grizzly 2x72 belt grinder

H

hayshaker

Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
23
i'm posing this question has anyone had any experience
with the grizzly 2x72 belt grinder?
i saw one on thier site it came with a buffer attachment price 505'00
verses the kalamazoo at 729'00. i know the kz672 is american made
and i guess the grizzly chinese made.is there really a difference in quality
to justify the extra cost of the americn one.
 
The Grizzly is a good grinder, and is the cheapest 2 X 72 you will find. It has a contact wheel, flat platen, and buffer.
While it has it's drawbacks, it's hard to beat as a basic shop tool.
I have a Hardcore 2 X 72, a Pheer 2 X 72, and the Grizzly. If my Grizzly broke down, I would immediately order another (and I have in the past.)
 
Bill could you please describe it's draw backs? i really wanted the kalamazoo but as i'm very new to all this
plus there's the budget issue as well. i went with the grizzly.i do have 2 kalamazoos a 1x42 and a 2x42.
so now i feel i have the grinders i need. now i need to order some belts.
 
With all those grinders you probably could have just built one. Main draw back for the grizzly is probably lack of variable speed.
 
No variable speed, it's hard to hollow grind with because the motor gets in the way, and the tool rest is not the best.
 
It's way too fast for a beginner. You need the variable speed for finer work and belts - the Grizz is fine for hogging off metal but if you are only going the have 1 grinder get one with variable speed. Pulleys or VFD will both work.
 
It's not too fast if that's what you learn on.
Back in the prehistoric days we didn't have variable speed grinders, and we did just fine.
We also walked 3 miles to school in the snow, uphill- both ways.
 
I started on the Grizzly and still have it in the shop. It is a good machine. It comes with a 1HP motor and I think an 8" wheel. There is also a 10" wheel you can get for it. It's main drawbacks in my opinion are the 2 wheel design which makes dependable tracking a bit tricky. There are mods that add a third wheel which helps a lot. And of course the location of the motor does get in the way for certain types of grinding. Another problem is the tension spring is a bit light and hard to modify. The work rest is a bit of a joke but a clever person can easily make a better one. There is no variable speed as has been mentioned but that is a problem with many machines. As an entry level machine the price is affordable and it is much better than a 1x30 or 2x48 type machine. Lots of people make very nice knives on a Grizzly. I haven't tried a Kalamazoo but the extra $220 can buy a lot of supplies.
 
thank you all so much, i really look forward to it's arival.when everyone says variable speed does that mean
the pullies you use dictate the speed yes? and can a machine like this have the motor removed to be set behind
the grinder and use a v-belt so as the motor will not be in the way? just wondering.
 
hayshaker said:
thank you all so much, i really look forward to it's arival.when everyone says variable speed does that mean
the pullies you use dictate the speed yes? and can a machine like this have the motor removed to be set behind
the grinder and use a v-belt so as the motor will not be in the way? just wondering.
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I learned on fast machines a long time ago. Still use them a lot. Bill has said the Grizzs negatives. You can drive it with another motor and pulleys to control speed. Best for the money.
 
I got one back when I first got interested in knives....jeez...six years ago.
Since then I've made thousands of knives on it, and it just soldiers on.
As I've said in the past, it certainly wasn't designed by a knife maker- it's really awkward to do a lot of the things we like to do, the way it's set up from the factory- reworking the tool rest helps a lot, since it makes it next to impossible to hollow grind on the large drive wheel.
That said, I use it all the time, because the series of operations that I use to make my simple stock removal knives works great on that machine. Upgrade as soon as you can, but if the Grizz is what you have, you can go a long, long way with it.
 
The Grizzly is my primary grinder. I don't get quite as fancy as some of the dust-junkies around here but it has served me well. As Bill stated, if my Grizz broke down, I would immediately order another. In fact, I intend to order another "just in case".
 
The polar bear forge grinder kits are the most economical way to get to VS 2x72. Used motors are plentiful and cheap, and wheels are much more affordable now than they were a few years ago. The VFD isn't much more than the step pulleys anyway. Next is a Kmg with step pulleys.

I learned on a craftsman 2x42 converted to 2x72. I could still make a good knife on it, I would just need to go back to more cleanup by hand, and less finished on the grinder.
 
Rick Marchand said:
The Grizzly is my primary grinder. I don't get quite as fancy as some of the dust-junkies around here but it has served me well. As Bill stated, if my Grizz broke down, I would immediately order another. In fact, I intend to order another "just in case".
Click to expand...

Rick- something that was mentioned here is a very good idea- put a pulley on one end of the motor shaft and power the Griz with another motor and VFD. I still have my old Grizzly, but have no room to set it up that way. It would make good use of an otherwise useless piece of equipment.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Rick- something that was mentioned here is a very good idea- put a pulley on one end of the motor shaft and power the Griz with another motor and VFD. I still have my old Grizzly, but have no room to set it up that way. It would make good use of an otherwise useless piece of equipment.
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That would work.... if I hadn't cut off the buffer shaft 4yrs ago! :eek: Had a good reason for it at the time.
 
well i still have'nt given up on the idea of a self built 2x72 i want one that turns at 1/2 the speed of the grizzly.
still checking the farm auctions and the sale paper it covres 4'counties and a part of so'dakota.
have to see what turns up i guess.
 
hayshaker said:
well i still have'nt given up on the idea of a self built 2x72 i want one that turns at 1/2 the speed of the grizzly.
still checking the farm auctions and the sale paper it covres 4'counties and a part of so'dakota.
have to see what turns up i guess.
Click to expand...

A KMG clone could easily, easily be built in the $600 range if you have the equipment available to build it. That would include motor, VFD, metal, bearings, shaft or direct drive, and pulleys.
 
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