2x72 belts-What am I doing wrong?

W

Way-Barney

Joined
Jun 4, 2023
Messages
773
My belts are getting shredded on the corners, but there looks to be plenty of life left in the middle, resulting in slightly uneven grinds and uneven symmetry at the choil area. I must be doing something wrong but I cant figure out what.
 
Vertical grinding? Edge up?

Is your platen slightly proud of the tanget of your two platen wheels?

Do you walk the belt off too far when grinding your bevels? Causing too much crease/wear

I'm off the platen, probably less than an eighth on the side/edge when doing my bevels.

Do you use jigs or fixtures? What kind?
 
Crag the Brewer said:
Vertical grinding? Edge up?

Is your platen slightly proud of the tanget of your two platen wheels?

Do you walk the belt off too far when grinding your bevels? Causing too much crease/wear

I'm off the platen, probably less than an eighth on the side/edge when doing my bevels.

Do you use jigs or fixtures? What kind?
Click to expand...

I am vertical grinding edge up, I use a straight edge to set the platen level with the wheels so am proud about the thickness of the belt, I generally overhang the platen about 1/32 to 1/16, i use a home made shoulder jig and angle the rest to the angle required and then use angle iron as a support for the blade.
I swap over the side and then move the belt over to overhang the other side.
 
My middles don't last as long either.... I think that's Normal

Let me ask...are you happy with your grinds?

The Pros say to use belts like they are FREE
*I'm not there yet
 
Are you grinding with the blade held at an angle from the belt, favoring the belt edges? Check out your sparks as you grind. Is there a more or less even shower across the belt or is it concentrated near the belt edge? Assuming your platen is flat and doesn't have a concave dip in it.

Eric
 
I feel that my grinding got easier, and looked better with a glass platen.

Maybe that could help?
 
Crag the Brewer said:
My middles don't last as long either.... I think that's Normal

Let me ask...are you happy with your grinds?

The Pros say to use belts like they are FREE
*I'm not there yet
Click to expand...
That made laugh, I am a skinflint and need an everlasting belt. :) I have mirror polished one blade and quickly learned to use sandpaper like its free. LOL

I am happy that my grinds are getting better but I can see an issue and would like to correct it if at all possible, maybe I am being a little over zealous. I want it right.
 
ea42 said:
Are you grinding with the blade held at an angle from the belt, favoring the belt edges? Check out your sparks as you grind. Is there a more or less even shower across the belt or is it concentrated near the belt edge? Assuming your platen is flat and doesn't have a concave dip in it.

Eric
Click to expand...
Thank you for that Eric, I will check that tomorrow. I have not taken note of the spark pattern! I am shoving backwards and forwards trying so hard to keep is straight nothing else is in my mind.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I feel that my grinding got easier, and looked better with a glass platen.

Maybe that could help?
Click to expand...
I think I am going to have to do that, I have been grinding away all waste metal to the profile line and really weighing into the middle of the platten, I suspect after your advices, that I have damaged it .
 
Way-Barney said:
That made laugh, I am a skinflint and need an everlasting belt. :) I have mirror polished one blade and quickly learned to use sandpaper like its free. LOL

I am happy that my grinds are getting better but I can see an issue and would like to correct it if at all possible, maybe I am being a little over zealous. I want it right.
Click to expand...


Well.... I'm actually using my edges more.
So it makes sense.

I don't have small wheels.

So for little radius, I just curve the blade around the platen corner to achieve that small inside radius.

Hence, more wear. Because of more use.
 
Glass platen is my first suggestion. Many folks "break" the glass platen edges by rounding the side edges just a tad to take off any sharpness. The round the top and bottom edge to make sure the belt does not wear or bump. You can do this on a 400-grit belt running slow or on a fine diamond stone. Water is a good thing while grinding glass.

Check belt tension. Too much can cup the belts. Too little can also affect wear.

Old belts, and those stored in an outside shop can also cup and wear on the edges. Belts have a rather short shelf life. Temperature and humidity shorten that.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Glass platen is my first suggestion. Many folks "break" the glass platen edges by rounding the side edges just a tad to take off any sharpness. The round the top and bottom edge to make sure the belt does not wear or bump. You can do this on a 400-grit belt running slow or on a fine diamond stone. Water is a good thing while grinding glass.

Check belt tension. Too much can cup the belts. Too little can also affect wear.

Old belts, and those stored in an outside shop can also cup and wear on the edges. Belts have a rather short shelf life. Temperature and humidity shorten that.
Click to expand...
Thanks Stacy,
I will order some glass,
When checking belt tension, How? I was taught on blades to twist so that there is a bit, but not too much flex. How much should it turn on a belt 45, 90 ?
Belts are outside in the shed just hung up, do i need to bring them in until I use them?
 
Storing the belts in a tightly closed storage bin with some desiccant packs can help. The sign of problems is if the belts start curling and tangling while hung.
Storing the belts on a nail or dowel "pinches" the belt at the peg and can make problems if stored too long that way. Below is a solution that helps a lot.

A good system to store belts is:
Make the top rack:
Screw two 2X4s to the wall. One at the top height where the belts will hang. The other approx. 30" below it (see below). You can make it as long as you have space and belts for.
Screw a row of #10 cans to the upper 2X4 with 2" spaces between the cans.
Most any restaurant or big kitchen like a school can give you all the empty cans you ever want. Youn need two cans for each belt grit or type. Get lots of extras .. (see last section)
Drape one belt over the middle can. (see why below)
This finishes the top rack for the belts.

For the bottom rack placement:
Hold a #10 can in the bottom of the hanging belt and mark where the centerline of the can is. This is the height you will mount the second 2X4.

Make up the lower can "arms" :
Screw 12" pieces of 1X2" wood to all of the bottom cans. Drill a 1/4" hole in the end of the arm sticking out from the can. Place the can in the bottom of the belt draped from the top rack. With the arm sticking out along the bottom board, put a 3/16" screw in the hole in the arm just snug enough to freely allow the can to move up and down. The bottom can can now be lifted to allow adding or removing belts. This way the belts stay loosely stretched in a smooth curve. They also don't have to be stacked on each other. You can store stuff in the upper and lower cans. too. Put plastic tops on them (cheap on Amazon) and store things like sandpaper, unrolled belts, buffing compound and wheels, small tools and things to adjust the grinder, etc. Write the belt grits/type/supplier of the belts and what is in the cans on the lids with a bold sharpie.

Going farther:
You can do the same thing with more cans side by side on te walls and over the grinder bench just to store stuff in. No dust/grit all over the things you used to store on a shelf. They can be placed close by the machines they apply to. Loose things like Corby bolts and drill bits can be put in small plastic boxes and the boxes stored in the cans. Write what the can has in it on the plastic lids.
Another great use is to store a blade and handle block, plus any hardware, in a can to keep them together and clean. When done for the day just put them back and they will be where you can find them later.
 
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