The Slack Belt Grinder

[John P.]

I was polishing a barrel today in preparation for rust bluing. Thought some of you would be interested in the process.

I built this handy lathe accessory many years ago. It has other uses: Below, fitting a barrel band front ramp. I grind the barrel a few thousandths under the ramp bore size in preparation for silver soldering.

Here I am grinding the front ring of a M98 receiver to remove the markings. The chuck, and receiver, are rotated by hand back and forth.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Looks like it works great, but in one of my old english lathe books, it stated that it was not recommended to grind metal over a lathe due to metal grinding contaminating lathe parts?

 

[Dr Ray]

I was polishing a barrel today in preparation for rust bluing. Thought some of you would be interested in the process.

I built this handy lathe accessory many years ago. It has other uses: Below, fitting a barrel band front ramp. I grind the barrel a few thousandths under the ramp bore size in preparation for silver soldering.

Here I am grinding the front ring of a M98 receiver to remove the markings. The chuck, and receiver, are rotated by hand back and forth.

Interesting project!

 

[GuttormG]

Its like your new oak flooring, you start off hysterical, banning shoes, cuts your dogs claws short, until you have the first scratch. After that its ok.

Love this kind of posts and pictures!!

 

[Shootist43]

John, I've seen your Belt Sanding Jig in previous photos of your shop and wondered where you got it. I think it is a very good idea. You can vary the "grit" of the belt and subsequent degree of polish relatively easily. As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention." Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Once a belt is worn out, you can put jewelers rouge on it for a high polish. At least that’s what we came up with many years ago when I was in the knife industry. Also it put an exceptional final finish when sharpening knives.

 

[CAustin]

Amazed at folks who have real skills. Thanks for sharing

 

[John P.]

Looks like it works great, but in one of my old english lathe books, it stated that it was not recommended to grind metal over a lathe due to metal grinding contaminating lathe parts?

Ah an old machinist like me knows this. Photo is staged. When I am grinding the ways are covered and I have a vacuum hose just behind the grinding area.


The way covering not shown in this photo, I use several layers of newspaper. The barrel is rotating in reverse, the belt is rotating "up" at the contact point. The plume goes straight up and the vacuum grabs all of it. Grinder is powered by a DC motor with a reversible variable speed DC power supply.

 

[John P.]

John, I've seen your Belt Sanding Jig in previous photos of your shop and wondered where you got it. I think it is a very good idea. You can vary the "grit" of the belt and subsequent degree of polish relatively easily. As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention." Thanks for sharing.

I made it in the shop, everything from the junk boxes. Happiness in a machine shop is having many boxes full of salvaged materials and parts. The belts are commercial abrasive belts used on small air powered deburring tools. 80 grit belt on the grinder, I have grits to 320.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Sweet! I made up a rig to hold a die grinder for small stuff. What grit are you using? Looks like 320.