Help me spend $1250

Do we know what the pheer uses? and can anyone chime in with other machines? We could make a list of major design elements for each machine in the usual config. That could actually be useful for folks down the road since we're getting to the point where there's more machines every few months. Just in the time I've been doing this I've seen three major new additions to the list plus the Ubergrinder we can just drool over. :) Maybe a list of things like platen size, tool arm type, direct or belt drive, spindle hardware, what brand or type of wheels it defaults to, all that kind of stuff. Obviously it would just list standard or factory options, but it would give folks a starting point without searching a million different threads.

Briefly going back to "weakest link" stuff, what do other folks consider the weak link on various machines? What have folks had fail or just wear out first? I don't mean things we expect to wear out, like eventually wearing out bearings or a contact wheel. Has anyone bent a tool arm in use? torqued a frame somehow.... I'm sure it's happened at some point, just curious about how and why if it's happened to any of us.
 
Most of the high-priced well-thought-of machines shouldn't have typical weak links. Aspects such as spindles and the like are going to be similar across most of the machines, such as 1/2" bolts for contact wheel axles. They likely will never bend, but if you are worried about it, you could replace them with grade 8 hardware.

Bending a tooling arm, unless it was pretty flimsy, would be pretty hard to do while using a grinder in any fashion approaching sanity. It should be hard to do even with abuse. Like driving over it with your truck.

Some of the points on the Burr King wear down with extended use, like the work rest arm and main arbor. Some modify their KMG's by extending the tension arm handle area for leverage, and adding a stronger spring. Single speed Square Wheel grinders come with a big drive wheel that makes them too fast, so one has to retrofit a smaller wheel. This changes the wheel base, so another hole for the tooling arm has to be drilled and tapped in the front of the frame. The Burr King and Hardcore have a large hub on the left side of the platen that can hinder certain shaping operations. The JL grinder sometimes fails to track perfectly, so makers add a strip of tape in the middle of the tracking wheel.

Almost all of the above are not necessarily weak points or things that fail, just idiosyncrasies. When I have more time, I try to update my grinder page and add things that I remember, or get reviews from users. It takes a while to be exhaustive.

I do agree that the GIB is a more solid machine and preferable to the Pheer if one likes to build things, or has the time.
 
Thanks, Salem. Your page is the best I know of for comparing the various grinders from the perspective of knifemaking.
 
Remyrw said:
Thanks, Salem. Your page is the best I know of for comparing the various grinders from the perspective of knifemaking.
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Please forgive the side note, but is the link to Salem's page in his signature line working for everyone? I can't seem to get to his knife site anymore, just his band's site.:confused:
 
I've been informed by a few others that my links are being incorrectly redirected. I need to email GoDaddy support. Sorry for the hijack here.
 
Sometimes I get to his band, sometimes his knife page.

I really need to figure out how much a GIB would really be with one platen, 2" & 8" wheels and pheer's VFD.

There is also Don Fogg's KMG clone. Anyone ever used it?
 
How does anyone feel about a no weld grinder that is then welded? Thinking about that too.
 
I've never been impressed by the NWG design. It may work OK, but IMO it's ugly as sin and in any case I think the GIB is a better value for a DIY grinder, in terms of both design and materials. I actually really like the GIB, I think it's a good idea and well thought out. Until I built my own grinder from a combination of EERF and KMG clone plans, as well as figments from myself and my designer friend, I was going to get a GIB kit. I still would, for a third grinder.
 
Salem, thank you for your input.

Update: I bought a Lincoln 225 AC/DC with TIG attachments today for $300. So there is one thing I've always wanted out of the way.

Salem, how hard would it be for me to order the NWG plans, and then with a combo of them, the Don Fogg plans, and the EERF plans build my own grinder? I think I could do it, just have to make sure everything is square.
 
Salem Straub said:
I've never been impressed by the NWG design. It may work OK, but IMO it's ugly as sin and in any case I think the GIB is a better value for a DIY grinder, in terms of both design and materials. I actually really like the GIB, I think it's a good idea and well thought out. Until I built my own grinder from a combination of EERF and KMG clone plans, as well as figments from myself and my designer friend, I was going to get a GIB kit. I still would, for a third grinder.
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I own a NWG and second your thoughts , there are many inherent flaws to it and I wish I had bought a GIB instead . I searched around and didn't find any negative on it before I bought it but I guess my expectations for it were to high . I bought the frame kit thinking it'd save the time and hassle of building a homemade grinder from scratch and can't say that was the case . That's not to say the supplier is bad since I have nothing bad to say about there products and customer service I just think the NWG is inferior to a lot of other 2x72 grinders . Now if someone would just sell a assembled GIB/EERF style frame in the $500 range I think there would be a market for it .
 
