Belt Grinder and 15 belts for $26

S

SAK

Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Messages
508
Harbor Freight's 1"x30" belt grinder (stock #2485) is on sale for #24.99! The sale ad that they sent also had a $5.00 off coupon if you spend over $30. So I bought the grinder and $6.00 worth of belts (15). Price for all = 31.00. With $5 off coupon, total paid = $26.

I know this is a cheap import but I figure it is a good place to start. I am mainly going to use it for hogging off metal in the re-profiling process (and then finishing with stones). I have also been gathering up some other cheap items to go along with this so I can attempt to make a few knives. If I decide I want to make more knives then I can upgrade. If not, I am only out a few bucks.

I already ground on a $0.50 knife from Goodwill and it worked great – much faster than my #220 waterstone with 90x SiC lapping grit.

I apologize if this is a stupid question, but is it ever OK to grind tip up (tip facing the belt direction)?

Anyway, wanted to let you know about this sale price.

--SAK
 
If you are grinding a knife blank, tip up is good so you can see the thickness of the "edge" portion change as you hod off steel. When sharpening, go edge down. There is a much greater chance of the belt grabbing the knife and throwing it if you sharpen edge up.
 
Beluga,

The ad is current until December 24th. However, it also says: "Prices Effective In Our Retail Stores Only".

It lists stores in CA, ID, IA, KS, NE, OR, WA and Missouri.

--SAK
 
Harbor Freight in WA is in Everett, on 52nd SE and I-don't-remember, so it's a bit of a drive for you, Shag. BUT I was just there yesterday, and they have some pretty amazing prices! I bought a set of 50 diamond-coated dremel-bits for $13, and a small table vise (perfect for working on knives) for $11! They have drill presses for $40! Make a list of your hardware wishes, then check it out. BUT watch out for cheap chinese stuff. A friend bought a full dremel-type tool & bit set there for $8, but I give it a week before that flimsy motor burns out.
 
Now if they just had silicon carbide belts for the thing. The AO belts they have are a drag!
Have fun with your grinder.
Ive been working with one for a while and have found it a tad frustrating.
Anything over a quarter inch thick is too much work for it. Flat grinds are nearly impossible. But for sharpeing and thinner stock its Ok, the price is right...

Too bad they don't have a larger model.
 
Shag,

Washington stores are in Everett, Tacoma, Lacey, Richland and Spokane.

--SAK
 
Darn, the store closest is directly on the other side of town. A 1.5 hour round-trip drive is worth it, I suppose. :D
 
They do have a 1x42 with 6" disk sander combo and more hp motor. it was $39 on sale last week. They have TONS of stuff. Much is china made, but for the price, who cares. Just use it till it breaks and then throw away. They had very decent micro files packs for $2 each last week. Bought 6 packs as I go through a lot.

They were giving free extra one year warantees (on top of standard one year) on the power tools last week too.
 
I'm probably going to get flamed, but how can you all bag on some gomer with his chinese pos knockoff knife, when you apply his logic to your tool selection-I know it sucks, but what the hell. When you buy quality, you cry only once...Joe
 
Dijos,
Well, it's also a way to build up to a better grinder. As a newbie, I don't need a grinder that will last me the rest of my life. Some tools I need to rely on every day. Those tools, I will spend the extra cash on.
Matt
 
Fair enough...
When I bought wayne Goddard's $50 knife shop, I looked for months to find a motor to build a grinder with, and I lucked out. I was raised in a house where my Dad sold tools for a living, so I'm kind of biased..:D --Joe
 
Thanks for the heads-up SAK! When I first saw this thread I didn't realize that there are Harbor Freight stores here in Michigan -- but it turns out that there is one about 30 minutes from my home. I picked up the $25 grinder today. Sure, it's a cheap piece of ####, but it lets me learn if I really want to fool with this stuff without making a big investment.

Thanks again.

Shalom,
Mark
 
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