Grinders & Tracking

[Ryan Meyering]

Hello all,

I've been reading the archives for information on grinders, and have found a lot of information, but am unfamiliar with the term "tracking." Can anyone explain to me what is meant by the term? What would cause one grinder to have better tracking than another? Is it generally true that the more expensive grinders have better tracking? For example, both the Grizzly knifemaker's belt sander and the JL grinders have 1 h.p. motors, and 2" x 72" belts. If HP and belt size were all I was looking for, the obvious choice would be the Grizzly at less than a third of the price of the JL. But is there something else I'm not considering?

Besides indirectly sending my money to a communist country, that is. I've already made my peace about that.

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For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

 

[T. J.]

Tracking as it relates to grinders is the ability of the grinder to keep the belt running where you set it while you are grinding on it. A grinder with poor tracking will allow the belt to move away from the pressure you are putting on it with your blade. This is usually more important when you are grinding on the flat platen. It sometimes also refers to the ability to have the grinder run the belt over one edge of the platen or contact wheel so you can grind rounded corners with it.

Many other factors enter into what grinder is considered best by knifemakers. The ability to adjust the platen, and have it stay where you put it, the clearance around the belt, so that you can grind at many different angles, and the size and stability of the work rest are all important factors in the quality of a grinder.

But, you shouldn't think you cant turn out an exceptional quality knife with a less expensive machine, or that a high dollar grinder will make beautiful blades automatically. The better quality of machine, the easier and quicker you can do certain things, but not necessarily better.

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Those who are willing to trade freedom for security deserve neither, and in the end, seldom retain them!

 

[george tichbourne]

Bad tracking is when the belts shimmy back and forth on their own, good tracking is when the belt can be adjustrd to run right at the edge of the contact wheel and it stays there.
This allows better control when grinding the ricasso shoulder and saves a lot of work later with a file reshaping the shoulders. Otherwise tracking is overrated.


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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 

[C L Wilkins]

"ONE" other note on "BAD TRACKING".

When you apply force on the moving belt with the material you are grinding and the belt moves from side to side depending on the amount of force and where it it is applied...THAT IS BAD TRACKING!!!!

My new grinder does not do that. My old one, when it wanted to, hence new grinder.

C Wilkins