Grizzly belt grinder back order blues

KnifeHead

KnifeHead

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
5,575
I have had this on order since about mid August. Was notified at the time of order that they were on BO till early October. I let "early October" go by and called them for the status of my order today and was told the BO is continuing through October and was going to(vaguely) be "shipping through November". I kindly asked for my order to be cancelled and it was so. :grumpy:

Ok, that was the sad news sort of.

The happy news is the back order may have kept me from making a mistake. A friend of mine, who is a knifemaker you would know if I mentioned his name, said that it would go too fast and I wouldn't be able to have the kind of control it takes to make good, clean grinds. That grinder is direct drive with no speed control.

So, now I am shoppin for a variable speed 2x72" grinder. My friend tells me if I want to do this right I'm going to have to spend some money. :D
 
If you are going to purchase a ready set up instead of making your own check out Rob at beaumontmetalworks. I recommend the KBAC-27D controller.... If you want rough plans I have sketches on my website in my shop page.....

Daniel
 
Another new grinder thread (third one this week?), sure to be filled with the same advice. Just buy a KMG and don't look back!
 
kerry, lets talk money.

Although there are many well known flaws to the grizzly, the thing that so interests new knife makers is that the grizzly comes with a good strong motor, a attached buffer, and is still under or around $300.

What type of money will you need to get the KMG, with a good strong motor, and a buffer?
 
Cost was my determining factor in getting the Grizz. When you have a family, you have to make choices sometimes. I figure I can always upgrade later if things take off and I'm still interested. I can always use the grizzly for roughing out, or simply sell it to another up and coming maker on a budget. I believe in getting the best you can afford, but sometimes $350.00 is it!
 
I can understand that scott.
i have been reading about many of the grizzly fans and it seems there are some good things to say about the grizzly.

I can fully understand that there seems to be no limit to the amount of money some knife makers can spend on their toys.
However from what I have been reading here on this forum, the grizzly is the limit to how little you can spend for a belt grinder that comes with it's own motor and buffer.
 
The Grizzly ain't that bad, I just whittled this one out of 5/32" D2 this evening -my first hollow grind!

drophuntercopy.jpg


I have the Grizzly with the 10" wheel -and that's it. (Actually, I have a $30 Harborfreight drill press and an angle grinder too). Knifemaking's just a hobby for me, if I can eventually justify the cost of buying a KMG, Bader, etc. and have the space for it (my "shop" is only 6' x 3') -I may eventually buy one. Until then, I'm having fun on a budget. I'd rather save a couple of bucks, take the missus out to dinner and get the kids some toys with the extra money I'd be saving with the cheapo grinder that gets the job done. :)

P.S. I believe the belts are more important than the grinder. Use good (ceramic: Norton, 3M, etc.) fresh ones (don't be afraid to ditch the old belt -belts are cheaper than D2!), and choose the right grit for each stage of grinding the bevels. You could have the best grinder in the world, but if you don't know what you're doing it won't be used to it's maximal capability.

Grinders are like cars, you learn in a beater; when you work up to it, the feeling you get when you buy your first "new" car is unforgettable -and then you can really appreciate it and truly know how to use it.

The most important thing is to have fun and if it's just a hobby -budget yourself so you don't go broke. I used to be into musclecars and racked up a lot of credit card debt which took years to pay off. Be wise my friend.

-Just my .02.
 
Im still looking to hear how much money I need to get one of them KMG grinders?

Is there a website for KMG belt grinders that I can visit to be able to compare shop?

And how much for a good buffer thats about equal to the one that comes already attached to the grizzly?

The reason i ask is:
I was getting some advice about belt grinders about a year ago and I was just about to get the one that was suggested, when I learned that in addition to the belt grinder wheels and set up I would need to search around on my own to find an electric motor for it!!!

I had no idea that I was not getting a motor included!

I looked at a few websites for a motor for that grinder and when I started to add up the money I came to the conclusion that my "hobby" was getting too deep into my wallet.
 
