I want to start making knives again.

M

mc556

Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
354
I lost my equipment in a house fire 6 years ago and since it was a hobby not a living it never got replaced. Each year I talk about buying a new 2x72 but I think it’s time.

I tend to like nicer tools, but wanted to check in since it’s been 12 years since I’ve shopped a grinder. After flipping through a few pages it’s seems like the Reeder is the new hotness. What other setups under $3000 should I be looking at? I like making a bit of everything from small neck knives to machetes. I still have a evenheat oven to HT and plenty of other tools so it’s the belt grinder is really the main purchase to put me back to pre fire status.
Going with the Reeder chassis and finishing up with my own motor and VFD would be the route I’d go without other advice.
 
this is what I started on and am still using not the best out there but works well and one of the more affordable ones
link:https://www.etsy.com/listing/1171245317/toobinator-272-belt-grinder-welded?sts=1
I ended up getting the tilt table he makes as well

others on the forum will come along and likely recomend something better for a similar price point if they know of something but I can only speak for what I know and have used
 
A Reeder compared to a Toobinator is a mustang compared to a corvette. Both work, but there is a lot more to the better one.

The Reeder basic package, a 2HP Motor VFD package from eBay or elsewhere, and a lot of extras from Reeder or Contender will barely hit $3K.
I highly recommend the mobile base Greg Reeder makes. Their surface grinder is a "next step" addition after you get yourself back into making knives.

Note - fill out your profile so we know a bit about you and where you live.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
A Reeder compared to a Toobinator is a mustang compared to a corvette. Both work, but there is a lot more to the better one.

The Reeder basic package, a 2HP Motor VFD package from eBay or elsewhere, and a lot of extras from Reeder or Contender will barely hit $3K.
I highly recommend the mobile base Greg Reeder makes. Their surface grinder is a "next step" addition after you get yourself back into making knives.

Note - fill out your profile so we know a bit about you and where you live.
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I agree Mustangs are so much better than corvettes 😁

As Stacy said the Reeder basic package is an excellent set up for the money and can be added to as your demand increases down the road as it fits the “standard” of most grinders and accessories available today.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
A Reeder compared to a Toobinator is a mustang compared to a corvette. Both work, but there is a lot more to the better one.

The Reeder basic package, a 2HP Motor VFD package from eBay or elsewhere, and a lot of extras from Reeder or Contender will barely hit $3K.
I highly recommend the mobile base Greg Reeder makes. Their surface grinder is a "next step" addition after you get yourself back into making knives.

Note - fill out your profile so we know a bit about you and where you live.
Click to expand...
I filled it out a bit. I am going to upgrade my membership later.
I’m in SC but only about a hour south of Ashville NC. I definitely thought about building my own, but these days time is better spent on what parts I enjoy vs more projects.
 
Contender Machine said:
I agree Mustangs are so much better than corvettes 😁

As Stacy said the Reeder basic package is an excellent set up for the money and can be added to as your demand increases down the road as it fits the “standard” of most grinders and accessories available today.
Click to expand...
Well I’ve owned both but currently have a 03 Z06.
Cam, Headers etc. I’ve had so many mustangs I can’t even remember. I wish I would have kept the 03 Cobra.
I’ll have to check out the Contender stuff. That’s the whole point of the thread is to see what’s out there now. At the end of the day this is a hobby for me. I’m not trying to start a business. If anything my only motivation to ever sell knives is just to fund my hobby. Most of what I like to make is on the utilitarian side anyway.
 
mc556 said:
Well I’ve owned both but currently have a 03 Z06.
Cam, Headers etc. I’ve had so many mustangs I can’t even remember. I wish I would have kept the 03 Cobra.
I’ll have to check out the Contender stuff. That’s the whole point of the thread is to see what’s out there now. At the end of the day this is a hobby for me. I’m not trying to start a business. If anything my only motivation to ever sell knives is just to fund my hobby. Most of what I like to make is on the utilitarian side anyway.
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What did you end up buying?
 
