kmg clone build mods

Keith_H

Keith_H

Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
3,121
I am building a kmg clone, and was wondering if there is any additions or modifications i should make to the grinder. I am considering making the tension arm slightly longer, should I? what else do you recommend i should include on a grinder?

thanks!
 
Maybe a little bigger or easier to turn knob for adjusting the tracking, mine is a little difficult to adjust sometimes (the little knurled knob).
 
ok, I will do that! is the tensioning arm too strong, or should i just just it to the default length?
 
When the fingers on my left hand are burnt, bleeding and sore I can barely turn the tracking knob.
 
I find that a 4-lobed aluminum knob made it much, much easier to turn, Beile. MSC p/n 01229673

Here's a thread that used to contain a pic of a useful mod. Sadly, the pic is now gone. Maybe Tracy will post it again. Tensioner extension I put one on one of my KMGs and it works very well. Sort of a reverse of what is on the Bader3.
 
thanks guys, once i figure out how to machine the wheels and get a motor, It should be easy from here on out. Maybe i will make a finger wheel and a rotary platen next year.
 
I put an entension on my KMG tension arm to make it easier to get belts on and off, I also redid the tensioner knob like some mention. Jim
 
Look at the thread about universal rest for KMG. It requires a 2nd "channel" for the rest's arm, so you might want to add that too. Depending on your disc grinder situation, you might want to adopt my disc grinder attachment (look at my posts).
 
I have replaced the bolts that hold my rests with pieces of all thread and wing nuts. That way I can move the rest quickly without tools. On the platen I can quickly move it away to use the platen's length and then move it close again. For my 10" wheel I have a stack of spacers. I can loosen the wing nuts and drop the rest insert as many spacers as needed ( I have several 1/2" 3/8" 1/4" 1/8" and 1/16") to adjust the rest to the wheel and then retighten. I recently made a arm with a 3" wheel, a 8" wheel and a platen. It is a rotator, so you can use either wheel or the platen or the slack area. The stuff you can do is endless. Jim
 
thanks, guys. I was considering adopting a rest like the MAP arm, maybe with square tubing rather than the 1/2" plate box.

I do not have a disk grinder, but i was thinking if i have time, i could build it so that if i want to use the disk grinder i can just move the drive belt around

like this, (i wrapped it in code so that it keeps it's spacing)

<,> represent stepped pulleys



Code: 
              < [kmg clone]  
            
      [motor]->

[disk grinder]-
 
Hi Keith, the only thing I'd not care for in your setup is that the disc grinder is only vertical and you may want to use it horizontally. It would probably work well for an interim until you can dedicate a motor to it.

Who knows though, you maybe prefer to work on it solely in the vertical position.
 
ok, I don't think i would be using it for bevels, maybe just for flattening. I don't have a disc so i might just add it later on.
 
Hi Keith,

Here is a pic of the tracking/tensioner area of my MMG (Mighty or Mickey Mouse Grinder).

customhandle.jpg


The tracking T screw works effortlessly. I used a Barnett clutch spring for tracking and a portion of the fork spring from a Low Rider for tension.

One of these days I will heat and bend the tensioner extension piece as sometimes it gets in the way if I want to use the upper slack portion of the belt.
 
Here is that arm level Fitz was talking about. I couldn't find the original picture so I took another one...I can change belts with 2 fingers of pressure and it's much closer to me.
One bolt goes into the original handle hole, the bottom bolt is just a leverage point under the tension arm, the top hole on the extension is threaded to take the original handle.
 

Attachments

  • arm-extension.jpg
    arm-extension.jpg
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thanks for the pics guys, I think I will make the arm 10 or 12 inches long out of one piece of solid plate.
 
Did you guys have really that much trouble getting leverage to change your belts? I have no problem and I run tight belt tension.
 
I never had a problem with mine either? I can see it would be easier with a longer arm though.
 
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