Duffy, what do you feel are the inherent flaws in the NWG?

I think I can build a GIB with a 2 hp and VFD for about $1050 plus a bit for incidentals and a few bolts and tools. That is without the small wheel attachment, but I have to start somewhere.
 
I guess one could say the NWG is more conveniently designed for step pulley drive, whereas the GIB is not as convenient for that approach since it is design for a direct drive.
 
Patrice Lemée;10637249 said:
I am curious about TIG for 300$. Any link to the product?
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Craigslist. Lincoln AC/DC with TIG attachment but no tank for $300. He took the listing down, but he's testing pictures to me, I'll put them up soon.
 
Here we go!
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4 years old. Should last at least my lifetime!
 
Check out electric motors.com they have some good deals on motors and controllers.
Another thing is if you flat grind you can pretty much do without and 8 inch wheel especially if you have a 2 inch rubber wheel on your platen. My grinder is homemade, not from any of the plans or boxed grinders. I shopped ebay for my motor and controller. A lot of patience paid off with a 1 1/2 hp Permanent magnet 180v DC motor for 125.00 bucks shipped. My controller was bought off ebay to, its a Nema 1 so I have to blow it out occasionally but it has been serving me well for over 2 years now closer to 3. It was 100.00 shipped, they still sell them but I'll have to look at mine to get the web address. My flat platen was purchased from KMG and I made it work with my design. I also bought the small wheel attachment and the 3/4 inch wheel that was my most expensive purchase. Eventually I bought an 8 inch polyurathane wheel from sun industries for about 90.00 and have been using it without problems. My grinder design is a direct drive and the drive wheel was an expensive item can't remamber how much though, it came from bader.
My grinder is rock solid and vibration free tool change is slow compared to tooling arms but it came in under a 1000.00 bucks and I have all the parts I need.
I also watched ebay for a heat treat oven and purchased an older dental oven with a 4x4x12 chamber for 125.00 shipped. Still using it today although I did purchase a new themocoupler and digital controller for it. Great liitle oven that has served me well and allowed me to heat treat blades correctly. I still have it but have purchased a larger oven for bigger blades, however if it will fit the smaller oven it's the one I use.
Craigslist produced a older Craftsman full size drill press for 150.00, it's at least 30 years old I'm betting but spent most of it's life sitting until I purchased it.
My forge was made from a 10.00 airtank bought at a yard sale, bought the insawool and burner from a site on the web but can't remember the name. Total cost was under 200.00 for a forge that will reach welding temps. Bought most of my vises at yard sales or flea markets.
Bought a like new minimill off Cragslist for 300.00 with some tooling, also have an older Craftsman lathe that I still kick myself for not buying.
Bought a Lincoln 220v welder for 75.00 off craigslist but had to drive about 100 miles round trip, still worth it.
Craigslist also produced my dust collector for 125.00, big standing model with a 2hp motor that really has some vacuum. It sold new for around 400.00.
I tell people who come into my shop that the only new tools I have are my grinding belts the rest have been picked up here and there over the last 6 years or so.
Guess what I'm trying to say is if you don't get in a big hurry you can make that 1250.00 go a long way, and if you do it wisely you can use the profits from knives you sell to help complete your shop.
Oh almost forgot my latest purchase was a 2x42 grinder made in an old mill that shut down, paid 75.00 for that with a 1hp motor. It stands upright and works great for handle shaping.
 
J Hoover, do you have an email address I could shoot a couple questions to? I have a couple about this thread and some random ones about your work.
 
Thanks for the picture and info. I was curious as I never thought you could do tig work with a stick box. TIG setups I saw where always expensive, even more than my MIG with Gas.
 
Nice welder. That's a huge asset if you're building your own grinder. I think you will do fine building your own, although my suggestion is still to start with the GIB kit.

How does the TIG attachment work on that? Where does it plug in? Or is just an extension of the stinger? I'm envious, wish I had TIG myself.
 
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