Help! Can anyone identify this machine

[Buzz_LightBeer 959]

True it is info overload, and the art of sharpening is way more than any of us could put into text unfortunately. 
 

in general terms pink/Ruby wheels maximize the quality of sharpen and cost effectiveness if you’re doing decent quality non rusty blades. Some guys may prefer other wheels for their blades but pink or Ruby is a good place to start. 

[Pigbait 5]

1 minute ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

True it is info overload, and the art of sharpening is way more than any of us could put into text unfortunately. 
 

in general terms pink/Ruby wheels maximize the quality of sharpen and cost effectiveness if you’re doing decent quality non rusty blades. Some guys may prefer other wheels for their blades but pink or Ruby is a good place to start. 

Ok thanks, do those tools look like what I need?

[marka 518]

Howdy,

Can't help on the different types of wheels.

If that were my machine, I'd pop off the red cover and see if there were spacers for the grinding wheel that were reversed or could be changed or whatever... But I agree with Buzz that it looks like it would work the way it is since it looks like at least the center of the diamond 'swing' is on the grinding stone enough to accommodate a skate blade.  It would bug the hell out of me though.  🙂  And I suppose on a new grinding wheel you'd waste more of it getting the initial radius onto it.

Mark

[Pigbait 5]

43 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

Can't help on the different types of wheels.

If that were my machine, I'd pop off the red cover and see if there were spacers for the grinding wheel that were reversed or could be changed or whatever... But I agree with Buzz that it looks like it would work the way it is since it looks like at least the center of the diamond 'swing' is on the grinding stone enough to accommodate a skate blade.  It would bug the hell out of me though.  🙂  And I suppose on a new grinding wheel you'd waste more of it getting the initial radius onto it.

Mark

Hey Mark thanks for chiming in, I took the wheel off and no spacers.😣 I agree with you it's annoying not having a nice clean even wheel...

I'm thinking maybe the arm for the Dimond got bent? She's an old machine so who knows what it went through in the past.. but that Dimond swing arm is cast brass. So pretty hard to bend it.

 

Again thanks allot Buzz & Mark your help is truly appreciated.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Pigbait

[Buzz_LightBeer 959]

14 hours ago, Pigbait said:

Hmm🤔 dose this seem right? looks like the diamond isn't centered on the cutting disk? I can't seem to find a way to adjust it.. could the disk be to thin?

That diamond should articulate lower than horizontal, what’s stopping it? Tough to see from the photos

[krisdrum 223]

I'm a total layman - so take this with a HUGE grain of salt.  But the dressing tip location looks right to me.  Isn't the whole idea of the dressing tip to make a convex shape in the edge of the grinding wheel so you can use the wheel to make a concave shape in the blade?  It looks like the swing arm just needs to be positioned closer to the wheel, so as you swing it up from the very bottom of the wheel to the top it creates that half-circle radius in the edge. 

[Pigbait 5]

38 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

That diamond should articulate lower than horizontal, what’s stopping it? Tough to see from the photos

The Dimond dresser dose move all the way up and down. I just had it in placed for the center..

34 minutes ago, krisdrum said:

I'm a total layman - so take this with a HUGE grain of salt.  But the dressing tip location looks right to me.  Isn't the whole idea of the dressing tip to make a convex shape in the edge of the grinding wheel so you can use the wheel to make a concave shape in the blade?  It looks like the swing arm just needs to be positioned closer to the wheel, so as you swing it up from the very bottom of the wheel to the top it creates that half-circle radius in the edge. 

I'm a complete noob on this, I was under the understanding it should have an even radius on the stone like the bottom of this sample,

[krisdrum 223]

31 minutes ago, Pigbait said:

The Dimond dresser dose move all the way up and down. I just had it in placed for the center..

I'm a complete noob on this, I was under the understanding it should have an even radius on the stone like the bottom of this sample,

That is my assumption as well.  So you are seeing information that it should look more like the top images? 

[Pigbait 5]

54 minutes ago, krisdrum said:

That is my assumption as well.  So you are seeing information that it should look more like the top images?

No my dresser dresse the stone radius the opposite of the top image, but I can't seem to adjust it to find the center point like the bottom image in the example. I'm starting to think something might be Bent

[krisdrum 223]

18 minutes ago, Pigbait said:

No my dresser dresse the stone radius the opposite of the top image, but I can't seem to adjust it to find the center point like the bottom image in the example. I'm starting to think something might be Bent

Ah, I see it now, looking at the most recent pictures.  I'd be surprised if something is bent - all those components look very beefy. 

