Grinder Wars

Thanks, Ken

The only problem is the financial aspect for a set up like you mentioned. Would you suggest that I hold off and do nothing until I get the money for the better rig? Now that would be tough!!:eek:
 
Edro20 said:
Thanks, Ken

The only problem is the financial aspect for a set up like you mentioned. Would you suggest that I hold off and do nothing until I get the money for the better rig? Now that would be tough!!:eek:
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Thats a really tough question, but if there is no way that you can put in a grinder with vs but are able to put one in with a step-pulley I would say yes. I think grinding and making knives with a step-pulley or even a single speed grinder is still way better than not making any knives at all!

I was able to convert my Wilton square wheel grinder to vs for $375. I think I was able to recoup that amount in 3 to 5 knives. VS saves on belts, my grinds were much crisper and cleaner and I am able to sell my knives for more. I am more productive when I am at the grinder.

Good luck to you , what ever grinder you end up with and hope to see some of your knives
 
I don't think it's that bad to go with pulleys and then move up to a vfd. If you buy a kmg, it's going to be pulley driven anyways, so you spend the extra 80 bucks to get step pulleys and then add a vfd later. If you get a bader or other grinder, things might be a little different, but I don't think it's too far from the above.

That's how I see it anyways, I agree that speed control on a knob or button is very nice, but there's a lot of learning and growing that can be done with just the pulleys. A few months down the road you can add a vfd and resell the the step pulleys, or just keep them around for a new project.
 
AcridSaint said:
I don't think it's that bad to go with pulleys and then move up to a vfd. If you buy a kmg, it's going to be pulley driven anyways, so you spend the extra 80 bucks to get step pulleys and then add a vfd later. If you get a bader or other grinder, things might be a little different, but I don't think it's too far from the above.

That's how I see it anyways, I agree that speed control on a knob or button is very nice, but there's a lot of learning and growing that can be done with just the pulleys. A few months down the road you can add a vfd and resell the the step pulleys, or just keep them around for a new project.
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That is well said and is just the route that I originally took. Cut you teeth on some step pulleys then step up to the VFD when you can. You will no doubt appreciate the variable speed capabilities even more. Good advice.
 
I started out with a Dozier grinder and have not regretted it one bit. It has variable speed as I think all grinders should. I have used the heck out of it for five years and not had one problem. Belts track like a dream even when you bear down on it. Attachments can be made from steel available at Low's.

I have a variable speed Bader too and it does a great job. It doesn't track as well as the Dozer and I have had a couple of the wheels sling some grease out of the bearings. They seem to last about a year before this happens.

Service on both Dozier and Bader has been the best you could ask for. I could be easily satisfied with either but if I had my choice it would be the Dozier.

What ever grinder you get, the variable speed will save time, increase your precision and improve your finish immensely. Whether you get a grinder equipped with variable speed or get it as an add on later, the money for the variable speed will be the best money you spend in knife making, and you will wonder how you ever made a knife without it.
 
Edro20 said:
Variable speed would still be variable speed using stepped pulleys/sheaves too, right?
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Nope.

Setup time is a killer. Sooner or later you'll just stay with one speed with sheaves and pulleys. Just being able to slow it down to sharpen knives is worth variable speed!

Craig
 
Yes, they both do. They also both run extremely well, all things being equal (meaning cost), it would literally be a coin toss for me.
 
The genius of both Bader and KMG design is the tooling arm. It gives you all the flexibility in the world :) . Baders are direct drive, so you can argue VFD is more of a must with these, while with KMG, with a pulley arrangement, you can have a few different speeds for cheap.

With KMGs you can install another "arm" - this time for a very flexible support plate
 
Thanks for all replies so far. Stacy, I am working on the blonde to rub my back, but my wife is not keen on the idea. Something about piano wire in the middle of the night.

More questions from an electrical dummy:
-Why 220v over 110?
-Why 3 phase over single phase?
 
You're limited in power if you're running 110V, about 1.5HP, especially if you want to run a vfd. Some 110V motors will rate to 2HP, but that's pretty much the finite limit of a 20A circuit, seeing as how electric motors aren't terribly efficient beasts. 220V will let you easily run up past 3HP, which is about all you'd ever need for a grinder.

Imo, the reason to get a three phase motor is that they're cheaper. The problem with them is that you won't be able to run one without a VFD or some sort of static phase converter.
 
I run one of my grinders on step pulleys. I have the motor set up on a plate with a piece of pipe welded to the top. This slides on an piece of 3/4 inch round stock. The motor has 3 steps and the grinder 4 steps. I just lift the motor a bit move the belt to what ever sheves I want and slide the motor sideways to match and away I go. Tension is by motor wieght . Works great. and is fast. Not as fast as the VFD I am setting up on the other grinder, but , it worked on both for a good while.
 
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