First fixed power tool... wheel grinder, belt sander or?

K

krept

Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
568
Up till now, all I've been using to modify knives, etc is a Dremel. Now that I have my first chunk of 154CM, I realize that files and a Dremel aren't going to get me very far.

I've used both in the past, but never to make knives. It would seem that a belt sander could be used to grind and give a better surface area to work with as well. A wheel grinder looks like it could be used to remove more material, quicker and could be used with a buffing wheel as well.

I'm essentially looking to spend no more than $300 and wanted to see which one of these I would benefit the most from. Maybe a different tool?

Thanks,
Erik
 
I beleive a decent drill press first and then a tool grinder. Probably get both for under 200.00. May find a 1X42 belt grinder for around 100.00. These are the tools I started with, back about 200 knives ago.
KEN(WWJD)
 
I second the drill press. I just found one in a pawn shop for a whopping $60. I never realized how much you can accomplish with one until I had it. Blades can be ground and filed by hand. The drill press makes it easy to cut out your basic blade shape. Just draw your knife and then drill about every .25" with a .25 drill bit around your outline. Now it's easy work with a simple hack saw and you have your knife outlined. File it to shape and start your edge filing. I followed the Wayne Goddard method of rough filing and then smoothing it out with a simple drill mounted sanding disk. Works pretty good.
Good Luck
Doc
 
Good thinking, thanks. I saw that in the Adobe document from the website posted on another thread, but it didn't really hit me until you both recommended it.
 
You can get a coote grinder for about 300 or a grizzley
grinder for around 275. check out ebay for a drill press
you can land some good deals on there I got a new one
for 50 dollars on there.:)
 
these are 1/3 hp but will work fine, just take your time. the 2x72" coote would be next. sell a few knives the get the coote and fine a used or harbor frieght 2hp for under a hundred and a couple of step pulleys. you will have a pro, grade adjestable speed grinder for under $500.00since the coote is a vertical two wheel it works great for handle scupting even with the platen still in. happy knife making!
 
Definately go for the drill press first, and then get a belt sander with your left over money. Your motor doesn't need to be that strong to put 1/4" holes in annealed steel. 1/3 HP should do fine, a lot of people use 1/4 HP Delta drill presses as well. I got a Sears drill press and it works great, but the 1/3 HP is deceptively rated with the "maximum developed" rating (its actually about 1/4 HP from what I can see). A decent starting grinder is the Grizzly, which I got for $275. In my opinion, a grinder smaller than 2x72" is a lot of unnecessary frustration. I've used a 1x42" before, and it drove me nuts.
 
Get a $50 harbor freight drill press, their great for the price, and a Grizzly belt grinder, or build a grinder. I built my grinder for the cost of a wheel and idler. Leaves some to be desired, but it beats the hell out of files. It runs smooth and true, the only problem is that it doesnt have a good platen for flat grinding as the contact wheel and the drive wheel are one and the same.
 
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