looking at different belt grinders

[ChuckTilbury]

I am looking at free belt grinder plans. I have access to a fairly complete machine shop, so I can build any of the plans that I have seen. I am wondering if anyone has any comment of what the "best" one for making knives is. Here are a couple of links to plans that I know about: http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf
http://blindhogg.com/eerfgrinder.html
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html (a kit)

Also, I am thinking of powering it with a 2.9HP DC motor out of a treadmill. Here is a link for that: http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/ They sell motors and controllers, but it looks like they would not support my "application", but it is cheap and I can prolly figure it out. Any opinions?

Thanks,
-=chuckt=-

 

[Fellhoelter]

Use a good motor and controller TEFC to keep the dust out.

All of those are good options, I have both styles, and prefer the direct drive.

 

[Tx Bass Tech]

Checkout this link it may help you. www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders . There was a post awhile ago about motors blowing up from all the crap getting into unsealed motors. You might want to think about that when you get a motor. I'm on the road with a band until December but when I get home I'm going to get a Coote Grinder with a Leeson Motor and a 3 step pulley setup. We should get together in Austin and see what kind of damage we can do to some steel!

 

[12345678910]

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/[/url] They sell motors and controllers, but it looks like they would not support my "application", but it is cheap and I can prolly figure it out. Any opinions?

Thanks,
-=chuckt=-

Treadmill motor and controller, MAYBE if they are free.

If you are going to pay $170 ish for a motor and $100 to $200 for their controller...
No Way.


First, I believe that the HP ratings on their motors are overrated with Peak HP.
If they are manufactured to run on a standard 15 amp circut, then they are 1 to 1.5 HP.MAX

The motors are open and designed to be enclosed in the treadmill itself.
Open framed motors will allow metal dust in and the motor will eventually smoke.

I like direct drive.

At those prices you are already half way to a good setup.

1.5 hp 3 phase motor 3400rpm
KB KBAC-27D VFD
http://knifedogs.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14120&d=1282665100
Wayne Coe
423-628-6444
waynecoe@highland.net
http://www.WayneCoeBlacksmith.Etsy.com
Sunbright, Tennessee

 

[Salem Straub]

Here's a link to a cheap, good VFD. $145. Not NEMA4 enclosed, but put it in a separate room or build a box for it and it works great. Also, I find this company has good customer service and will stand by product warranties.

http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.196/.f?sc=2&category=32

Here's a good, cheap inverter duty 3ph. 2hp. motor for that VFD from the same guys. $230 bucks, not bad.

http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.57170/.f

You can find a cheaper motor probably if you really shop around, ebay can be great for this. But for the above total cost of $375 w/o shipping, you could have 2hp. variable speed.

If you have a metal lathe, you can turn your own tracking and platen wheels, even a drive wheel if you have a broach for the keyway- you can use UHMW even if you have no aluminum round big enough for the tracking or platen wheels.

As for the grinder design, I like direct drive as well. If you are building the grinder with
VS in mind, no need for belt drive/step pulley consideration.

I also like the Bader/KMG/G.I.B. tooling arm concept. It's easy and quick to change things out, and you can use the tooling arm to really crank your belt tension if needed. This also tends to give you a big slack belt section between your tooling and tracking for handles and contours.

If you can make a rotary platen like the one on the square wheel or JL grinder, that's nice to have. I think Ed Caffrey has plans for one of his design.

If you have access to a CNC plasma cutter, the polarbear forge plans would be very easy to cut out of a single plate. I modified them a bit, and cut them that way.

Hope I've helped a bit.

 

[Dan Pierson]

Tracy Mickley has a swivel arm for NWG-style grinders that looks very nice. At one point he was giving away plans it, you could ask him if they're still available.

Unfortunately the current design doesn't work with a KMG because of clearance somewhere in the swiveling.

 

[ChuckTilbury]

We should get together in Austin and see what kind of damage we can do to some steel!

Nice link. Thanks. Lets talk. Flip me an email to chuck tilbury at gmail dot com (all of that is just one word like ct@gmail.com) and and I will give you my phone number.

Cheers!
-=chuck=-