Got my surface grinder today.

D

Diggerdog

Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
173
Since I live above the 49th purchasing some equipment is difficult however my surface grinder from Harbor Freight did arrive today. It is a nice looking grinder and much larger than I expected. I can't wait to start using it. Even if I wasn't out of money I am certainly out of room. I use my garage for knife making and my beautiful wife is expecting her half of the garage for parking her car come fall. I've already started prepping her that this winter will not be too bad and maybe we can park outside. It's not going over too well. Any suggestions from those that have been there done that. :)
 
I promised mine a nice little workshop for her hobbies But I am thinking it sould have southern exposure for my bedding plants oh yea and a 220 circut for my welder. My workshop is getting small too. My wifes car can stay outside but the motorcycles will be placed in the gazzebo that I sould have done this fall. Oh and also Helo fello Canuk.
 
If you don't have training or experience using a surface grinder, be sure and read up on safety and operation of those machines. Surface grinders are potentially deadly. I have been using my machine about 3 years and try and exercise extreme caution at all times.

Four weeks ago I almost lost a finger on the machine because I was distracted for a second. Tomorrow I begin physical therapy. Surface grinders are not machines to be under estimated.
 
I've consumed the garage, 3/4's of the basement and the entire barn. Don't think there isn't a little sarcasm around my house. Hello as well.
Paul
 
Living in suburbia is shear hell when you need room. I've been planning a 12X16 shed for my hot work. The town wants 4 ft pillars in the ground to put in on(Guess thats so they can tax me on it!).That should give me the space in the garage for a mill, my lathe and a surface grinder.(Which should leave me no room at all......again.)
 
Off Subject....sort of. :o Any piece of power equipment can and will be a hazard when we take our mind off of what we are doing. Or should I say we DON'T think about what it is we are doing. I have a small electric chain saw that I use around the house. I was cutting down an old apple tree and trimming up the branches for the fireplace. This is an old saw so it doesn't have all of the safety features on it. I reached down and picked up a piece of branch with my left hand and proceeded to cut a branch off of it. The chain saw hit the branch joint and jump up and hit my left hand. :eek: Split second. :eek: I was lucky. One tooth of the blade hit the knuckle of my middle finger and made a U shaped cut. The doctor looked at it and told me he usually doesn't see this small of a cut after a chainsaw accident. So congratulations on the grinder...but do yourself and your family a favor...be careful and alert. ;)
 
You're certainly right about that. Glad you got off so lightly with the chainsaw, those things are potentially very dangerous. I'm glad I don't need one for knifemaking!

The surface grinder is one of the most difficult to use and most dangeous machine tools in the shop. Mounting a stone with a hidden fracture and turning on the machine can result in the stone shattering, which is sort of like a fragmentation grenade going off in your face and it can be just as deadly.

The surface grinder is not a good machine to buy and "play around with." Try and get someone with experience to come and teach you the basics. I did and it was a great help. Also be sure and read up on basic operation and safety. It's important to choose the correct stone, sound for fractures, true the stone, check and adjust the balance on a suitable external device and then remount the stone. Then the fun just starts!

These machines are very unforgiving of any mistake. Just ask my finger! Surface grinders are not good machines to "just try and see what happens."

I have found learning the surface grinder to be much much more difficult than learning conventional or CNC milling for example. You really need patience to get to the point where you can hit a tolerance and maintain the desired surface finish.
 
Hello to all. Kevin thanks for the advice. I've never used a surface grinder before and my first impression after looking it over and reading the instruction manual was that it looks like a very easy and simple piece of equipment to use. I will be very cautious and if possible will pay a machinist to give me an intro. I do know how dangerous the shop can be but it is very easy to lower your guard and become complacent as you know from 4 weeks ago. Hello Don. I've only ever made lock back folders. I'm taking your course on making a liner lock and button lock. Making folders was why I boutht the surface grinder. Hope it works out. Dave
 
Digger, you'll really enjoy that new grinder. I don't know if you got the one I did or not, but I modified mine to run a 72" belt instead of the wheel. I don't know if I would have liked the wheel or not, never even tried it. Ed Cafferdy had some photos of one he modified and sent to me. I also bought a nice $100 magnetic chuck, can't remember if you did or not, but you'll want one eventually. Yep, watch the safety issure for sure. My grinder hasn't bit me yet, but I keep a weary eye on it, even when it's behind me. Congrats, and enjoy it!
 