Personally, I've never much cared for the "toobinator" design... No offense to the late Mr. Comeau who came up with it. While I've not had any direct experience with one, the tensioning mechanism just seems a little bit underwhelming to me. There's a few other design features that leave a bit to be desired for me as well.
Don't get me wrong, it's a fine design for what it was originally intended for: An easy to build, relatively cheap alternative to what at the time of its inception was a very limited grinder market, where the next "cheapest" machine would run you around $2000 or more. I think at the time these plans came out, people were building them for around $500 or less. That said, there's no way I'd pay $1500 for a single speed, fixed position machine... Not when there are so many other options out there.

I'd definitely look at Reeder, or Ameribrade, or even the Revolution grinder packages that Housemade.us sells. I think you can get a Revolution kit without a motor for about $1000 to $1200 or so. I'd say you could source your own motor and vfd and still be within your $1500 budget, and you'd have a far better machine when it was assembled.
 
And...... Many of us use the Pheer brand.
I was able to scrounge and find my own motor & drive......
The Pheer package was less than 1 thousand, With shipping.

Id buy mine again in a heartbeat.
Tracks beautifully.... Forward & Reverse.

I don't believe their is a better 2x72 grinder on the market for the money.
I looked.
 
Way-Barney said:
What did you end up buying?
Click to expand...

Nothing yet.
I have been out of town and will be again soon for Christmas. I am leaning towards a Reeder Chassis vs regretting buying a lesser budget model. I’ll take a look at the others mentioned like the Pheer.
 
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Drew Riley said:
Personally, I've never much cared for the "toobinator" design... No offense to the late Mr. Comeau who came up with it. While I've not had any direct experience with one, the tensioning mechanism just seems a little bit underwhelming to me. There's a few other design features that leave a bit to be desired for me as well.
Don't get me wrong, it's a fine design for what it was originally intended for: An easy to build, relatively cheap alternative to what at the time of its inception was a very limited grinder market, where the next "cheapest" machine would run you around $2000 or more. I think at the time these plans came out, people were building them for around $500 or less. That said, there's no way I'd pay $1500 for a single speed, fixed position machine... Not when there are so many other options out there.

I'd definitely look at Reeder, or Ameribrade, or even the Revolution grinder packages that Housemade.us sells. I think you can get a Revolution kit without a motor for about $1000 to $1200 or so. I'd say you could source your own motor and vfd and still be within your $1500 budget, and you'd have a far better machine when it was assembled.
Click to expand...
no I agree the whole of what you and stacy E. apelt are and have said about the toobinator.
I started knife making as a hobby and will likely never get to a point where I can make it full time I needed something to get me started and had to borrow from family to get a machine I could use,I've paid it off and the machine has more than paid for itself at this point,I did not have the time to make one either yeah I probably paid more that it could be built for but the time it saved in my case was worth it.
like i said before though I cant speak for a machine I have not used even though there are better out there.
 
I’ll just say that I absolutely love my Reeder setup. Easily my favorite “toy” in the shop.

IMG_0154.jpeg
 
Buy once, cry once :) I'm local to Brodbeck so they get all my business, but I absolutely love the grinder and the guys are top notch from service after the sale.

Whatever you get, good luck in the return endeavors!
 
Fixall said:
I’ll just say that I absolutely love my Reeder setup. Easily my favorite “toy” in the shop.

View attachment 2415226
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Good photo of the mobile base. It is rock solid.
The Reeder surface grinder attachment shown is also better IMHO than the others on the market ... and cheaper.
Also, notice the detail Greg mills into the hand-wheels and surfaces.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Good photo of the mobile base. It is rock solid.
The Reeder surface grinder attachment shown is also better IMHO than the others on the market ... and cheaper.
Also, notice the detail Greg mills into the hand-wheels and surfaces.
Click to expand...

I love the base. It makes it so easy to bring it out of the shop on nice days.

I actually picked this setup up on your recommendation almost two years ago. That was some GREAT advice. :)
 
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