kmg clone, work rest or not?

[willy m]

hello. i built a kmg clone from tracy's plans i LOVE it. i didnt build the work rest. i wanted to learn free hand. ive had it about 2 years and my grinds are getting better all the time. i am having some trouble getting my plunges exactly straight and some times keeping the cutting edge nice and straight the entire length. you guys that use a rest do you have similar problems or is this something that will get better as time goes. do most people use a rest or not? thankyou....... willy

 

[John L]

Try to learn to grind the bevels without a rest. But...if you are profliling with this grinder..use a rest adjusted to 90 degress to the wheel face. So....yes... you do need one.

 

[willy m]

i do most of my profiling with a bench grinder its more cost efficent than belts.

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

bench grinder

Stone wheel bench grinder ???

 

[mgordon]

i do most of my profiling with a bench grinder its more cost efficent than belts.

I wouldnt admit that. . .


MG

 

[White Rabbit]

I've found using a 4.5" angle grinder to be possibly the cheapest and easiest way to profile, and even with a metal cutting bandsaw I still prefer the grinder. I probably won't use anything different ever unless I get a plasma torch.

 

[willy m]

i use a stone wheel bench grinder to rought it in then my 2 by 72

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

stone wheels are ugly when they explode. I can't imagine a stone being faster than a coarse belt on a 2 x 72.

 

[JTknives]

Ya that would be a nay for me on the stone grinder. I look at the time it takes to profile the blade not just the belt cost. I have a tool rest but I just use it for profileing as I get nice square edges. The rest of the grinding is done free hand.

 

[nivejuncky]

I prefer the work rest for small folding blades and free hand the larger ones. As far as keeping the plunges straight and even you can clamp some scrap stock where you want the plunge to terminate and run the belt right up against it. Or, you can just use tape to mark the plunge.