Decisions decisions decisions

I can say that having a Heat treating oven or even a few is always a great investment as you can heat treat 1 or 2 or however many blades you want to do. You can grind that sucker out, heat treat it, temper it and start finishing all in the same day if you want !

I say get the oven first, then the KMG if you can still work with the grinder you have.
 
I think grinder first.... You could make up a batch for heat treating in 1/2 the time with a top end grinder. Although I do a different sort of grinding - I spend probably at least 4 hours a day grinding or sanding. I have found that buying the VERY BEST equipment saves a great deal of time and money. I suspect you will save a great deal in the cost of belts alone as a top end grinder and belts will outlast the cheap stuff by a noticeable margin. You will also find the effort needed will decrease significantly and with better control - your art work will improve by leaps and bounds.

To me this is a no-brainer, grinder first.
 
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Hey Frank,

Question: Are you looking to increase your volume of production, or simply to decrease your costs (that is, use less production time, but keep the same level of production)?

The reason I ask is, if you got the grinder first it would surely increase and improve your capacity to make knives, thus likely increase your income potential (as well as lower the cost of time per knife). I do not believe doing your own heat treat in house will increase your production capacity, just lower the costs. Thus, if you buy the oven first it will likely not help earn the money to buy a grinder as much as buying a grinder first would help you make the money to buy the oven.

I don't think I stating myself well, but perhaps you get my drift?

All the best, Phil
 
Long term you will save money on doing the HT yourself , but factor in the HT foil , and how long does it take to recover that $1100 ? My guess about 200-220 knives ??

Also , to make sure your HT is right , wouldn't you also need a hardness tester ?
 
I'm with everyone else, definitely the grinder is more vital. I wish I could trade someone my oven for a 2x72" belt grinder.

John T Wylie Jr said:
Also , to make sure your HT is right , wouldn't you also need a hardness tester ?
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Most professional heat treaters don't use a hardness tester either. For most steels, it's just following the formula on the datasheets. Most ovens have accurate temperature control, so the results tend to be repeatable.
 
I would build the grinder then build the oven then buy $300.00 worth of steel then $100.00 worth of beer and a lottery ticket with the change.
 
cotdt said:
I'm with everyone else, definitely the grinder is more vital. I wish I could trade someone my oven for a 2x72" belt grinder.



Most professional heat treaters don't use a hardness tester either. For most steels, it's just following the formula on the datasheets. Most ovens have accurate temperature control, so the results tend to be repeatable.
Click to expand...

You are wrong there , Paul Bos and Peters always test there hardness , you can see the stabs on the tangs .

Pancho , I'm in the same boat as you with no oven , but I would still bye the grinder first with attachments , you will be so HAPPY you did . Would you feel comfortable telling your customers the RC. is somewhere around ????? or know where the Rc is .
 
how about confusing the issue further!
Consider a pulley setup save the VS money
towards a HT oven. You can add the VS later
 
Ahhh...but I do love my variable speed.

I think Frank might be looking down other rabbit holes. Let's see what turns up.

--nathan
 
I went with the VS KMG Grinder and I am VERY Happy I did. Heat treating some of the things I was turning out on a cheap little 1X42 grinder would have been a waste of time and money. Not to say I haven't made some items for the scrap heap with the KMG, but at least it was more fun!
 
69_knives said:
I would build the grinder then build the oven then buy $300.00 worth of steel then $100.00 worth of beer and a lottery ticket with the change.
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Assuming one has the skills to pull it off, by the time you source the cheap steel and all the other parts required, measure, cut, layout, square up, and weld/bolt the grinder together, then source all the stuff to build the oven and fabricate it, then drink the beer and stagger to the store for your lottery ticket.... how many knives did you not make and sell in the time it took to do all that? Just something to consider..........

Brad
www.andersonknives.ca
 
I just took delivery of a KMG with Rob's Variable Speed set up. Very happy with it, took about ten days I think to get here. It was not plug and play and I mounted everything then took it to D and D motors here in Visalia where they did the wiring for me. I didn't feel like messing up 850.00 worth of motors and VS controller, so I paid someone who works on this stuff everyday.
Evenheat has been ordered, just waiting delivery.
Personally, I would order the KMG first because you will produce more knives than with a 2 X 42. If you can't afford the VS set-up then get the 3 speed pulleys and a cheap motor and up-grade the motor later.
 
Farmer Phil hit the nail on the head when it comes to the issue of production. Build your up line first...
 
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