The Grizzly was the first grinder I bought (it was cheaper then and I didn't have to pay shipping), and though I have two KMG grinders now, I still use the Grizzly for hogging and random stuff.
 
If you can learn to grind on a Grizz running twice the speed of light, then you will probably be a pretty good maker.

When I bought my KMG, I sold the Grizz to the brother-in-law. He is turning out some nice stuff on it. Good grinder for the money, but is very limited in options.

Robert
 
Alan Molstad said:
kerry, lets talk money.

Although there are many well known flaws to the grizzly, the thing that so interests new knife makers is that the grizzly comes with a good strong motor, a attached buffer, and is still under or around $300.

What type of money will you need to get the KMG, with a good strong motor, and a buffer?
Click to expand...

MONEY...BIG MONEY for someone that is hobby level for sure. I want to make a good quality knife now and then to give as gifts or to sell one once in a while to feed the habit. Sooooo....the Grizzly is perfect for that but if you can't get one till next month(infinity) what's a mother to do. I know...patience :)
 
flatgrinder said:
The Grizzly ain't that bad, I just whittled this one out of 5/32" D2 this evening -my first hollow grind!

drophuntercopy.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks like a great knife. I am pretty sure I could do that as well with a Grizzly, with some practice ofcourse. But, what about folder blades....can you grind very small blades on it and still maintain the control you need with the belt going at warp speed?
 
What seems to be true is that the grizzly is the "best bet" for the new guy who wants to get into knife making and to see what it's all about.

The Grizzly has a price that is far lower than the next step up the ladder.

The fact that the Grizzly comes with a motor is no small matter to keep in mind.
The ability to set the Grizzly up on your bench the day you get it, and have your fist knife started that same day is an important plus.

The Grizzly also comes with a buffer.
I been thinking about this and to me it seems the buffer is really a great idea on a beginner belt grinder.

The fact is that a buffer is one of the tools that a new beginner might never get a chance to use due to the extra money the take to get. And buffing really can make a knife look better, and thats very important too for a new guy, to see his first knives start to look the way he dreamed of.
 
Kerry Hampton said:
That looks like a great knife. I am pretty sure I could do that as well with a Grizzly, with some practice ofcourse. But, what about folder blades....can you grind very small blades on it and still maintain the control you need with the belt going at warp speed?
Click to expand...

Hi Kerry,

For folder blades, I use a jig -similar in concept to the one in Bob Terzuola's book "The Tactical Folding Knife" -a lot of excellent info on making folders. :thumbup:
 
flatgrinder said:
Hi Kerry,

For folder blades, I use a jig -similar in concept to the one in Bob Terzuola's book "The Tactical Folding Knife" -a lot of excellent info on making folders. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Heck..I can't buy the dang grinder for all the dang books I have to buy. :D

Seriously though, I greatly appreciate all the advice given.
 
UPDATE...Called Beaumont Metal Works about the KMG last Friday in regards to pricing and availability. They were in stock and ready to ship so I did the deed and it should arrive any day now via FedEx. My mentor says I will be most happy with my choice and wants to see it when I get it set up. He uses variable speed Burr KingS(that's right...plural) but said being able to change the speed was very important. I am getting the 2/4/6 cone pulleys so that I can have some control over the speed. I should get belt speeds around 3200/1500/800fpm depending on the motor I use.

I appreciate the fact that the Grizzly is a pretty good choice for the beginner and I agree. I am wanting to go forward and improve upon what I am doing now so the Grizzly just didn't fit the bill. I already have buffers and the fact that I just couldn't get one due to the back order situation all pointed me in a different direction.

One of the things Bruce Bump said in a thread I was reading some weeks ago was that he doesn't use a buffer because they wash out the grind lines on blades(or something to that effect). My mentor, Tony Bose, doesn't buff his blades either and they have a crispy satin finish with beautiful grind lines. That's what I am shooting for so that's where I'm putting my money.
 
Buy USA made.
And never use regular oil to lube those asian machines!
You must use Soy Sauce.
 
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