Need suggestions on a good belt grinder

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nelsonj25

Joined
Jan 23, 2025
Messages
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I recently upgraded to a cheap 1x30 belt grinder from harbor freight from the old file method. The machine sucks… needing suggestions for a belt grinder that wont destroy the bank but isnt a harbor freight piece of garbage. Thanks in advance!
 
Rikon makes a decent 1x30 variable speed unit, that I have used for a few years. I think I paid about 170 for it.
 
What kind of steels do you want to work with?I found for me on the smaller grinders I was very limited by abrasive availability. I like to use high alloy steels so I need a good source of cermaic abrasives.

I started on the Ameribrade 2x48 grinder with variable speed. It has its limitations but I made 50-100 knives on it. They also have financing options which helped me get my 2x72.

Ameribrade
 
Thescrawnylumberjack said:
What kind of steels do you want to work with?I found for me on the smaller grinders I was very limited by abrasive availability. I like to use high alloy steels so I need a good source of cermaic abrasives.

I started on the Ameribrade 2x48 grinder with variable speed. It has its limitations but I made 50-100 knives on it. They also have financing options which helped me get my 2x72.

Ameribrade
Click to expand...
Right now im working with 80crv2
 
Thescrawnylumberjack said:
What kind of steels do you want to work with?I found for me on the smaller grinders I was very limited by abrasive availability. I like to use high alloy steels so I need a good source of cermaic abrasives.

I started on the Ameribrade 2x48 grinder with variable speed. It has its limitations but I made 50-100 knives on it. They also have financing options which helped me get my 2x72.

Ameribrade
Click to expand...
You still have the 2x48 still by chance? Lol
 
Harbor Freight tools are hit or miss. I have one of their 1X30 grinders, and it works okay for hobby level use. You could have gotten a bad one, which is neither surprising nor uncommon with them, it might be worth just exchanging. It's not a great tool, but it's faster than hand filing. I use it for wood, 1040, or non-super steels and it gets the job done as long as I remember that 30 square inches of abrasive needs to be changed out quicker than with a longer belt.
 
Welcome Nelson. Fill out your profile so folks know where you live and something about you. It helps with better answers.

I closed the duplicate thread you started.

The Stickys has a permanent thread on grinders. Read it through to see what is out tere and what fits your needs.

There is a Custom Search Engine in the Stickys. Use it to search "2X24" and similar topics and you will find a wealth of info on entry level grinders. Here are a few threads:
Contender Machine

Thread 'Grizzly 2x42 Upgrades!'

Well like many other knife makers on here when I saw the new Grizzly 2x42 belt grinder on the market I bought one immediately. The price of this thing is just crazy cheap. It’s easily the best grinder you can get for under $400 because well it‘s about the only grinder you can get for under $400. That being said it is cheap for a reason. The build quality and design is not the best as can be expected.

So naturally I did some upgrades! Since I make a living building grinders and grinder accessories I do intend to build and sell these upgrades to anyone who would like them but I thought I’d...
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ColeKiraKnives

Thread 'How much difference between 2x42 and 2x72?'

Let me start by saying that my 2x42 is about 8 years old. I've made enough knives on it to know I need a 2x72 if I'm gonna get serious about making knives. My question is, is the difference night and day? Shaping a blade isn't the issue, the struggle is the plunge line and bevel. It's so difficult to do it cleanly. What significant differences can I expect once biting the bullet and buying a 2x72?
 
I started out making knives on a $120 Craftsman special 2x42" grinder/disc sander combo. Did a few upgrades to make it more useful for knifemaking (built a more rigid platen for starters). Made 100's of knives on that lil guy until I got my Pheer 2x72 (mostly in S90V and S110V). I's not the tool, it's the maker that determines how the tool performs.

There is a gentleman on this forum that uses a 1x30 to make some exceptional knives.
 
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