$1000 knife shop

GibsonFan

GibsonFan

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Jul 7, 2006
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Is it possible to set up a good basic shop for under a grand? (Yes, I have a copy of Goddard's "$50 Knife Shop :) ) I'm wondering about a decent belt-sander and buffer. A small drill press would be nice too, I think. (I can never drill holes in handle slabs straight without one)

I'm not going full-time at this any time soon, so the tools don't have to be THE best, most long-lasting ones available. I just want decent reliabilty without too many bells and whistles... and I have no interest in building a grinder out of an old washing machine.

Your input, especially "deals" to avoid, would be greatly appreciated.
 
I think so. The basic tools you need are a grinder, bandsaw and a drill press. Others here will tell you where to get these items for the best price.

I just bought another drill press. its a Delta benchtop model with 1/2" chuck and is variable speed (no belts) for $229. It is Sweet!
 
Sure is:

- 4x6 HF metal bandsaw: $150 (the sale is on now)
- decent 16 tpi bimetal BS blade: $25
- decent drill press: under $100
- 2x72 belt grinder + buffer: http://www.grizzly.com/products/g1015 $375
They also sell 10" contact wheel for something like $60. Or, if you don't mind being flat-grinder only, you can get 2x42 from Sears, but then you'd need to spend $70 on a decent buffer
- whatever is left, you'd need belts, buffs, compounds , hand files etc.
 
Well well! Thanks guys, I'm feeling better already. I posted this because I saw another thread where guys are comparing grinders at $1300 and up...
the suggestions you guys have made add up to $750 or less, leaving room for belts compounds steel etc.

Realizing that I hadn't thought about a bandsaw was a "Doh!" moment ;)

Regarding that Grizzly buffer... are the specs listed on that one a good guideline? (horsepower, etc.) I'd like to look around locally and save the $70 shipping. I do like the fact that the Grizzly is a grinder and buffer on one unit... I'm really limited for space.
 
Skip the bandsaw if you have to. I just go crazy with a hacksaw, and it doesn't take but a few minutes to rough out a blade. :D
 
You "can" do anything...but would you want to??

My shop has progressed with my work. I started with a hacksaw, files and sandpaper. A few years later and i have the KMG, paragon oven, anvil, bandsaw, drillpress, etc etc....

I wouldnt burst the wallet trying to get everything at once. From personal experience, i would start with the VERY basics and then upgrade each item with a high quality tool. No sense in buying 6 grinders before you buy a KMG... ;)
 
TikTock said:
I wouldnt burst the wallet trying to get everything at once. From personal experience, i would start with the VERY basics and then upgrade each item with a high quality tool...
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That's pretty much what I'm thinking, yeah. I can indeed make a complete knife with no power tools at all (unfortunately I know almost diddly about HT right now so it's a KSO at this point :) ) I'm at the files/paper/stones/hacksaw point myself and have been for a while... I would just like to put a profile on a blade in a day instead of a week, lol.

With that in mind, I think I will focus on as good a grinder as I can find for under, say, $500. I have to think that's the most important thing I need. I think I can get away without a bandsaw, as mentioned, and I can use the drill press at work if I need to. (Gonna buy my own bits though... boss buys the cheap ones and the other guys seem to think that pulling on the handle with your whole bodyweight makes it drill faster).

Any other suggestions on grinders and drill bits? Also bandsaws and drill presses... you know I'll talk myself into buying them eventually :) There's enough info on forges/HT ovens here to make my head spin, so I won't even ask about that yet...

Any other tools you guys find really come in handy? Like the kiind of thing a buddy turns you onto, and you go "Dang, I wish I had that years ago."
 
A good variable speed foot controlled dremmel like my Foredom can easily be used for many of the same jobs a drill press does, and also a milling machine. Get the small drill press attatchment with the dremmel. Its great. I used just that for years and years. You don't have to go with Foredom and spend all the money for the name brand either. I have a Foredom and a Pro Craft that was half the price and it works in the Fordom drill press attatchment as well as the Foredom does.

My drill press was a big lots special for 50 bucks. I've had it for 6 years and it gets used a lot.

