Great idea on the vertical work rest! The KMG1 is designed to make it easy to adapt whatever you might dream up.....at least this was the plan when I first sat down at the drawing board. The tooling arm has threaded holes that go though the arm on the top and on the side which will allow you to bolt all sorts of brackets, angle iron, blocks...etc. The idea was to provide a very solid plateform from which you could do anything that you could dream up. In my shop, I frequently use c-clamps to mount "things" on the end of the arm and on the work rest.
I've always avoided tilting work rests. The work rest itself presents hazards in which if not properly adjusted, objects can be pinched in the gap between the rest and the belt. More adjustments create more ways that something could go wrong....so I've avoided them. I doubt that I will supply them with a tilting and/or elevator feature. ... Sorry.
I've done a few Buffing attachments for special purpose applications.....but not for knifemakers due to the hazards of flinging blades.
Here are a few pics:
This was for finishing and deburring small parts.
This attachment was for a big honking 12" x 3" buff. In this case, the buff is driven from pulley on the left side. When the buff was used, the belt to the grinder driveshaft was discontected and used to power the buff. This was done for safety and logistics. We figured that if a buff and a contact wheel were mounted at the same time, some one would grind on the wheel and contaminate the buff. These buffs were huge!...and needed to be clean.
Just some food for thought. I still build custom grinders however my current work load is very heavy. I'd be glad to get involved in your project.
One more note.....For an edge finishing machine....have you seen the horizontal sander attachment at knifekits.com. I've used it....and it is nice!
I swiped this image from thier web site:
If I can help...feel free to drop me a line.
-Rob
