most versatile grinder?

Yea and man I'll tell you my wife has been looking everywhere for a cure .....The only way to get her to stop looking for a cure is to turn the tv on to the qvc channel, or to MODIFY her shopping limit...........
 
My wife is naturally frugal personally whereas I have always been the spendthrift. She has always encouraged me to buy whatever I want. In turn, if I bought something, I also bought her jewelry or clothes. It has been what I think they mean by "mutually beneficial". She wants to try a new hobby, I see to it she gets set up right to start out. :)
 
Teee heee! Looks like someone's gonna get a nice grinder!

My GF is amazed at the prices I'll spend on tools, but every time I sell a knife, she is also happy and supportive of me, so its give and take. I always try to put it into perspective for her....that 1200$ KMG will last...forever basically. With the average price of customs (assuming you make sellable knives or will at some point), it doesnt take too many knives to make the machine pay for itself in the bigger scheme of things. When you factor in the potential increase in speed of grinding, quality of the grinding its capable of in the hands of someone skilled, reliability, tooling options, etc....the saved time alone will pay for itself in labor.

But...if you dont have the cash, all of this is a moot point. Not many makers start on a KMG. For most its some sort of progression to the point that a major grinder upgrade becomes a necessity. (at least from what ive seen and read) The grinder is only as good as the maker. Its just as easy to make ugly knives on a KMG as any other grinder. Everyone here has a few pieces that prove that point!
 
Just thought I'd add my not needed $0.02. Fitz, Dave, and TikTock have made some really good points.

I bit the bullet when I "really" got started at 18. (I say it like that because I started filing blades out at 14).

I bought a variable speed 1.5hp Burr King 960 the week I graduated from high school. Even (damn near) 10 years ago, it ruined about $1500 or $1600. That was a lot of bucked hay-bales, mowed lawns, and shoveled shitt.

I HATED it for awhile. I couldn't grind, and thought, "I blew $3000 on knifemaking stuff and I can't make a knife to save my life. I'm screwed."

I didn't even touch the tools for like 1.5 to 2 years I was so disgusted.

But finally I sucked it up, and got things kind'a sorta figured out. I have never regretted that purchase since.

I figure $350 for a Grizzly would have just put me $350 further away from a Burr King.

Keep in mind, Rob was not making KMG's back then!

I am now squirreling away my pennies so I can get my power hammer running and buy a fully-loaded KMG from Rob (my Burr King is lonely, yea, that's it!).

So if you REALLY WANT to make knives... save up and at least buy the Coote.

If you only think this may possibly, down the road, perhaps, kind'a sort'a, if the moon is aligned just right, might just be, something you want to do... then get a good hack-saw, some good 10" and 12" Nicholson, Simmons, or Diston Porter files, and just TRY your hand at blademaking.

Then you will get a feel for it, AND you will REALLY REALLY REALLLLLLY appreciate that KMG when you get it! :D
 
apsilon said:
I'm not an electrician but I would've thought the motor is fairly irrelevant if you want to convert to variable speed (afterall the motor is just a coil and bushes). The important bit would be the driving circuits and they're all external to the motor on this unit. They're housed in a plastic box at the back of the motor. I could be way off target however.
Click to expand...


Well, if it were that easy, we'd all be rolling in tall clover. Variable speed whether AC/DC(like nick) takes a whole new motor and electronic control panel. and it's somewhat expensive. DC is a bit more $$ than the current AC variable frequency drives.
It's just not something you can make by making some adjustments to your AC motor.
I wish it were that simple and cheap.:eek:;)
 
I emailed and asked. There's a variable speed motor available for an additional AUD$450 (~US$330). I'll stick with what I have for now.
 
Like fitzo I've got about $2000.00 in my KMG and I'm not finished yet.:D I still have a few small wheels to get for the small wheel attachment. Eventually I'll be getting a second one to leave set up with regular use tooling.
Scott
 
I hear you! I got my KMG and it came with a platen and spare tooling arm with a nice 10" serrated contact wheel. I thought that was plenty for me, but now I am having dreams of the small wheel attachment, swapping out the 2" idler with a serrrated 2" contact wheel.....but my first line of business is replacing my old-style platen with the newer style. Some left-side grinding is tough witht he older style that isnt recessed. I am pretty sure I can ghetto-rig mine and cut it with the bandsaw and re-tap for the platen attachment.
 
i myself use a craftsman 6x48 disc/belt sander/grinder very nice unit the belt unit swaps out in seconds to allow for grinder or buffer wheels. has all the tables and plattens. again it cost me a few bucks like in the neighborhood of $400 but to me it was worth the investment and works well for me...
 
I built a grinder. simarlar to the 'Unigrinder'.
According to the ads (and my own experience..) you'll need a buzz box, lathe and mill to do the job right.
Mine does a good job.
Note that any home made grinder is only as good as the person who assembles it.
A good design could go south by bad tolerances or materials.
Then you'll have a machine going at over 1700 RPM that 'shakes, rattles and rolls.'
Also note, unless your a very good scounger, that by the time you collect all the materials, bearings, wheels..(or buy them..) you'll end up spending about the same in money and time than if you would have bought a 'store bought' machine.
I agree with most on the board, the KMG offers the most bang for the buck.
Next would be perhaps the Coot 2X72. Not as versitile but a good basic rig and could be added to with some thought.
My opinion only..Your mileage may vary..
Good luck..
Josh
 
Hey guys.........you guys have been more than helpful with my questions about grinders. I think I am going to do my best to get a KMG .......The only problem with that is funding naturally. I had a custom Beck WSK on ebay that did not sell, but Ive been talking to a few bidders about offers, and such. So hopefully something will happen soon, and I can get a kmg. I thought about trying to trade for a kmg to my beck knife, but I don't think anybody will bite on that. Anyway what I'm looking at is the kmg with the 1.5hp motor, and variable speed drive, and probably an 8 - 10'' contact wheel. I think that comes to about $1900.00 or there abouts. So I guess I will have to give up my prize possession knife that has inspired me to make my own knives, to get the equipment to make knives. ( Go figure ) By the way does anyone know what kind of grinder beck used, or would it even make a difference?
 
Sometimes you gotta sell a knive to fund making many knives. Just think, if you end up selling blades eventually, you can earn back money to buy that WSK back and at that point you are back at square one, except you have a grinder that will last you basically forever.
 
Thats what I'm hoping for....I don't want to get rich making knives, but it would be nice to make a little extra cash now, and then..
 
fitzo said:
My wife is naturally frugal personally whereas I have always been the spendthrift. She has always encouraged me to buy whatever I want. In turn, if I bought something, I also bought her jewelry or clothes. It has been what I think they mean by "mutually beneficial". She wants to try a new hobby, I see to it she gets set up right to start out. :)
Click to expand...

Sounds a lot like my house Fitzo. My wife is VERY tolerant of my "hobbies" and their associated cost. Last gun show I went to I brought one home for her, not me. Christmas I went a bit overboard on a nice ring for her. Today I'm meeting with the contractor who will be building the pole barn for my shop :D

-d
 
i send an email to unigrinder man from his web site but it was returned. is he still in biz? does anyone have a old set of plans for a unigrinder they would like to sell?
 
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