Another Grinder opinion!

Dragons Breath Knives

Dragons Breath Knives

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Aug 24, 2014
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I currently have a KMG grinder with a 1 1/2 hp motor and flat platen. I'm looking at adding another with flat platen and the option of grinding wheels also. The KMG is a good grinder but have had tracking issues (amongst others).Any feedback on Northridge Tool Grinders? How do they compare to the KMG and what do yo guy use for variable speed and flat/ wheel grinding applications?
Thanks much all!!
Jim
 
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If you do a quick search, there are at least a couple of Northridge grinder reviews. Everything I've read on them seems quite positive thus far, and they appear to be fast approaching as a contender for the TW-90. They're still relatively new, but first impressions are good.

As for a comparison between Northridge and KMG, I'd wager that there is more than one knife maker on this forum that would tell you they're not even in the same league. While KMG USED to be highly regarded, it seems both quality and customer service has taken a bit of a dive in recent years. Whether that's really the case, it's hard to say emphatically, as you'll always hear 10 bad reviews for every 1 good, but either way, I'd personally feel comfortable buying a Northridge.
 
And just to answer what I personally use for my variable flat/wheel grinding, I designed and built my own that I'm very happy with. If/when it comes time for my next grinder, I'll probably go with my own again, but if I were to pick any other that's on the market today, it'd be between the Northridge and the TW-90, with a leaning towards the Northridge, money not being an issue of course.
 
I replaced my KMG for a NR. Difference of night and day. Litterally everything on it is machined to high tolerance. Customer service is great. No doubt on the Northridge.
 
Yep, many recent threads on this subject.
I have a KMG and I think it's a good grinder but it has fallen behind the times in terms of capability and user friendliness.
If I had to decide today my next grinder purchase would be either Northridge or TW90.
 
Now that I've built 2 grinders and only thing I see In the future would be to modify my first one to a direct drive with vfd and scratch the treadmill motor. I don't really want to go through building another one now that I have 2 and after all the reading I've done if I ever get another one it'll be a northbridge.
 
I'm just not happy any longer with the KMG. There is ALWAYS something I have to tweek and heavens, don't waste your time with a customer service e-mail.
 
I'm just trying to figure out how these KMG grinders have such bad tracking issues I keep reading about. Unless the tensioning arm is just loose and moves side to side or there is slop somewhere that can't be cleared up, I just don't get it.
 
I think some of it comes from the way the tracking arm is mounted above the tool arm slot. There's can be some slop in the bolt holes above the tool arm. One of the ways Rob told me to fix mine at one point was to whack it with a rubber mallet sideways, you know, what you would do with any expensive tool.

Adding a gas shock seemed to help mine somewhat also.
FWIW, the kmg is kind of like the Cincinnati Bengals for me. I want it to be better, it could be better, but the man that can make those changes for whatever reason, fails to adapt.
 
Josh Rider said:
I think some of it comes from the way the tracking arm is mounted above the tool arm slot. There's can be some slop in the bolt holes above the tool arm. One of the ways Rob told me to fix mine at one point was to whack it with a rubber mallet sideways, you know, what you would do with any expensive tool.

Adding a gas shock seemed to help mine somewhat also.
FWIW, the kmg is kind of like the Cincinnati Bengals for me. I want it to be better, it could be better, but the man that can make those changes for whatever reason, fails to adapt.
Click to expand...

When i was designing mine to build, that is where my concern came in. I originally was going to use a spring such as the KMG but figured there was a better way, and like the gas shock, and I built my tensioning arm from 1/2" steel bar stock as to get long lasting use from it before the pivot gets warn out.

I guess one would think and improvement would be made if a problem is found and persistent. Def should have to fix an expensive tool like that by smashing it with a hammer.
 
pleasanthill said:
I'm just trying to figure out how these KMG grinders have such bad tracking issues I keep reading about. Unless the tensioning arm is just loose and moves side to side or there is slop somewhere that can't be cleared up, I just don't get it.
Click to expand...

