Photo Index - General Hardware Co. - RL-200 Belt-Drive Polishing Head

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
General Hardware Co.
Milwaukee, WI

True Manufacturer:
General Hardware Co., Milwaukee, WI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Grinder, Bench
Machine Size:
Submitted By:	Brian Kachadurian

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	RL-200 Belt-Drive Polishing Head
Date of Manufacturer:	1950s or 1960s (guess)
Serial Number:	none
Last Updated	12/10/2020 4:43:37 PM

Comments:

>>MACHINE<<
General Hardware belt-driven polishing head, 7" overall height, cast iron, with poured in place babbitt bearings.
Steel shaft 5/8" diameter though bearings with 1/2-24 left and right hand threaded ends.
Die-cast aluminum 2" pulley.
Stamped steel 2" wheel flanges.
Gits style spring loaded oil caps.

>>HISTORY<<
July 2020:
Estate sale find in garage, Dearborn Michigan.
The polishing head was equipped with unused Coastal brand 5"x1/2" Coarse and Fine grinding wheels, but appears to have never been run.
The grinding wheels were surrounded by a number of steel washers.
It appears that the 5/8" diameter section of shaft is slightly too short and when the wheel nuts are tightened the flanges bind on the main casting body. This needs attention prior to use.
November 2020:
Upon further inspection, it appears that the shaft ends of the frame casting were not machined properly.
I clamped the frame in a vise and used a large mill file to smooth the faces and make them parallel to each other and perpendicular to the bores.
This corrected the binding.
Drilled a shallow divot in the shaft for the pulley set screw, to eliminate burring.
Added SAE30 to oilers and tested under power.
Runs smooth and quiet.

Photo 1:

Comments: As found condition (grinding wheels removed)
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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Photo 2:

Comments: Decal tag
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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Photo 3:

Comments: Pulley and flanges
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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Photo 4:

Comments: Inside main body casting
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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Photo 5:

Comments: Oiler and poured in place Babbitt bearing
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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Photo 6:

Comments: Test run with buffing wheels
Source: iPhone 6S camera-existing light

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