new to 2" x 72" advice

cbr900son

cbr900son

Joined
Mar 3, 2011
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So got my KMG up and running and this is the first time using a 2x72 and Im having trouble. Im using a 2hp and vfd but a couple of blades i messed up on already. Do you think this is just the learning curve and i should practice some more to get a feel for it? Did yall go thru the same thing when first getting on a 2x72?
 
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Any time you change something in your process you can expect to need to shake out some bugs. I went from grinding on stone wheels to a KMG and I scrapped the first couple blades getting used to grinding with belts.
 
I have a huge pile of scrap blades, and I'm still no good... :)

One thing I had to learn about belt tracking was to add more tension.
I was being too timid on my new machine to crank it up where it needed to be.

What are you haveing a problem with?
 
I think im just not use to the amount iof metal it takes off so quick compared to my old 4x36 grinder. Not really frustrated yet just wondering if most other makers had to kind of relearn grinding as it is almost night and day.
 
I am just getting use to mine grinder as well. I have been doing as 12345678910 suggested and just running at slower speeds and bumping the speed as I get use to it. Working a little slower allows you to see the mistakes before the blade is scrap, and allows you to fix or modify your grind
 
unky_gumbi said:
I am just getting use to mine grinder as well. I have been doing as 12345678910 suggested and just running at slower speeds and bumping the speed as I get use to it. Working a little slower allows you to see the mistakes before the blade is scrap, and allows you to fix or modify your grind
Click to expand...

I think this is exactly what the vfd is designed to do on grinders.. I still don't have one and burn away on 3400rpm's.. I think the best thing you can do is take a hit and sell it to me for half what you paid :D........

seriously, slow it down, use a felt pen and mark it thicker then you need to, this way you'll have plenty of time to save a profile before it becomes a toothpick..

if your having trouble with the edge maybe its getting use to the rest that's giving you trouble, maybe try freehand??

good luck and congratz on the grinder man.......
 
You're probably basically learning to grind over again, and a lot of your old technique might now be called "bad habit".

Two things that helped me a lot was:
1: visualize what it is you are trying to do so you can do it deliberately.
2: observe how you're holding the blade in your strong hand and be sure you're holding it the same way in your weak hand.

Nathan Burgress (silver_pilate) did a really good job of explaining grinding technique in a thread last year. It might be worth the effort to search it.
 
All good advice and I tank yall. I was running at 50% speed but i can slow it down some more and Ill analyze my technique more and see. I really think the work rest is also kinda in my way so i guess ill try some without it. Any other comments or ideas are more then appreciated!
 
I went from a 4x36 to a KMG and there was a big learning curve as I had to change up my whole technique.

Use fresh ceramic belts for the bevel and use a very light touch as you press the steel to the grinder. Lower speeds will help but the best thing is to keep at it and grind a lot of steel.

Keep the tension tight as mentioned while cutting in your bevels.
 
Definitely grind without the work rest, IMO. I almost never use a work rest, usually not even to profile.

Good light at your grinder will help. Being deliberate in your actions, as Nathan said, is a big part of grinding well.

Here's a link to my "grinding tips" page. I don't know if you've read it before, I wrote it trying to be clear and thorough as I know learning a physical technique from text can be very difficult.

http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinding-tips

Maybe call up a local maker, see if you can get a little grinding how-to session with him.
 
WOW read thru your link and went go practice a little and no work rest and the stance part made a HUGE difference! I guess my other grinder was so weak that i could catch mistakes before they happened.
 
Thanks Salem... I'll FINALLY have my 2X72 GIB going next week. I'm going from drawfiling to a 2"x72" so I've been reading old threads about technique the last week. I have almost 40' of 1080 on hand.... I'd like to think most of it will resemble a knife at the end...
 
Glad to hear it, CBR. I know the stance thing made a big difference for me, too.

Fluidsteel, congrats on getting a grinder! You ought to get pretty good with it by the end of that 40' of steel...
 
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