"VERY OLD" Surface Grinder

centrelathe · May 19, 2009

Hello everyone, my names Jeff , from the UK, i"m new to this site and would appreciate some help please . A friend has just given me a very old surface grinder, he had two the same , and has given me the "Basket Case" with some bits missing, we think it dates around 1914, there are no nameplates on it except a war dept brass plate (WO. 11629), it"s got two old fashioned brass oilers on the top to feed the plain bearings, it"s hardware is BSW so everything points to it being English (maybe). I"ve been trying to upload some photo"s of it on to this site , but the site keeps rejecting them as being too large , one is 870KB and the other is 723KB, both jpg, can someone tell me what i"m doing wrong please , thank"s in anticipation Jeff Vines (centrelathe)http://www.flickr.com/photos/scorpio22/3544917123/http://www.flickr.com/photos/scorpio22/3545723692/in/photostream/

atgordon · May 19, 2009

Jeff,

The site restricts the size of site based uploads. You can use Photoshop or a free image resizing program such as Irfanview (freeware, and very good too). Or you can use a photo-hosting service such as Flickr and then place the link in your posting. Finally, if you have access to a web server, you can post your photos and place a link in the post ... incidentally, the first option is the easiest for others to see since the site will show a thumbnail picture in the post.

And you're right, for the kind of question that you are posting, photos are essential!

Tony

centrelathe · May 19, 2009

Thanks for that one Tony . regards Jeff .

centrelathe · May 19, 2009

I"ve joined "flickr" as you suggested, will you see if it checks out your end please, regards Jeff . I"ve put 2 pic"s in .

L Vanice · May 19, 2009

OK, now you need to include links to the pics in a post here.

The moderator wrote this set of instructions, which may help. But he wrote them a while back and some of the software changes may have affected how things work now.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/images-and-links-146367.html

Larry

centrelathe · May 19, 2009

Thanks Larry, regards, Jeff.

centrelathe · May 19, 2009

L Vanice · May 19, 2009

Link:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2069/3545723692_f6c48f9e6f.jpg?v=0

Image:

Larry

Asquith · May 20, 2009

I believe it is a 'Superior' Type V machine. I have a machine dealer's catalogue which includes one of these, described as 'new' (as opposed to secondhand), and I would guess that the catalogue dates from the late 1950s or early 1960s.

centrelathe · May 20, 2009

Very old surface grinder

Well i can"t use your christian name to thank you as you did not insert it, but many thank"s for your information . As i think i said the photo is identical to the one that i own, the only difference is mine is in a shocking state , having been in a wooden box (in bits) on top of a local engineering factories toilet roof , since the second world war. Is there a chance of a picture of the page that it was on please , or any more info , i would be willing to give you my e.mail address, or whatever method you liked to see it , once again many thanks , Jeff Vines (centrelathe)

Asquith · May 20, 2009

Jeff,

Here you are. As you can see, the quality of the photo in the Widdowson catalogue doesn’t show much detail.

Clickable thumbnail:-

Regards

John

Tyrone Shoelaces · May 20, 2009

Well done Holmes, err Asquith. Surely we weren't making machines that old fashioned as late as the 50's-60's ? I'd have said pre war ( 2nd that is ). Regards Tyrone.

Asquith · May 20, 2009

Tyrone,

It does seem surprising, doesn't it? However a fair number of British firms in the 1950s were still stuck in the Edwardian era. Looking at my 1958 Buck & Hickman catalogue, some of the products were unchanged over decades, some still using the original engravings instead of photos. I don't know about machine tools for professionals, though, but if you think of amateur's machines made by Portass, say, they weren't 'state of the art' in the 1950s.

Tyrone Shoelaces · May 20, 2009

I know what you mean, when demand was high post war there was no incentive to modernise. When things got tough it was too late ! Regards Tyrone.

centrelathe · May 21, 2009

Very old surface grinder

Thank"s very much John, you"ve done me proud, and yes you are bang on the nail with the picture, the only thing that puzzles me as has been said is the "date", because it has remained in pieces since WW2, and it had a few miles under it"s belt then . Do you think the word "Superior" relates to it"s manufacturer, or it"s spec/type ? .I"d like to thank everyone else also for their interest in it"s History, and maybe with some luck there is more to come , kind regards , from a fellow engineer , Jeff , (centrelathe)

centrelathe · May 22, 2009

Very old surface grinder

I"ve had a tremendous response from you all (via personal e.mails) in regard to my insertion about the old surface grinder , even offers to buy it , also i"ve gained a lot of new friends from around the globe , i found this site by accident, of which i am not sorry , may you all continue to keep the spirit of engineering alive and kicking , kind regards , Jeff , (centrelathe) :cheers:

Asquith · Jun 2, 2009

Centrelathe.

In another thread I was seeking information on a Superior drilling machine, and 'Millwright' gave me a lead to Beacon Machine Tools. Turns out they made 'Superior' surface grinders, which look like an updated version of yours:-

http://www.machinespares.net/beacon.html

The website is for Machine Spares Ltd, who have bought the manufacturing rights.

Ox · Jun 2, 2009

I just wunna know one thing:

Who in their right mind has a running anything (ESPECIALLY something ancient!) and gives away a perfectly good cannible?

Who?

:crazy:

---------------------

I don't suffer from mental disease
I enjoy every minute of it!

Ox

baldwin · Dec 22, 2009

Beacon Superior

This should be a picture of my Beacon Superior - I think it is a mk6 version, venerable but still working.
,

"VERY OLD" Surface Grinder

Plastic

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