I went the belt route, too. You may lose a little in accuracy but you'll gain a whole lot in knifemaking speed by converting to belts. I've made folders using my set up with belts and the accuracy is fine.

You'll want a magnetic chuck. Also, if you can find them, I found a pair of metal plates that will hold down non-magnetic material on a magnetic chuck. The plates have "fingers" cut in the side that are pulled down when the chuck is ingaged and lock the piece of non-magnetic material in place between them. Very nice when you want to get handle scales or non-magnetic materials absolutely flat.

You'll find a lot of uses for it as you go along.
 
R.Coon-Knives said:
Also, if you can find them, I found a pair of metal plates that will hold down non-magnetic material on a magnetic chuck. The plates have "fingers" cut in the side that are pulled down when the chuck is ingaged and lock the piece of non-magnetic material in place between them. Very nice when you want to get handle scales or non-magnetic materials absolutely flat.
Click to expand...

Raymond, I don't believe you and I have talked since the old Knife-List, Russ Kepler's deal.

I'm glad you're still alive and kicking.:D
 
Diggerdog said:
Hello Don. I've only ever made lock back folders. I'm taking your course on making a liner lock and button lock. Making folders was why I boutht the surface grinder. Hope it works out. Dave
Click to expand...

Post a message on the class thread or email me directly, Dd. I want to give you some tips about surface grinders.:)
 
Diggerdog said:
Hello to all. Kevin thanks for the advice. I've never used a surface grinder before and my first impression after looking it over and reading the instruction manual was that it looks like a very easy and simple piece of equipment to use.
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Man, that's what I thouht way back when I first got mine too! Slap a blade on the chuck and let er rip!!
:eek:

I found it to be a most tricky process. You learn a lot about thermal expansion of metals the hard way. Be sure and locate the machine in the shop so that if a workpiece is ejected from the chuck it won't fly across the room.

You will need a demagnitizer and a device to balance the wheels for sure. Also a dust collector if the machine doesnt have one included. I you dont demagnitize the folder blades they will attract steel dust which really plays hell with the pivot area.

Most good general machine shop handbooks have a chapter on grinding. My books are in the shop so I cant give exact titles, but if you can get somebody to come over for a few hours and help you get started it will be worth whatever it costs you.

And don't never ever put your hand near the wheel when it's still turning cause the edge of the stone will cut like a spinning razor blade. :p

A lot of guys swear by belt conversions and that does eliminate the dangers associated with the stone wheels.

The safety issues aside, a surface grinder is the only way to fly if you make folders. You'll soon wonder how you ever worked without it.
 
Every time you put a grinding wheel on the machine do a "Ring test" Tap the wheel lightly with your knuckle while holding it up to your ear. If the wheel is good is will make a ringing sound. If the wheel has a crack in it it will make a dull "Thud" sound.

Dont grind or dress the wheel on the right side. Bad things can happen really fast. Move the table all the way to the left when removing work pieces to stay away from the wheel.

When I was in college I was assigned the unpleasant task of cleaning the coolant sump. Right in the bottom of it was a HANDFULL of Human hair!!! I don't even want to think about how it got there!
 
R.Coon-Knives You'll want a magnetic chuck. Also said:
Raymond, I have had a set of those hold-downs ever since I can remember. I have no idea where I got them.

Can you tell me where you bought your set? I've tried in the past to help people find them to no avail.
Click to expand...
 
I've also searched long and hard to find these anywhere on the internet. I'd have to go back through my old tax records to find the receipt and don't really have time to now.

I can send photos if anyone is interested in trying to make their own. No real high technology involved. The principle is very simple.
 
It's been my understanding that Bertie Rietveld (http://www.batavia.co.za/Surface Grinder.htm) was the only source for the proper wheels to convert a grinder to belts.
I just recently learned that he is no longer offering these. He suggested that Pop's Knife Supply had the last of them.
Just a heads up that you might need to act quickly if want to make the change.

-Mike-
 
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