Flat Grind Heaven!

That looks great Rob. BTW - as to patents, since you published infos and pictures on the device here, you have 1 year from the date of publication to register the patent. I'd get a provisional right away - that design has applications to just about every purpose of belt grinding even beyond knives. With a little work, I'm thinking of a radial arm belt sander (like a radial arm saw) for wood workers and furniture makers.... I'd patent the thing.

Tim
 
Hmmm. how bout using smaller rollers on top and bottom and make the attachment tilt so it will act as a small wheel attachment as well?? I think im gonna have to send you my grizzly soon :)
 
Ken And Rob Deserve the credit for coming up with this nice attachment.
I have one here using it.
It is very quite, runs ultra smooth (Robs MO on all his grinders), And will makes flat grinding a pleasure.
The belt also has some other nice uses that I have found in the last day !

I am using it for finishing!
BTW: as in all of Rob grinders it is very well built!
 
Rob I'm thinking
top roller the same as is,
the other two to three to add stiffness for the
flat,,
smaller on bottom of the face then on the back use a
8 or 10 inch wheel to hollow with.
  if centered right. you should be able
to just turn it over to do one or the other
8 sec. max on a Wilton.
you'll have it all then. close to what Taz is saying
but more versatile.
:confused: what do you think
 
graymakers post got me thinking that with three to four wheels in the track you may be able to set them to mimick a wheel say 20" or larger? you would need to set the wheels in the arc and be able to move the whole track platen back to fit the belt. comments?
 
Nice job Rob!! it's much nicer than mine . I just modifyied the knifemaker attatchment arm so I can adjust the tension of the 2inch wheel( that I made like yours out of aluminum ) and ran the 2" surpentine belt over my 8" contact wheel and my 2" aluminum wheel and adjust the tensioner . I am now making a series of shieves for a variety of v belts for split belt grinding also .
Yours is great though and I'd love to buy one from you for the Burr King.
This is only the beginning though there are so many other possabilities that have yet to be discovered!
 
This is really great. I think we are in for a lot of exiting new developements, before this ride is over.:cool:
 
If you wanted a simple 20,14,12,10 or 8 inch contact wheel this would work . I wonder if cast iron sheaves with belt grooves are available
(like the ones they use on compressors)in these diameters. This would be a great way to get an inexpensive wheel in a large size using an off the shelf sheave. When they wear just get a new belt. Cast iron sheaves are most often inexpensive.
 
Thats awesome. Really alot of thought behind that and everything appears to have been done top notch.

Taking it public like this does put some constraints on the patent, I think it just limits the amount of time you have to apply for one before it is considered free game.

One thing you can do right now that may help you later on, is to take lots of pictures of it, put them with a copy of the plans, and mail it to yourself. DO NOT OPEN IT when you get it back. If you ever have to defend that it was your idea originally, you have your plans and pictures dated by the federal government(postmark)ready for the judge to open.

Really nice grinder
 
More on the belt
Just ground 5 daggers. MAN THIS IS GREAT. The finish is twice as nice .
The facets are "0".
Fantastic!
 
Darell, have you tried using it to crown the handles on your folders yet ?Works great!! Your belts will last longer too!How do you like the way your plunges look ?
Matt, Thanks !
 
Darrel, can you tell me what you mean when you say "facets are '0'." I'll be interested to hear about the quality of the plunge also.
 
Ken
Yes I have. Its fantastic for any crowning any area on a knife.
The belt wear is 1/3 that of a hard platen.
The savings is about 30 dollars in belt cost to finish 5 blades.:eek:
The belts are still in cutting shape also! They didnt wear out!
It's nice not having to get factets out of the grinds. The belt is much more forgiving. The hard platen caused a secondary operation on the disk that I dont have to do now!

This attachment is a bowie grinders dream also!
For the forging folks out there it would be the cats a**.

In time there will be many ideas that come from this puppy!
For satin finishing horizonal flat grinds it will save much time if your careful.

It is taken me a little getting used to on the choil area plunges, but Ill get better in time. ;)

Great attachment Ken, Rob!
 
Andrew
I am used to plunging on a disk grinder. For me now using a vertical machine, instead of a horizonal disk grinder it is a change in positions. The problem is me not the grinder. I have to get used to it.

When flat grinding with a platen I generally get facets in the grind.
These bumps from the belt seams after a 120 grit most often. I used to take them out with the disk after roughing.

Now I just start with a 80 grit belt (after roughing) and move up through the grits to 400, and final finish the grind. I used to stop at 120 and move to a disk!
The belt is forgiving like a hollow grind wheel. When you put the bevel back on the belt it seems to track like a hollow grind groove on the blade. I know it dont make sense, but its true!

I did notice that the belt will eat the tips off you blades if your not carefull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The belts cut better with the rubber behind them.

For grinding titanium the belt is fantastic. A hard platen and titanium = fast belt wear. With the rubber backing the belts last 2/3 longer. I am using the yellow 3m belts BTW not orange. I am using 3 m standard AO belts for finshing. I have been through most of the other finishing belts. They all seem to be about the same in the long haul so I just stick to the 3m. I may try the klingspor yellows, and others again now that I am using this attachment. I use the 3m on my 14 inch wheel everyday. I have been very satisfied with them as for belt wear and finish when compared to most of the others.
I am running at about 700 sfm finishing speed on my (BMW)*&^&^ I mean KMG grinder.
 
Thanks for all the great information Darrel. I recently got a 14" wheel and figured it out. I'm happy real happy with what it can do. Now it sounds like I will be adding another tool to the list. Hats off to Rob and Ken.
 
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