Grinding cheat

[JoeBusic]

I suck at grinding plunges so I made a cheat. It helps with cross grinding bevels, too. Upper and lower part of the platen are rounded. Things become easy.

 

[Joshua Fisher]

Some grinder companies are starting to offer something similar that you can install above your top wheel so it’s in a more comfortable position for dialing in plunges on a flat grind and can be used to get your grind lines lengthwise if you want them in that direction

 

[JoeBusic]

View attachment 2225850
Some grinder companies are starting to offer something similar that you can install above your top wheel so it’s in a more comfortable position for dialing in plunges on a flat grind and can be used to get your grind lines lengthwise if you want them in that direction

Lack of imagination. A whole new apparatus for a simple thing. When setup as in my picture I sit down and it's in front of my face, visible and precise. Next thing I'm doing is adding rollers top and bottom to help the belt move more easily. After that exchangeable rollers with different radiuses. All that with a quick setup of the platen. Release, set up, tighten, use. Things should be quick and easy.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Probably can't use a carbide file guide on those?

 

[JoeBusic]

Probably can't use a carbide file guide on those?

Of course you can. Once. Per side.
Now serious. I thought about that for serial work. Best thing I managed to visualize is a limiter slider on top. Set the slider at the point distance and lock. When grinding, blade point will hit the limiter and precision is held true. It would be a simple clamp to attach and detach with a tightening screw to hold it in place. All that on the base platen.

 

[Joshua Fisher]

Probably can't use a carbide file guide on those?

With a setup like brodbecks that I shared you could definitely use a carbide file guide, most guys I’ve seen using this type of setup will mainly use AO j flex belts to pull tight to the corner. That’s one benefit of the top design is you have better clearance. An AO belt shouldn’t cut the carbide, plus if your file guide has removable faces you could always have a good set of carbide and a “worn” set that you could use up against the belt.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

With a setup like brodbecks that I shared you could definitely use a carbide file guide, most guys I’ve seen using this type of setup will mainly use AO j flex belts to pull tight to the corner. That’s one benefit of the top design is you have better clearance. An AO belt shouldn’t cut the carbide, plus if your file guide has removable faces you could always have a good set of carbide and a “worn” set that you could use up against the belt.

In my head, I'm wondering why the radius isn't 90 degrees of where it is?
With a flexible belt, roll the plunge over the platen edge. kinda like a 2x72 version of Wheeler's hand sanding plates?


I finish grind, running in reverse, slack belted above. I think having a platen up there would be handy and ergonomic.

 

[JV Knives]

I suck at grinding plunges so I made a cheat. It helps with cross grinding bevels, too. Upper and lower part of the platen are rounded. Things become easy.

View attachment 2225033

I get your concept and applaud the ingenuity....but you may wanna make sure that your platen is held to the arm by more than one bolt That makes me nervous.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I get your concept and applaud the ingenuity....but you may wanna make sure that your platen is held to the arm by more than one bolt That makes me nervous.

Good eye..... I didn't see That at first.

just fingertipping it on....... Barely.

 

[JoeBusic]

just fingertipping it on....... Barely.

It is usually vertical and dual bolted but this one was for a quicky with very small force as the contact area is very small. Needed a more pronounced radius. But it should work for plunges, not for beveling.

 

[Forrest Taylor]

View attachment 2225850
Some grinder companies are starting to offer something similar that you can install above your top wheel so it’s in a more comfortable position for dialing in plunges on a flat grind and can be used to get your grind lines lengthwise if you want them in that direction

I have a KMG grinder. I ordered another flat platen and drilled and threaded a couple of holes to move the platen. ground a radius on one edge, and now I have a waterfall platen. Pretty easy mod really. I'll take and upload a photo later.