There have been numerous attempts at making CNC cam grinders attempted over the years. I don't know of any that achieved commercial success outside of the Landis 3L. This machine is far, far and away too expensive however for the hobbyist to even consider.
We grind cams as a profession. We've tried to mill cams with 4th axis machines. WE even tried to create plate master cams with a 2D machine. After spending lots of time and money, we finally did it but it takes a VERY, VERY expensive CNC and one in very good condition to do it - a home brew CNC does NOT have the accuracy. The smootheness issues illuded to in the prior post are but a few of the problems that preclude the use of milled lobes for high speed cams - there are more and they are substantial....
There is a model size cam grinder that was made for/by a DIY'er - it was featured in a past issue of Home Shop Machinist and was a cover story as I recall. The machine did model engine size cams. I suspect it MIGHT be upscaleable to do Briggs or other one cyl cams but you'd still need to have a master cam created to grind from.
The cam arc and protractor design method used for the model engine cam will not create a profile that is smooth or dynamically stable enough to live in even a lawn mower engine. Again, the issues outlined in the prior post are harbingers of things that will happen.
Shameless plug: We do grind masters as a service to our clients. Although we haven't designed or cut any "model cams" like those used to on the HSM grinder, we theoretically could once we got the linkage geometry provided from whatever HSM adaptation is attempted.  |