess it has been used for carbide.

Phil.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Finished the rebuild on the Masterlap, Just need to replace a couple of coolant pipes, and fit a starter.

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