Amateurs with pro equipment... Scary!

Osbourn

Osbourn

Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
804
Got my Grizzly grinder.
Wow.
I've never used a Bader or Burr King, and I've never worked in a machine shop, so I really didn't realize what a difference it would make.
It's only 1HP, but the thing is a BEAST.
Listing the differences between it and the Craftsman 4x36 I've been using could take awhile, but I'll mention the hilights.
Tracking. No problem on the Beast. The belt is all over on the Craftsman.
POWER. I didn't know there was such a difference between 3/4HP and 1HP.
Speed. Nuff said.
Belts die faster on the Craftsman.
And of course, I can stop the Craftsman without even trying. Bare handed. I wouldn't even think of it on the Beast.
And that 6000 grit belt gets blades SHARP.
In short, I highly reccomend the Beast to anyone that's been putting up with rinkydink tools and thinks they're doing OK. I think this may finally take me beyond OK. That's the hope, anyway.

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Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
i'm happy for you, glad you like your grinder. the grinders that are designed for knifemaking are easier to use than a woodworking sander.
i've been stuck with a 1"x30' 1/4 hp grinder, but by the end of the month i should be finished my beast grinder, that i'm making.
1.5hp variable speed, 3"x132" belt size, bader wheels, burr king tension unit (very easy to use) and easily adjustable tracking.
much better than the little delta 1"x30".
some will say that it's not the tools, it's the maker, which i agree with, but it sure does help to have nice tools!
 
OZ.

Buying a new grinder is like buying a new Harley or sports car. We can probably get to the destination with the old vehicle, but the new one makes the ride more enjoyable. I could't believe how hard I was working to get a good grind on my old homemade grinder.
Now, it seems like grinding has become so much more pleasurable. Have fun with your new Grizzly, you will see the improvement in your work .

Marcel

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I'm hoping that everyone else will see the improvement, too, but time will tell.
Joe, I got mine from http://www.grizzly.com/ the price was $295.00 plus shipping.
As for the BEST place, that depends on what you consider to be the best grinder. Check the archive and you'll find a dozen or so posts on that subject.

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Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
Outstanding Oz!!!!
Will the Grizzly accept a Bader contact wheel, and how difficult would it be to make it a run slower?? I have got to come up with a slower speed grinder for my finish work. This single speed Wilton is just too fast for the finer work. You can do it, but mess up and you mess up alot. Send some pix of the first couple knives you make on it and let us know how it performs. Take care!! Michael

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http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
 
l-6, it may be easier to just buy a variable speed motor. i can't wait to try the one i bought. although, they are bit pricey.
(p.s. l6 i should have the grinder finished by the end of the month, or a the latest some time next month.)
 
This one won't run slower without rewiring, and that's beyond my abilities. It's also pretty much interdependant on it's components, so swapping out the motor doesn't seem like a bright idea, either. I still have the Craftsman for slower stuff, though. I mainly got this one so I could finally hollow grind, and do my flats faster. The 2x72"s seem to have better belt life, too. The buffing attachment is a nice bonus, too. I was using my drill in a vise before.

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Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
Can this " beast" easily produce holow grinds without something getting in your way? If it can you may be one of Grizzly's newest sales reps. Has anyone else got one to bragg about?

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you guys might want to contact Allen Blade. He uses a Grizzly with a few modifications which he made which makes it more rugged and suitable for knifemaking. He uses the Grizzly in both his videos and he really makes a great knife with it.

Marcel

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I haven't hollow ground on it just yet, but nothing should get in your way if you're right handed. Even a lefty should have enough elbow room. If you're doing swords, I'd take off the buffer for that, just to be safe.
I've ordered Allens videos, I'm looking forward to watching them. So far, I've only gotten to see Hrisoulas video, and while he does grind in it, it's not the focal point of the video, so his tips are fairly limited.
One thing I can't reccomend yet are the belts Grizzly sells. After two days of hobbyist use, I just had a 320 grit pop on me. The joint didn't fail, it busted clean about two inches from it. I was polishing a flat grind, so I wasn't abusing it that bad, and it had a lot of use left on the grit. A 150 grit is also showing signs of getting ready to fail, too.

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Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
I haven't set up my Grizzly yet. I still need to build a new workbench for it and since this is the end of the semester, I have doodly squat for time so I'm not sure when I will get this machine into operation. But I have watched Allen Blades videos for flat and hollow grinding. If you have a Grizzly, the videos are a must buy, IMHO. Great stuff and worth every penny. Allen also shows how to make a few simple modifications for stabilizing the machine a little more and for hollow grinding. The flat and hollow grinds he did on the video are flawless. Allen's a good teacher and he gives great instructions. I believe MD Poff did the filming which, for the most part, was very clear and concise.


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Hoodoo

The low, hoarse purr of the whirling stone—the light-press’d blade,
Diffusing, dropping, sideways-darting, in tiny showers of gold,
Sparkles from the wheel.

Walt Whitman
 
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