BLM Cam grinder

[PackardV8]

1. Anyone ever used a BLM cam grinder? Know anyone who has? Know who has one?
2. All I've heard is they were made in Argentina
3. Supposedly, a reverse-engineered Van Norman.
4. Given, they probably aren't a precision cam grinding machine, but do they give decent rebuilder-quality regrinds?

[Keith Morganstein]

1. Anyone ever used a BLM cam grinder? Know anyone who has? Know who has one?
2. All I've heard is they were made in Argentina
3. Supposedly, a reverse-engineered Van Norman.
4. Given, they probably aren't a precision cam grinding machine, but do they give decent rebuilder-quality regrinds?

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7218

UDHarold's comment from Mr. Crane prompted me to ask anouther individual about this machine. Lyle Haley has been involved with all of the companies mentioned in this thread in one way or anouther. I asked Lyle for some history on the machine and as expected fell right in line with Harold's and Harvey's this is what he had to say....

Rogers Machine brought in 3 BLM cam grinders from Argentina in the late 70's and was gping to put Peterson Machine Tool out of the Berco cam grinder business. As far as I know all three machines have been moved around so much that they might have more miles on them than some 18 wheelers do. I've never heard of anyone grinding a successful camshaft on one.

I've worked on one BLM sufacing machine that was a "clone" of Berco's RSC1550. The electrical system looked as if was created by a layed off Chinese electrical engineer. The machine never would grind even close to good even when it ran.

Harvey Crane has the right take on the cam grinder, except that a 40 ft pole might not be long enough.

Lyle

For those of you who do not know Lyle, he tells things like they are. If you do not know who he is do a search here or on google.

[PackardV8]

FWIW, I've got a line on the shop and the guy who ran this BLM cam grinder some years back. I'm going to ask what it would take for him to come up and show us the finer points of operation.

There doesn't seem to be any master-making tools with it, but we've got a set off a Storm-Vulcan which maybe can be adapted to work.

[PackardV8]

After some examination and head-scratching, this BLM is probably as simple as it is possible to make a cam grinder. It also appears it's completely manual and there's no way to put out finished product at a commercially feasible rate. That's OK for now, as we don't intend to compete with the production shops.

It also is possible there's no master-making tooling. We think the follower wheel moves down to the cam lobe to be copied and the grinding wheel moves over to the master mount station. Only trying one will prove this hypothesis.

Not getting the cam card paperwork with the masters may prove to be the deal-breaker. The few sheets we got had data such as "315 degrees +7 degrees" for a particular lobe. This seems to be accomplished via a vernier scale beside the main degree scale.

Photos to follow.

[williamsmotowerx]

Did you end up getting this grinder?

[PackardV8]

Yes, we've got it in house now. Very robust construction.





We also got the cabinet with about 65 masters and a few blanks on it.

Appears to be a simplified and reverse-engineered Berco. Would be ideal for special and prototype grinds; far too slow for piecework/production.

[williamsmotowerx]

I have been looking for years for a machine like this reasonably priced. I know Schmidt motor works had some awhile back that I missed out on... bummed!

[lada ok]

does the table ' rock ' or the g.. wheel moves in / out ?

[danilo]

does the table ' rock ' or the g.. wheel moves in / out ?

Hello friend i want to buy a camshaft grinder machine BLM

[PackardV8]

Send me a PM and we'll work out the details.

[PackardV8]

Machine is in excellent condition and obviously has very low hours on it. Just needs cleaning and oiling to be ready to work. Got a PM asking to post the price. It's $4,500 F.O.B. crated and dropped on a shipping company dock of your choice in Spokane, WA.