[Pigbait 5]

10 minutes ago, krisdrum said:

Ah, I see it now, looking at the most recent pictures.  I'd be surprised if something is bent - all those components look very beefy. 

Yeah that's Dimond swing arm is all brass. Would be hard to bend it for sure. Oh well. I'll try and see where it ends up. Might just sell it to some who might have better access to this.. It's hard without knowing what make or model it is.  All I found was Fleming Ontario on a worn out label. I've tried contacting Fleming Gray to see if they could identify it. But no response...

 

I managed to clean it up and it turned out better then I thought.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Pigbait

[SalemSkates 1]

I have followed this topic with curiosity and see that you have done a good job in cleaning up the machine. A will send a few comments which may help. Looking at the pictures from the front, it looks like the wheel is quite thick. The Fleming Gray wheels from this vintage machine should be 6" diameter x 1/4" thick x 3/4" arbor hole. If your wheel is thicker, you will get an off center dress. Fleming Gray does sell several wheels of this size. https://fleminggrayskatesharpeners.com

Trying to get the hollow setting may be tricky, but it can be measured. Use a ruler or something similar to make a straight line along the center of the pivot point on the arm dresser to the front of the diamond dresser. (You probably will want to do this with the wheel cover removed.) The distance from the line to the tip of the diamond will be the ROH. If that is measured accurately, you can then mark the dresser for the various hollows.

The skate clamp is critical to getting good results and must be properly adjusted to the right height for even edges. The holder that I saw at the beginning has a very old ramp style adjustment, which is hard to set up accurately and make minor adjustments. You might consider updating this to a newer/better type.

[Pigbait 5]

27 minutes ago, SalemSkates said:

I have followed this topic with curiosity and see that you have done a good job in cleaning up the machine. A will send a few comments which may help. Looking at the pictures from the front, it looks like the wheel is quite thick. The Fleming Gray wheels from this vintage machine should be 6" diameter x 1/4" thick x 3/4" arbor hole. If your wheel is thicker, you will get an off center dress. Fleming Gray does sell several wheels of this size. https://fleminggrayskatesharpeners.com

Trying to get the hollow setting may be tricky, but it can be measured. Use a ruler or something similar to make a straight line along the center of the pivot point on the arm dresser to the front of the diamond dresser. (You probably will want to do this with the wheel cover removed.) The distance from the line to the tip of the diamond will be the ROH. If that is measured accurately, you can then mark the dresser for the various hollows.

The skate clamp is critical to getting good results and must be properly adjusted to the right height for even edges. The holder that I saw at the beginning has a very old ramp style adjustment, which is hard to set up accurately and make minor adjustments. You might consider updating this to a newer/better type.

WOW! I Just ordered a new stone from Fleming Gray, once I get it I'll see about marking the hallows like you've described, hopefully you don't mind if I have more questions for you along the way?

[marka 518]

Howdy,

21 hours ago, Pigbait said:

I managed to clean it up and it turned out better then I thought.

I'll say.  You've done a great job cleaning that up!  Did you end up painting, or is that all elbow grease?

NM:  Looked at some earlier pictures.  You've put a good bit of work into reconditioning that thing!

I'd wondered if it was designed with a thinner grinding wheel in mind.

Mark

Edited March 24, 2022 by marka

[Pigbait 5]

22 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

I'll say.  You've done a great job cleaning that up!  Did you end up painting, or is that all elbow grease?

NM:  Looked at some earlier pictures.  You've put a good bit of work into reconditioning that thing!

I'd wondered if it was designed with a thinner grinding wheel in mind.

Mark

I took it all apart, sand blasted everything (except for the machine finish on the table) then painted, replaced the old on/off switch with a pull to start, push to stop switch.. cleaned up the bearing and out fresh grease.. 

Now I'll wait on my new grinding wheel.. will also do like Salemskates said and look at getting a new holder for the skates. 

[VegasHockey 1256]

On 3/22/2022 at 7:15 PM, Pigbait said:

Also what's the difference with grinding stone colours? white, pink, yellow, Blue?

 

The color of the stones means different grit or compositions of materials. For example, some cut cooler than others. 

[Pigbait 5]

So it's official, the machine is a Fleming Gray, it's from the 1950's... I got lucky and called the guys over at Fleming Gray about what stone size I needed. I told them I wasn't sure what make my machine was And "Doug" I believe was his name asked if I could send him pictures... He said "Yup that's one of our old machines" who would have thought they would still support and help a guy with a machine that's almost 70 years old. They got me new stones for it. Extremely excited they knew what this machine was...

 

I am absolutely blown away with the help I've gotten from you guys and from them..