- Joined
- Jun 8, 2000
- Messages
- 3,140
What's up for grabs here is most of a really solid custom 2"x72" knife maker's style belt grinder.
When I was trying to find a way to move beyond my Craftsman 2"x42" belt grinder, but hadn't yet come to the realization that I really needed a KMG, I started to build my own grinder. This machine started life in a different type of grinding. It was a solid donor machine with a strong heart.
Here's what it turned into. The grinder body is a 6 1/4" wide x 2 1/2 " thick x 32" long piece of channel iron chassis that is between .200 and .400 on cross section. It's BEEFY! On the bottom end is a custom axle that I made of 4140 pre hardened steel carrying a Grizzly 8" contact wheel. The axel is running in sealed precision bearings and is set up for belt drive with a four step pulley. On the opposite end is a 3.5" solid steel idler wheel also riding in precision bearings with a high crown and an easily adjustable belt tracking mechanism. The belt is pre-loaded by an adjustable pressure coil spring that's connected to a quick release lever that would allow very fast belt changes.
As it is set up now, it has an 8" contact wheel I sourced from Grizzly (easy to replace) and a slack grinding area of the belt. With a small amount of work, it could easily have a flat platen added and a work rest.
All this grinder needs to come to full fruition is someone dedicated enough to make a nice mount for it and to hook up a decent motor.
I am giving this grinder away free of charge to a needy knifemaker for local pick up only. It is bulky and heavy and I don't want to ship it. While the grinder is worthy of a 1.5hp or 2hp variable speed drive setup if mounted correctly, I'll include a 3/4hp Craftsman 110V single phase motor with appropriate 4 step pulley set to get you started.
It's really not far from being fully functional. A motivated guy could probably get a base built for it in an afternoon and have it working at least for hollow grinding. I might even be able to be talked into helping build the base the day the new owner came to pick it up if they brought some 1/4 or thicker steel plate or some heavy angle iron for materials. I have the Bridgeport and a few other tools to make the job easier.
I wouldn't be parting with this machine, but I seem to have accidentally ended up with a pair of KMGs for my knifemaking needs and I'm out of space in the shop. I can't see this thing just laying on a shelf, but my motivation to finish the project myself, just so I can give away a completed grinder is sort of minimal. Somebody can make some nice knives with this thing. It's WAY beefier than a Grizzly, and I'd say probably beefier than a Coote as well. I'd really like to see this thing go to a needy maker, preferably to someone who is suffering with no grinder or a really cheesy one.
Anyone out there want a grinder?????
Pick up in Simi Valley, CA 93065.
When I was trying to find a way to move beyond my Craftsman 2"x42" belt grinder, but hadn't yet come to the realization that I really needed a KMG, I started to build my own grinder. This machine started life in a different type of grinding. It was a solid donor machine with a strong heart.
Here's what it turned into. The grinder body is a 6 1/4" wide x 2 1/2 " thick x 32" long piece of channel iron chassis that is between .200 and .400 on cross section. It's BEEFY! On the bottom end is a custom axle that I made of 4140 pre hardened steel carrying a Grizzly 8" contact wheel. The axel is running in sealed precision bearings and is set up for belt drive with a four step pulley. On the opposite end is a 3.5" solid steel idler wheel also riding in precision bearings with a high crown and an easily adjustable belt tracking mechanism. The belt is pre-loaded by an adjustable pressure coil spring that's connected to a quick release lever that would allow very fast belt changes.
As it is set up now, it has an 8" contact wheel I sourced from Grizzly (easy to replace) and a slack grinding area of the belt. With a small amount of work, it could easily have a flat platen added and a work rest.
All this grinder needs to come to full fruition is someone dedicated enough to make a nice mount for it and to hook up a decent motor.
I am giving this grinder away free of charge to a needy knifemaker for local pick up only. It is bulky and heavy and I don't want to ship it. While the grinder is worthy of a 1.5hp or 2hp variable speed drive setup if mounted correctly, I'll include a 3/4hp Craftsman 110V single phase motor with appropriate 4 step pulley set to get you started.
It's really not far from being fully functional. A motivated guy could probably get a base built for it in an afternoon and have it working at least for hollow grinding. I might even be able to be talked into helping build the base the day the new owner came to pick it up if they brought some 1/4 or thicker steel plate or some heavy angle iron for materials. I have the Bridgeport and a few other tools to make the job easier.
I wouldn't be parting with this machine, but I seem to have accidentally ended up with a pair of KMGs for my knifemaking needs and I'm out of space in the shop. I can't see this thing just laying on a shelf, but my motivation to finish the project myself, just so I can give away a completed grinder is sort of minimal. Somebody can make some nice knives with this thing. It's WAY beefier than a Grizzly, and I'd say probably beefier than a Coote as well. I'd really like to see this thing go to a needy maker, preferably to someone who is suffering with no grinder or a really cheesy one.
Anyone out there want a grinder?????
Pick up in Simi Valley, CA 93065.