You can make knives by grinding flat stock using a Harbor Freight 1x30 40 buck grinder/sander unit. I did the knife in my signiture line with one just to see if it could be done. Guess what it did it fine using ceramic belts bought from another source.

You can set up a pretty good starter shop for $1000. Shop at Harbor Freight and get it all.

Lowes has a small table top Delta Bandsaw that will do a lot of cutting jobs for knifemaking just fine. 99 dollars and some change. If you shop at Harbor Freight you can probably find the same saw with a different name on it and save a few more bucks.

My shop is a Harbor Freight show case. Much of my equipment I've had and used the tar out of since bought new in the late 80s.

STR
 
STR said:
A good variable speed foot controlled dremmel like my Foredom can easily be used for many of the same jobs a drill press does, and also a milling machine. Get the small drill press attatchment with the dremmel.

STR
Click to expand...

I bought a nice new Dremel last summer, I like it a lot. It's not foot-controlled though. I'm currently going thru cutting discs like crazy blanking out some nickel silver for guards :) Way faster than a hacksaw but I dunno if that would work for cutting out blade blanks. I'll look into a press attachment for it, I bet that would work for roughing-in inlays?

STR said:
You can make knives by grinding flat stock using a Harbor Freight 1x30 40 buck grinder/sander unit. I did the knife in my signiture line with one just to see if it could be done. Guess what it did it fine using ceramic belts bought from another source.STR
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I'll be starting with just flat-grinding from barstock like you say. But I think if I go THAT cheap on a grinder, I'll just want a better one in a few weeks, if I don't burn it up first. Plus I think a 2" belt would be easier to keep things straight on, yes? I'm basing this on my adventure when I tried to profile a blade on the cheapo bench grinder at work... not much fun! It went a lot better after I annealed it (doh!) but it was still hard to keep it even.
 
You can always substitute a disk grinder for a belt grinder to save money. All you need is a 1/2 h.p. motor and a 9" steel disk and ordinary sheets of sandpaper. Can be done for $150.00. I use one in addition to my Burr King but I know one maker who uses only a disk grinder and he produces a very nice product. Something to consider if money is tight.
 
I use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to rough out blanks. I usually work with 1/4" and 3/16" steel, and I can rough out a 12" oal blank in a few minutes. You can't really cut curves, but you can cut angles, then put a grinding wheel on and smooth the angles into curves. This is actually pretty fun...sort of like sculpting. Then you can finish up profiling on the 2x72.

I'd get a metal bandsaw myself, but my shop area is a little space-challenged at the moment. Another fairly inexpensive method is an oxyacetalene torch with a cutting tip. Then, there's always the plasma cutter if you have the $$$.

Cheers,

psr
 
If you get the Grizzly grinder/buffer ( I have one), don't bother with the sanding belt that comes with it. Order some decent belts from a place like Truegrit. another good investment for the grinder is a ceramic platen (Darren Ellis, good source).

Like many others, I started with a hacksaw and files.
 
GibsonFan said:
Is it possible to set up a good basic shop for under a grand? (Yes, I have a copy of Goddard's "$50 Knife Shop :) ) I'm wondering about a decent belt-sander and buffer. A small drill press would be nice too, I think. (I can never drill holes in handle slabs straight without one)

I'm in the process of putting together the following:
10" Coote - $500
1hp motor - $100 (Harbor Freight)
Drill Press - $129 (on-sale at Sears)
Wood cutting Band saw - $129 (on-sale at Sears)
Recipricating Saw - $19.95 (Harbor Freight) It cut through a 3/16" D2 bar in seconds; can't beat the price.
Dave
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Sometimes when ya ask a question around here you get almost TOO many answers :) I'm not complaining! You guys have been very helpful.

Unless I find a really compelling reason to go elsewhere, I think I'm going to go with that Grizzly. It seems to have a real solid reputation around here and I'm just not comfortable buying a real cheap grinder... I figure if I buy a nicer one, I'll either A) have it longer or B) if I give up, it will be worth more and maybe I could sell it to someone.

Phydeaux said:
If you get the Grizzly grinder/buffer ( I have one), don't bother with the sanding belt that comes with it. Order some decent belts from a place like Truegrit. another good investment for the grinder is a ceramic platen (Darren Ellis, good source).
Click to expand...

