Low cost small wheel attachment for your NWG

[ERIK KNIVES]

I wanted a small wheel attachment for my NWG, but was not excited about spending $83 for the adapter and $44-$60 for each wheel.

I used some scrap metal for the frame, bought some cold rolled 1/2" rod locally, and got some 1/2" flange bearings online.

The rubber bushings were $7.99 for the set of three, and just as much for shipping. They are from a sanding spindle kit for your drill press. The 1" rubber bushing has a poor finish, so I ordered a few more sizes from a parts supplier for a Ridgid spindle sander. What's nice about these rubber spindle sander bushings is that they all have the same 1/2" inside diameter. I have no idea what the duro rating is on these things, but they feel similar to my Sunray poly contact wheel which is 70duro. Changing wheels is very fast, I just slide them on the spindle and hand twist the nut. I don't have much time grinding with it, so time will tell how it holds up, but for now it is performing exceptionally well.

I have about $60-$70 dollars invested and 4 wheel sizes from 1/2" - 2". When my other parts show up, I will also have a 3/4" wheel for another $5.

I think it is a good solution, what do you think?

 

[Sam Salvati]

Cool, I like it.

 

[12345678910]

got a link for the rubbers ?

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

http://www.ereplacementparts.com is where I ordered the Ridgid spindle sander bushings. I don't have those yet so I can't comment on the quality.

http://www.toolmarts.com/oasis/SD-03.html is the link to the rubber I have. Quality control is all over the place, but two of the three pieces were good in the box I got. A google shopping search for "spindle sander kit" brings up everything I found.

 

[David Sharp]

On a different note, it looks like you have some welding skills. Did you ever think about making a second tool rest and using round telesoping tubing instead of square so that you can adjust to different angles? I have never seen one of the NWG grinders so well photographed, and the idea just popped into my head.

 

[Gabaski]

cool idea

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

On a different note, it looks like you have some welding skills. Did you ever think about making a second tool rest and using round telesoping tubing instead of square so that you can adjust to different angles? I have never seen one of the NWG grinders so well photographed, and the idea just popped into my head.

Thanks David, I do want to build some different tool rests, especially for adjusting to different angles. I like your idea, I think you just gave me a great solution and my next project - thank you!

Here are two pictures you may like.

 

[David Sharp]

I have a KMG and to gain some space I mounted my motor very similarly under the grinder bench.

I guess great minds think alike, I used a big truck brake drum as the base for my tooling storage post. :thumbup:

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

Those KMGs are so nice. I would love to test one sometime. Right now I am just trying to finish my first knife and needed some smaller wheels, maybe next weekend I will be ready to HT.

 

[Gabaski]

the more i look at it the more i like it . now is going to be in my mind till i build one great idea

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

I noticed a bit of free wheel on the rubber bushings. They were tight going on, but have slipped some at speed. I could glue them, but that would defeat the point of easy wheel change without having to make a shaft for each wheel to slide into the bearings and tighten. The nice part of using large bearings is that they can handle more heat and speed - the trade off is that they provide more resistance. Since I only have to overcome the bearing resistance, I plan to put some type of collar/bushing on the shaft and add some lateral resistance with the nut and a washer.

It wont take much pressure, as the slippage is not noticeable running, but there is enough rubber wear on inspection to realize the issue. Maybe I will dimple the bushing for some grab.

 

[jawilliams0425]

Great idea!!!!!!! Might have to try it if you don't mind.

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

Great idea!!!!!!! Might have to try it if you don't mind.

Please do. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. Tonight I added a bushing and washers so I can tighten the nut and squeeze the wheel. That took all of the slipping out. I might try some lower viscosity grease to loosen up the bearings a bit.

 

[Tippet]

I like it. Amazing how just a little bit of welding improves the no-weld grinder

 

[kevin -the professor]

so - those pics were for a helve hammer frame, right? How long to you get that beauty running? I want to see it in action. I like them a lot.

kc

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

so - those pics were for a helve hammer frame, right? How long to you get that beauty running? I want to see it in action. I like them a lot.

kc

I have no idea what you just said, but I am laughing so it must have been funny or spot on.

....I just looked up helve hammer, that was funny

 

[Drew Riley]

What a great idea!!!

I definitely agree that $100 bucks for a block of cnc milled aluminum and $40 to $80 for some rubber/poly wheels is ridiculously over priced, but when there's only one or two suppliers on the market, I guess they can charge whatever they want.

I actually already had an oscillating spindle sander, so originally I was trying to find some sanding sleeves that would hold up to grinding metal for more than just one or two knives. This is definitely a much more efficient/economical approach however. And it sure beats spending as much or more than it cost to build my NWGS just to get the beaumont adapter and 4 or 5 small weels.

I just ordered some flange bearings to make my own! Thanks for the idea!

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

Wow man, your grinder really turned out very nice. Clean. I like your live spindle approach to the small wheel.

I used some Vespel polymer, which is used for high speed bushings, on a dead spindle. Pictured is the 1/2", though I have a larger one too. These have a lot of miles on them. I do wish they were more compliant.

 

[Drew Riley]

I got some 1/2" rod at the local hardware today, and I was able to find some scrap 1/4" |_| shaped brackets that I should be able to mount my flange bearings on when they come in. I also got some 6" spiral sewn buffing wheels that I'm going to mount opposite of my sanding spindles for a makeshift buffer. All in all, I should have less than 50 bucks tied up in this by the time everything gets put together.

 

[ERIK KNIVES]

What a great idea!!!

I definitely agree that $100 bucks for a block of cnc milled aluminum and $40 to $80 for some rubber/poly wheels is ridiculously over priced, but when there's only one or two suppliers on the market, I guess they can charge whatever they want.

I actually already had an oscillating spindle sander, so originally I was trying to find some sanding sleeves that would hold up to grinding metal for more than just one or two knives. This is definitely a much more efficient/economical approach however. And it sure beats spending as much or more than it cost to build my NWGS just to get the beaumont adapter and 4 or 5 small weels.

I just ordered some flange bearings to make my own! Thanks for the idea!

Knife to a gunfight,

Good luck with yours, I can say mine is working very well now that I have had some time to run it though it's paces.

My suggestion is to use some low viscosity grease in those flange bearings to keep them loose (something for cold temperatures). The stuff I originally put in was too heavy and dragged before it warmed up and also heated up the shaft quite a bit - enough that after heavy use the rubber bushing began to smell. That only happened once, I have since thinned out the grease and it runs cooler. The small wheels cause very high rpm to the shaft - on my grinder I only run the small wheels on my first two speeds (mainly 1st).

Erik