Thread: Surface Grinder or T&G Grinder, which is best for adapting?

I'm keeping an eye out for either machine. Really only want one due to floor space.
There's a tool and cutter in the area and wonder if I should snatch it up or wait for a surface grinder

Now I know you can use a surface grinder as a tool and cutter and a T&G as a surface grinder.

I suspect adapting a T&G to surface grinder is somewhat less rigid, but is less work to adapt as it comes with tool accessories
My main use would be sharpening endmills and surfacing smallish parts

Any thoughts?

A tool and cutter grinder has no facility for coolant (but then neither does a tiny surface grinder like the Macson bench top unit) and in the main the vertical axis won't be graduated fine enough for surface grinding If you go with a surface grinder you wont get most of the tool and cutter accessories and wont have the ability to rotate the grinding head so that you can do cylindrical grinding of longish pieces nor will there be any reasonable way of internal grinding.

Eric

As Eric stated, neither machine will do the other job well. If it were me, I'd get the surface grinder, and look around for something like this; https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Universa...frcectupt=true
I know it's small but with a T&C grinder you're taking up a bit of room, I know I've one sitting in the middle of the shed floor!!!!!
If you get a surface grinder, you could use somthing like a Stevenson's block to sharpen your milling cutters; https://www.ausee.com.au/shop/category.aspx?catid=4092
There is an angled block for sharpening milling cutters but can't think of the correct name ATM.
Thanks Michael, that's the one I was refering to.
Kryn

If the main thing you want to do on a T&C is touch up endmills, something like this
https://www.ausee.com.au/shop/category.aspx?catid=4093
is probably all you need to sharpen them on a surface grinder.

Michael

Added bit - I have one; it works well enough once you get the hang of it.

Like others have said, a surface grinder will perform some tasks of a T&C grinder and a T&C grinder can perform some tasks of a surface grinder but neither will perform the corresponding task very well.

I started of with a T&C grinder, it came with a small mag chuck which gave me an insight into the worth of having surface grinding capability in my shed. However I quickly saw the limitations on work envelop, flexibility and accuracy using a T&C grinder as a surface grinder and so you can guess what was my next machine purchase!

Yep, I now have both and they get used reasonably often.

Yea ok, you did indicate that you only have room for one or the other so based on your intended use, I would go for a surface grinder AND buy one of those endmill sharpeners that Michael suggested.

Simon

The lack of coolant on the T&C grinder is the major hassle.

I've got a Tos BN102 T&C grinder, it's easily got more surface grinding capacity than my Power SG. Probably more capacity than my little cylindrical grinder that's still an unfinished restoration project.

Probably sell my SG and just use the Tos because the Power SG doesn't have coolant either. Not so the cylindrical. I'm in the market for a bigger SG anyway, preferably an 18 x 6 type like the B&S models. Doesn't seem to be anything about here in Sydney ATM.

If my main use was to sharpen end mills and the like I'd get a T&C grinder *provided* it was a decent size and had a good collection of accessories. They're pretty useless as bare machines and expensive to tool up. They make an OK surface grinder for small work.

I think I may know the T&C grinder in Tasmania you're referring to. If so it's been for sale for a while because IMO it's well overpriced.

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

The lack of coolant on the T&C grinder is the major hassle.

I've got a Tos BN102 T&C grinder, it's easily got more surface grinding capacity than my Power SG. Probably more capacity than my little cylindrical grinder that's still an unfinished restoration project.

Probably sell my SG and just use the Tos because the Power SG doesn't have coolant either. Not so the cylindrical. I'm in the market for a bigger SG anyway, preferably an 18 x 6 type like the B&S models. Doesn't seem to be anything about here in Sydney ATM.

If my main use was to sharpen end mills and the like I'd get a T&C grinder *provided* it was a decent size and had a good collection of accessories. They're pretty useless as bare machines and expensive to tool up. They make an OK surface grinder for small work.

I think I may know the T&C grinder in Tasmania you're referring to. If so it's been for sale for a while because IMO it's well overpriced.

PDW

Yeah the price has recently dropped and there is also a big Cincinnati T&C grinder in the same area for the same price
That's why I wanted to get an idea before getting the wrong tool

I think I'm sold on the idea of a surface grinder with a sharpening fixture as being more useful for me
Cheers guys!