Good point... sometimes even good tools come with crappy accesories. Other sources for quality belts, etc?

This may be a really dumb question, but why do I want a ceramic platen?

Thanks again y'all, like I've said before, I've learned more from my membership here, than in years of reading magazines and whatnot!
 
Grizzly is good. I've got a Kalamazoo 2x48 grinder that is very good also. I use it mostly for my flat grinding. I just used the 1x30 to see what it could do in a pinch. For the money you could have a spare in the corner or for that matter stick a bigger motor on it and run it that way but the 2" is for sure the better size.

Good luck.

STR
 
Gibsonfan,
I ordered the Grizzly 2X72 grinder-buffer 2 weeks ago. They're back ordered untill mid November. My belts and 10" wheel arrived in a week though.
 
  • Coote grinder ~400
  • 1hp motor ~100
  • HF Metal bandsaw ~150 (yes you do need it.)
  • Small wood bandsaw ~150
  • 8" drill press -~60 (all you need till you start folders)
  • Dremmel kit ~60
  • Bench grinder with buffing wheels ~80
$1000 - add maybe $50 for your first belt order.

GREAT THREAD! Much more realistic than the $50 knife shop. Thanks for starting it.

Rob!
 
I agree that you can. But, I am warning you once you start you can't stop.:eek: It's just like eating potato chips, you can't just eat one.:D
 
I believe your shop layout is as important as your tools.

Over the past two weeks, I've been building a new shop in my basement. I put alot of thought into designing it. Over the past few years, I've making knives in my spare time at work, or coming in on my days off. I am constantly setting up, running to my boxes for tools, or picking up afterwards. Its time consuming and tiring.

In my shop, my first concern was efficiency. I wanted a layout that flowed. I can start in one place, and work my way around in a circle. At each station I have all the tools I need for that particular process neatly arranged on pegboards or hangers. For instance, at my drill press, I made a wooden plaque with each of the drill bit sizes I use drilled into it. I labeled each bit for its intended purpose (ie small rivet, large rivet, kydex screw, 1/4" pin). I also included the center drill and countersinks I use.

I tried to keep the messy processes close to each other, and the sheath making (Kydex) and layout areas clean, and away from the mess.

Another concern was Lighting. I spent about $500.00 wiring and lighting my shop. I probably went a little overboard, but I hate working in a cave! I'm currently in the process of building an air handling unit which will remove all the dust from each machine. Its a pretty good size blower with a suction line to each machine and a 5" discharge outside the shop. I made the benches 38" high, so I don't have to bend over so much, and placed antifatigue matting on the floor.

Including machines and wiring, I'm about $3000.00 into my shop. Add in materials (belts, emery paper) and hand tools (like files, punches, scribers, etc, etc,) probably more like $3600.00. That includes 3 Grizzly grinders (2-1"X30" and 1-2"X72", drill press, band saw (both Craftsman), air compressor, buffer, bench grinder, bead blast cabinet, propane torch (high flow), air compressor, porta-band, two vises, heat gun, and small convection oven for tempering. I'm currently shopping around for a lathe and mill or a quality combo set. That'll probably run another $3K-$5K.

Its amazing how fast this stuff adds up! Can you do it cheaper, yes, you can. Many have proved its possible. If you're serious about knifemaking, think ahead and have a plan. Save up and get everything at once, or get the necessities first, then a piece at a time later on. It'll go alot easier in the end if you have a plan.
 
I'm in the process of redoing my shop right now too. In fact it has taken its toll on my knife repair, and pocket clip thing for the time being but I'm getting there day by day. I'm fortunate I have so much space but for the first time I'll at least have a smaller space to heat for this winter. I tested my little heater the other day during a 40 degree evening and it worked well so I'm thinking I'll at least be able to work without seeing my breath this winter which is a real plus.

You can see my shop here at this link http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/778151/ if anyone is interested. I think my most expensive tool is my Delta 14" band saw but I've had that thing for coming up on 20 years. Otherwise I have an enconomy shop all the way.

STR
 
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