im going to get a belt sander but...

S

SkaerE

Joined
Sep 9, 2001
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428
i need good viable options. cant spend more than about $150 tops. there are some at the hardware store that have a 1'' belt and disk, and one that has a 4'' belt and disk. which one would be better all around? i believe they were made by Ryobi or Delta, i forget.

are there better ones out there in this price range?

thanks
 
I hate to keep hogging in on this generous forum (especially since I still have so little substance to offer), but I am still stuck with a 1 inch belt sander. Mine is 1 x 30! I got it from; shall I admit it; Harbor Freight and cost a whole lot less than your 150 bucks. That's all I got for my blade grinds so far. I do have a 4 X 36 and use it more for profiling scales and blades and what-nots. The 4 X 6 can stay. When I get the bucks I want a good 2 incher - 1000 dollar range or better. Period. Because I want to stay with knife making and I don't want to keep stepping up little by little. Doing it that way will cost me a lot more. I'll stay cheap until I don't have to any more.

You can make knives with machines from your local hardware store. Believe me you can. You can't keep up, but you can make them. Then later you get what you know you need. That's my advise - from one novice to another.

RL
 
I haven't even finished a knife, but I might be able to help. I bought a 4"x36" grinder from Sears on clearance for $90. I think Home Depot or Lowes sells the Ryobi or Delta 4"(leaning towards Delta) for around the same price. I just picked up the Craftsman because I heard they have a lifetime warranty?

As mentioned, the 4" belt is useful for profiling. I do most of my rough profiling and scale removal on the wheel. Not sure why (higher torque?) but the wheel excells at these tasks relative to the belt. After this, I use the belt to get rid of any minor warpage, finish the profiling and then grind the bevels.

If I had to do it all over again, I would get this model again because I can always use it later for profiling/scale removal as opposed to the more expensive machines that use the 2"x72" belts. Even with the 4" belt, at the RPMs or torque that these machines put out it still takes a long time to surface grind. I imagine with a thinner belt it would take longer? Or does the 1" belt remove more material because of the decreased contact area??

The prices that Sears, HD and Lowes charge for the 4" belts is insane, IMO. Something to the tune of $4.50?? I think Harbor Freight has them for at least half that. Have seen some advertized prices in magazines or online for less still, but can't recall where.

Good luck!
 
After having made several knives by hand with files and by grinding on my 4x36 I'd rather make knives with files (but I like making knives with files anyway!) The exception to that is the disc on the 4x36, it does a good job on profiling at least any portion of the knife you can make contact it.

If I had to look for a cheap grinder to make knives with (I have a used Pro-cut 2x72 now) I'd buy a 12" disc sander from Grizzly or Harbor Freight. They go for around $100.00 to $130.00 and I know several people have posted on here at some point or other about how nice it is to flat grind blades on large disc grinders and you have equal access to either side of the disc.

As stated already the 4x36 is slow, is barely capable of removing scale or even working the flats of the blade stock but if you are patient it works. You have to modify the platten in order to make plunge cuts and the belts are terribly expensive and are generally available only in AO up to 120 grit. It does work well with wood, which is what it was designed for.

If you can in any way manage it you should consider saving for a while and buying a Grizzly 2x72, they regularly go on sale for about $300.00 and shipping is around $40.00 to $50.00. This would give you not only a 2x72 with plenty of power but also a buffer to boot!

This is all just opinion on my part.
 
how about the "multi-tool" 2x36'' belt sander/6'' disk sander that attaches to a bench grinder? seems like a great idea. and its $150 from texas knife.

anyone own/used one?
 
Two words.... Belt Selection!
I could not afford a good grinder either(KMG-1 or BIII would be my choice now)and settled for a sears 2" X 42" with an 8" disk on the side. It works ok but sears only carries 3 grits for it 50, 80, and 120 A/O. If I had to buy another cheap one again I would stick with anything that is 2" x 72" over all those odd sizes because you can get belts from 36 grit to 600 + and sometimes even localy. I have to order from out of state to get the grit sizes I want in a 2" x 42".:( and supergrit is the only place I have found that carries a wide variety of 2x42.
 
yeah, the 2x42 was the other i was looking at.

recently i believe i may have decided to build my own.

2 questions about that.

1.) where to get a good motor (any appliance motors good for this?)

2.) what does a tracking device do? how do they work?

thanks folks
 
Originally posted by SkaerE
i need good viable options. cant spend more than about $150 tops. ...snip...
Click to expand...

Seriously?

Go, get yourself a copy of "The $50 knife shop", and make your own. I bought a 1x42 - it was a waste for making knifes - but good for some of my other hobby stuff.

I bought a 10" contact wheel from Grizzly ($59.95), and I'm going to build my own - Dig up an old motor, and away you go
 
A local maker here made himself a 2x72 grinder he went on to sell a coule of dozen. I brought one. He used a pump motor fully inclosed with a drive wheel 100mm straight of the shaft. It is not variable speed but it has no problems with dust as it is fully enclosed.
 
Hey I started with that 1"x30" Harbor Freight grinder and did very well. I just attended a show where a couple folks were talking about the fact that you can't grind a nice blade with a Grizzley grinder; then they looked at my table and kept quiet after I told them that's what I used. It's part grinder part the person using the grinder. People throughout history have made beautiful things just with a stone, your tools don't have to cost you alot of money. They'll cost some but, not enough to keep you from getting youself going.

J.
http://www.mountainhollow.net
web update complete
 
Alot of good info going on here. I have 2 4x36, a 2x48, and 2 1x42's, all of which have been salvaged and rebuilt. I also have 4 disc grinders, 2 horizontal and 2 verticle. Been making for a number of years with some success. Using these sub grade machines, to make knives has really taught me alot. I now think it is time to move up to a 2x72 machine, but I will build mine, because I can always repair it. The main thing is to learn to make knives, first and foremost, with simple tools and inginuity. When you have the basics down, then you can move on to better faster equipment. High dollar equipment will not make a good knife, you have to have the knowledge and experience to use the tool to acheive this. If you are truly dedicated to making knives, then you will always find a way to make blades, some ways just faster than others.
Ken (wwjd)
 
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