There's far more to it that just this. If all of the components aren't square to one another, you'll have issues. Just a handful of things I have personally experienced, as well as discussed with others:
-tracking wheels with bad play in the mount
-ilder wheels and contact wheels that aren't square or are cocked off-angle


I've quoted this thread a thousand times, it feels like, but it's because it's a perfect illustration:

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/kmg-grinder-tweaks-thread.831688/#post-9433329
 
Whoops, here's the better quote:

Fellhoelter said:
It's hard to explain it all, since it was actually a pretty big procedure.

Since there are no dowels or anything in the build, and the screw holes are oversized to allow the screws to fit, the whole machine wasn't square.

I started by making sure the receiver for the arm was actually square to the drive wheel.
It wasn't, so that took some creative adjusting and measuring.
This is an important step, because otherwise the drive and driven wheels end up with axis that are not parallel with each other. something like this \ |
They need to be parallel, more like this ||
Hope that's clear, because it's the key.

Once that was done, and I was sure the axles weren't cocked in relation to each other, I put the tracking wheel in a neutral position, and took a measurement off of it.
Again, no easy task, I had to get creative.

I then made sure the centerline of the drive wheel was on the same plane as the tracking, and did the same for the wheels on all the tooling arms.

All was better after that.

Maybe a drawing will help a little.

Screwy_Tracking.jpg


This is looking straight down on the grinder, it's just the wheels.

You can see on the right, what I started with.

The wheels were crooked in relation to each other, and the centerlines didn't all line up.

The left, is what you want.
Click to expand...
 
New guy to the forum here...

I recently ordered a TW-90 after some lengthy homework. I was upgrading from an Uncle Al grinder i purchased 7 years ago. I researched TW-90, Northridge, Outlaw2 and KMG. My decision came down to two finalists: TW-90 and Northridge. Mainly because of the "out of the box" versatility and completeness. I have limited shop space and want to add a disc grinder and i don't want to have to own multiple 2x72's so these two led the list.

Honestly, I chose the TW-90 because of Travis. I know that sounds silly. However, man crush aside(LMAO), you can tell that this guy is a tool making genius. And I know that he is connected with Tim Hancock who is a man that one of my Master Smith friends, Greg Neely, truly respects...and it takes a lot to earn his respect. lol. So i figured, if these guys believe in this machine and it works for them, then it will work for me. Also, I heard Travis say that "When I'm not partial to my grinder any more, I'll change it" and I feel confident in that.

When it comes in I'll be doing an unboxing and full review on You Tube.

From what Ive seen the KMG is a beast of a machine, but I'm not patient enough to have to tweak and modify it to my needs. But thats just me.
 
Since I'm a new KMG owner, I have to ask, are the problems mentioned above from the git-go, or did they develop over time on the individual units?
Thanks,
 
If your grinder is working fine, Dan, don't sweat it. That's not to say that problems can't or won't arise, but if it's smooth, and tracks true, and gets the job done, get grinding!
 
i have a really old one and think when its time im just goi gto clone my KMG the win for me is i know it will be right and all the tooling will line up might do the direct motor mount deal mat has done. other then that im used to the work flow so a 2nd one is more less an spare arm holder
 
Fortunately, mine has been great so far. It is built like a tank and the only time I had a tracking issue was when I failed to put enough tension in the belt when switching from platen to wheel.
 
I purchased a Northridge recently. Customer service is great. The company makes stuff for NASA. They make everything in house to a very high tolerance. When you call you get the owner George. The machine runs great! Very smooth. The drive wheel is what makes them so smooth. They are individually fitted to each motor. George had some issues with a couple KMG grinders he bought and problems with the customer service so he started making his own grinders. If you have a problem they give you the cell phone number of the guys that actually puts them together. He answers your questions directly. Seem like really good people!! I'm so glad I when with Northridge. Researched and narrowed down to Pheer, Esteem, KMG.
 
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