6x48 grinder useful in knifemaking?

T

tony santovenia

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Sep 20, 2018
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Hey guys, i just had someone give me an old and perfectly functioning craftsman 6x48 belt grinder with a 9 inch disk grinder built onto the side. Does anyone use one of these in knifemaking or find them useful?

Im pretty new to knifemaking still and currently use a HF 1X30 and was thinking that this 6x48 might help me atleast grind my knives down flat after my terrible forging.

Heres a pic for reference just in case.

 
I started with a craftsman 4x36 and it’s definitely better than not having it.
It will run relatively slow and be underpowered but like I said better than not having it.
 
3fifty7 said:
I started with a craftsman 4x36 and it’s definitely better than not having it.
It will run relatively slow and be underpowered but like I said better than not having it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for ur reply 3fifty7! Cool good to know. Didnt realize it would be underpowered.
 
I made a lot of knives on one until I got my 2x72. The ceramic belts last a long time. Now I just use the disc sander part of it and run it without the belt. The belt robs a lot of power.
 
They are woodworking machines and you can bog the motor if you get too aggressive. Also be sure blow it clean and free of any wood dust.
 
Make sure ya read the link lots of good info there. I had one of those old Craftsmen bout a hundred years ago.
 
Sure, that will definitely be useful. I have ground many blades on a 4x36 grinder with a 3/4 hp motor in that same orientation (belt running horizontally). It's a different way of grinding, but it works. I added a glass platen and a koolmist to mine, which makes things more pleasant, especially since these things are single speed.

Do I want a better grinder? Absolutely. But you can still do decent work on a machine like that.
 
i still use a 4x36 for handle shaping even though i have a tw-90 grinder with all the attachments :rolleyes: i just got used to it and nothing else seems to work as well lol. couldent hurt to keep it.
 
I don't have a proper 2"x72" grinder for knife making, so I don't have anything good to compare it against. But I do use my 4"x36" sander, and like the wider belts for big & wide blades. I feel like I can do a better job of keeping it flat, with less worry of dips & ripples on such a big surface.
 
I was talking about this with a friend and recalled a funny episode when getting ready for Harrisonburg a few years back.

My 6X48 Jet is used for sanding down handle blocks most of the time. It has a "dust chamber" and a 4" vac port. There is a suction fan built into the end roller that draws the dust away from the rollers and into the chamber, where the vacuum carries it away. Because of the pressure drop in the chamber, all the dust doesn't get sucked out, and an inch or two lays on the chamber floor. I always blow out the rollers and around the belt to get rid of the wood dust, but don't always vac out the chamber. I use it outside, and don't always hook up the 4" vacuum hose for a quick sanding.
I was rushing to finish a big blade that had a slight twist, so I stuck a 36 grit ceramic belt on the 6x48 ( didn't hook up the vac), slapped a magnet on the blade, and started grinding to straighten it out. After a few minutes of grinding, I suddenly saw flames coming out the vac port. The sparks had sucked into the chamber, and the fan had just enough airflow to fan the sparks until they fully ignited the sawdust. I shut it down, gave the chamber a few shots from the CO2 extinguisher, and vaced the chamber out well before proceeding. Since the grinder is all metal, no damage was done.
 
I have two: one w/a 1hp. and one w/a 2hp motor. I use them to death... and both are outdoors on the porches of my little shop. I can sculpt a handle w/them quickly. You DO have to be careful of them; I use the disc grinder/motor end, 4" drive wheel to sculpt with as it turn down toward the ground. 3/4 hp. isn't enough for them in my opinion. Also it matters what size drive wheel you use on the motor. I have a 1.5" on one and a 2" on the other. It helps to consider the surface speed of the belts here; I like them slower.
 
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