Belt sander, mounting and grit size

OK, I'm about to pull the trigger on the grinder, 1/2 hp motor, handwheel, and knife sharpening attachment. The belts I'm considering are ceramics 30, 60, 80, 120, Trizact or R203 (if I can find it) A65=220grit, A30=500grit, and A16=1000grit.

Question about the belts -- I'm an enthusiast, sharpen a couple of knives a month, some machetes and mower blades in the summer. Will these belts last a while or should I order more than one to prepare when they need replacement?
 
always order more than one, you may break a couple till you learn how to let the belt do the work and not force it. once learned you will be asble to judge you needs. I have a blue zircon, I clean it a lot with a rubber strip but I have used the soup out of it for polishing work and it is still going. wont swear to the grit but I think it was 320, probably closer to 600 now but it still cuts and it does good to polish hardened blades.also be sure you have the motor running in the right direction, I am using a 3/4 air compressor motor ( off an old craftsman compressor) it was ccw I think the belt turns downward. the table will benefit you here at the start it may save a bad foot of leg cut, if you go upward and the belt takes the blade out of your hands where will it go? if it goes down then you at least have the table to stop or slow it.as I told you earlier you would see a need for it.
 
If your set on going the powered route, At least get a decent variable speed motor controller. Even low speed motors ,in the 1750 rpm range
are still too fast for knife work. I rarely run mine above 600 rpm's. & it has a 6" main wheel so the linear feet per min is low.

The KBDA -27D on my rig lets me change directions, with the the trim pot I can tweek speed on the fly. And you can program in a start-up ramp
so it does'nt jump to 100% as soon as you flip the switch
DSC_0004.JPG
 
OldNavy, you've got a really nice rig there! The KBDA-27D controller is definitely out of the price range that I'm willing to spend for sharpening. It seems like any variable speed motor is also fairly pricy as well.
 
You have to go with a VFD one way or another with a good setup. Pays big dividends in the long run.
 
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