Photo Index - Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc. - CB-77B Cutting Tool Grinder

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Manufactured/Badged by:
Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc.
Kalamazoo, MI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Grinder, Tool and Die
Machine Size:	3/4 HP
Submitted By:	John Olsen

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	CB-77B Cutting Tool Grinder
Date of Manufacturer:	1940's or 1950's
Serial Number:	7916
Last Updated	4/15/2012 11:01:31 AM

Comments:

Unknown history. I purchased this machine from a used machinery dealer in the Chicago area. Not my normal purchase route but it was a good deal and what I was looking for to sharpen tool bits for my lathe. This is a very handy machine for anyone that uses a lathe or shaper and the older style cutting bits. There is a brass nameplate on the side that says it was sold by the E.L. Essley Machinery Company, Chicago Ill. Having completed the restoration and used the machine for sharpening tool bits I would highly recommend this unit to anyone with a shop using the older style tool bits. What used to be hours of work grinding in a tool bit by hand with hit or miss results has been replaced by a quick, easy, and accurate grinding process that yields excellent results.

This type of Hammond Tool Grinder was specifically designed to sharpen single edge cutting tools for lathes and shapers. They were top of the line units designed to run in a production shop year after year. At one time you could find these in use in most machine shops, but they became obsolete with the advent of the cutting tool inserts that are popular now. Depending on the type of grinding wheel used it will sharpen either carbide or high speed steel and the quick setup and precision allowed the machine shop to easily grind tool bits to the correct angles for the type of metal being worked according to the charts or tables.

The unit has two ends, one end has a standard flat table and larger wheel much like the common grinder setups you can still buy today. The table has a slot for a protractor guide to hold the bit and will adjust from -25 to + 35 degrees up and down. It also has a fine in-feed adjustment knob under the table that allows you to gently feed the bit in closer to the grinding wheel as you take off material.

The opposite side has a multi-axis tool holder and the unit can be used to grind four angles on the cutting bit by adjusting the tool holder angles. There is a plate on the tool holder that shows you to set #1 Cutting Edge Angle, #2 Back Rake Angle, #3 Side Rake Angle, and #4 Chip Breaker Angle. By setting these angles and moving the stroke handle back and forth the bit will pass through the grinding wheel. The upper front dial reading handle feeds the bit into the grinding wheel and reads in 1/1000" increments. The lower dial handle raises and lowers the table and reads in 1/1000" increments as well. The fine control and 1 degree settings allow for very accurate and quick grinding of tool bits to whatever setup you need for the type of metal you are turning on the lathe or other machine.

The tank on the top of the machine is a cutting fluid / coolant tank. You put the cutting fluid into the tank and simply adjusted a knob above the cutting wheel to let the coolant flow out of the tank onto the grinding wheel. Coolant flowed down onto the table and out a hole into a can or bucket. You either threw the fluid away or poured it back into the top. Very simple design.

An optional indexing 5C collet head can be mounted in place of the standard tool grinding fixture. It is a quick change that allows you to sharpen drill bits or other tools. See my other post for information.

Photo 1:

Comments: This is what I started with. Rough shape, but all parts there and castings in good shape. Table on left is for roughing in bit. Tool bit holder on right is for fine grinding the four main surfaces on a tool bit. Press plate in middle is a spindle brake
Source: John Olsen

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Photo 2:

Comments: Spindle and bearings being removed from head. Spindle was cleaned up and polished, threads chased, and new spindle bearings installed.
Source: John Olsen

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Photo 3:

Comments: Base, Tray, and Head sandblasted and ready to be primed and painted.
Source: John Olsen

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Photo 4:

Comments: Completely Reassembled. All new bearings in spindle, tables, shafts, etc. Way surfaces cleaned up and polished. Note that condition was excellent and I did not need to rescrape ways.
Source: John Olsen

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Photo 5:

Comments: Tool grinding jig. This jig can be quickly removed and replaced with the optional 5C collet tool grinding fixture to sharpen drill bits or many other tools.
Source: John Olsen

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Photo 6:

Comments: Back grinding side
Source: John Olsen

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