Harbour Freight 1" x 30" belt sander: initial impressions and questions

I really am sick of getting shocks when sharpening with the higher grit belts, I don't have a leather belt. Even after doing a group of about 8 knives I was even getting the shocks from a 320 belt. It is a very fast and easy way to sharpen but as soon as those fine grit belts get a little worn it is shock city.
 
I have to agree on the shock issue. This week we have wet weather and I was suprized how little shock there was. When we have the santa ana winds which are dry desert winds the spark is amazing. I tried wraping a wire around my wrist to ground but felt like I was getting electrocuted. I just remembered a trick where you drag aluminium foil across the surface to ground got to give that a try. I had the box open the other day and there seems to be a good ground on the motor.
 
Yeah it isn't a ground issue on the motor. In fact I had a guy touching everyplace on the grinder as I was sharpening and getting shocked and he got nothing. I'll have to try the foil trick.
 
db said:
I really am sick of getting shocks when sharpening with the higher grit belts, I don't have a leather belt. Even after doing a group of about 8 knives I was even getting the shocks from a 320 belt. It is a very fast and easy way to sharpen but as soon as those fine grit belts get a little worn it is shock city.
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I hear ya!

I've developed the habit of tapping the spine of the knife to metal after each pass. Better that the shock sparks the spine than my hand! Started doing this withthe tip, then thought it might not be real good for the metal at the tip - I figure the spine is thick enough not to be harmed.
 
There was a multipage thread on static shock in shoptalk a while ago.
Might be worth a look/search.
 
Hi,

To help prevent static electrical shock, rig up some fine iron, copper, steel, "shreds", (think steel wool), so it just touches the back of the belt. Run a piece of wire from it, like 18ga automotive, to ground.

This is what is done in industrial situations. Some processes can build enough charge to knock you on your backside.

dalee
 
If anyone has a link to the shoptalk thread please post it. I'm probably going to have a good amount of blades to sharpen later this week and would like to find an easy way to prevent the shocks.
 
Blue Sky said:
I've been looking further into it and PCP has it right I think. Those kinds of motors can be safely regulated by adjusting the frequency, not the voltage. Dimmer switches are variable resistors which regulate voltage, so that's out.

Changeable pulleys would work if there were room and a way to mount them properly, but all in all it would make more sense to buy one with variable speed built in. Thanks everyone.
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Do note that w/ AC power when you decrease frequency you increase impedance. Impedance is similar concept to resistance but it applies specifically to AC power (w/ frequency). Remember, the reason that AC power distributes better than DC power is b/c for some reason the frequency & waveform reduces resistance in the conductor.

So, if you slow down frequency enough to the motor it might get to the point that you will be building up enough heat to damage it.
 
hello, been reading this tread with interest. I want to thank everyone for all the information. I am on my way to pick up my HF 1x30. I've ordered my belts from lee. Now my question is, how do you measure the angles? with my sharpmaker it is easy just put the rods in the right holes, but doing it on a belt sander? is there some sort of gage or standard to make sure that the angle is staying close?
 
SPXTrader said:
You might want to edit your post rlucius. Cross forum links are a no-no here...
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SPX, I'm confused here. This rule doesn't make any sense at all to me. As it happens, the cross forum link gave me information that I consider highly valuable, that I had never seen before, and that I probably never would have run across on my own.

Now this is not the first forum rule that left me scratching my head, but I thought I would at least see if I could figure out why such a rule would be made in the first place. I couldn't find it.

So could you kindly direct me to the rule so I can read it for myself? Well, maybe you can't do that without breaking the rule, but maybe you could quote it in its entirety and tell me where it is located. Many thanks!!!
 
Natch, I found the link here. After looking at it again, it doesn't apply to rlucius's post and to him I apologize for that.
 
No harm done to me and I depend on you fellow members to help me along the sharpening path.

Thanks again - if I break any rules in ref to this forum or any other forum please bring to my attention as you have done.

The chart that Mr. Ward published enabled me to remove pages of angles from my wall.

At about half inch intervals from heel to tip, with marking pencil I record the distance from spine to belt. That tends to re enforce that most important "distance" - from spine to belt,

Please note: as we move into the radius do our measurements as the cutting edge is 90* to the belt - our measurements should be to the spine (blade width) the blade width measurement must always be 90* to the cutting edge.

Someone, please help me explain what I am trying to say.

Thanks for understanding

Rupert Lucius
Here In Louisiana
 
Try to visualize a TRIANGLE (being the area created from the spine to the cutting edge, thence back along the belt, thence over to the point of origin at the spine).
 
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There is an issue with trying to make exact measurements on this. The belt will deflect, increasing the angle at the point. More pressure on the belt, the greater the real angle at the edge. BUT, you're forming a convex edge when you do this and it's been my experience that you really don't need to be that precise because the convex edge is very forgiving of a pretty wide range of angles. Plus, it cuts surprisingly well with fairly steep edges that you wouldn't expect to cut well.

Kitchen knives are a little different since the edge, and often the steel itself, are pretty thin, but even there if you're at 10 degrees or 15 degrees it probably won't be easily discerned when you use the knife.

If you can still raise a wire edge with the finest belts, you're probably OK. If you can raise a wire edge with polish on the leather belt, you're smokin!! :)
 
Thank you Jerry I thought I had looked everywhere on there and just couldn't find it. I think I have got my "shopping list" together now. So off to order this stuff and give it a shot. Thanks Jerry for all your advice and tutorial on how this is done. People like you are what makes this forum so great.:thumbup:
 
I have sharpened hundreds of knives with my HF 1x30 belt sander. I have never got a shock and have never used anything except a 120 grit from start to finish. I give them a pass or two on each side and hit them a few times on the hand strop and they are done and sharp.
 
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