Projects 40's b&d valve grinder restored

Hi all - I bought a valve grinder 5 months ago for 80 bucks, it was in pretty poor shape cosmetically, but otherwise very sound..

Here is what it looked like when I got it:

 

Here are some pics of what it looks like now:

New sealed bearings, commutators cut on lathe (first lathe cut!), new carbon brushes, new wiring all over. Upper motor is too tight on gears so need to check that out but otherwise shes ready. Im not sure if the pump works yet but will see.. The wheel for valve face grinding (left side) is totally angled, this must be badly worn or are the stones supposed to be this way? On this video () the left stone is flat edges, mine has a HUGE cut like they never dressed it maybe? Ill get a pic 2moro of what I have..

 

Thats what I learned on as a kid. Had one in the shop down the street and in High School auto shop.

 

Nice job , used one when just starting out, now no one seems to use them in the trade, cheaper to go buy a new set of valves.Very handy for home though

 

I got one like that but a little newer, maybe early '70's, along with a Kwik-Way seat grinder with stones, dresser and some pilots, for painting my buddy's dad's '52 Chevy last Labor Day. Mine has the coolant pump on one end of the electric motor, and it is no good. I borrow the one from my bandsaw when I run it.

 

Decades ago I learned (kinda) on a Sioux machine. I don’t remember intricate details but more generalities. I know (think) we used 30* and 45* stones to face the valves and a 90* to true the tips of the stems and/or shorten the stem to compensate for seat and valve face material lost in the grinding process. Needed to maintain a correct valve stem length to keep rocker geometry as intended and especially for hydraulic lifters.

Nice job you are doing restoring the B & D machine........and thanks for sharing.

Ray

 

Cool! I just picked up a Kwik way valve grinder from the 40's. Getting it cleaned/lubed and working again now. Love the old shop equipment!

 

Yeah i dont believe in a throw away attitude.. plenty of valves still have years of service with a quicbuzz on the wheel.. most of the heads i see have worse valve wear than seats. I clean seats with neway stuff if necessary or machine shop if theyre bad.

The pump on the end of the starter on mine will probably also be bad.. i was too keen to get it started up than machine the nose, and put on an oversize seal, but i will see how it goes. I did sand out burrs till it was super smooth and did a 3psi test and it seemed to hold up. Might put in some lucas stop leak seal treatment in the atf :0

I looked at the stones on other machines and this one def seems to be worn out completely, yikes the stone itself seems to have a 45 degree angle in it already!

 

On an unknown test valve, this is the machine on a 30 degree cut maxed out travel wise - the valve makes no contact at all, do I need a different size stone? Seems like going from a 3" to 4" would suit all my needs.

This stone measures 3" across.. 1" wide and 5/8 pilot.

I put in a chevy valve and it actually worked so not sure why this is.. the offset stone is actually the correct one but not sure where to get one -