Next project - Disk sander. Need some help

Signalprick

Signalprick

Jason Ritchie
Gold Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
3,260
Hey guys,
I've got most the big ticket items up and running in my shop. For my next budget project I'd like to start planning a disk sander build. I really don't know a whole lot about what motor or VFD I should be looking for though. Yes, I can go to my preferred grinder builder and pick up their budget option, a WEG with VFD already wired but it'll cost me substantially more than doing it myself. So, I want a disk sander that'll run off 110v, variable speed with forward and reverse. 1hp motor max would suffice. RPM's not sure it matters? Would the KB electronics KBMA-24D VFD get the job done for the VFD? If not, suggestions? If so, now what should I be looking for as far as a motor is concerned? I don't mean brand but specs? I look forward to any input. Also I should mention that I know quite a few people locally that would love to help me get it all wired up properly once I have what I need. It might cost me a case of beer but I at least won't get electrocuted or burn my house down. :D
 
Signalprick said:
Would the KB electronics KBMA-24D VFD get the job done for the VFD?
Click to expand...
That's what I've got, and variable speed is almost always a good thing. I run off 110V.
1HP should be fine (although as the saying goes, there's no substitute for power, so there's a valid argument to be made for going bigger if you can.
There's plenty of good info on wiring it up, so if you'd rather save those beers for yourself you can. If you haven't exhausted the custom search engine in the stickies, I'd suggest adding that step. I wired mine up and I'm not an electrician. It's not too difficult to save $ by buying the components separately and putting it together yourself.
 
3 phase motor. 1hp is more than sufficient for a disk. The only reason I’d go any bigger would be to have an equal motor to your belt grinder in case you ever needed a backup should your belt grinder go down.
A kbac is also great, but you could go much cheaper IF that is something that would be an issue.
I’m running a surface grinder, a disk grinder, and my belt grinder off of one vfd. I bought a teeco about 6 years ago and it’s still going string.
The type of motor I used is a c face motor type 56c. The shaft matched the disc without any alterations.
Tefc as well so the dust doesn’t mess it up.
 
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A beveled disc is very useful for getting into tight places, particularly useful for folding knives.
 
Josh Rider said:
3 phase motor. 1hp is more than sufficient for a disk. The only reason I’d go any bigger would be to have an equal motor to your belt grinder in case you ever needed a backup should your belt grinder go down.
A kbac is also great, but you could go much cheaper IF that is something that would be an issue.
I’m running a surface grinder, a disk grinder, and my belt grinder off of one vfd. I bought a teeco about 6 years ago and it’s still going string.
The type of motor I used is a c face motor type 56c. The shaft matched the disc without any alterations.
Tefc as well so the dust doesn’t mess it up.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad idea with the motor size. My grinder has a 1.5hp Leeson. If I'm reading.this correctly your saying.you run 3 separate machines off of 1 VFD? If so, any idea if that can be accomplished with this unit? Or is that just a feature of your Teeco? I like this idea though because when I build a new shop in the near future I'll want to build a dedicated horizontal grinder also.
20201211_125229.jpg

DanF said:
A beveled disc is very useful for getting into tight places, particularly useful for folding knives.
Click to expand...

I have been seeing these 1* beveled disks and I think you've talked me into one. Esp. since I am only building small folders. :thumbsup:
 
Not sure we are talking apples and apples.
The bevel I am referring to is on the edge, almost like the front edge is sharpened (poor analogy). If the edge geometry is flat, or squared off it’s hard to get all the edges on a small blade in tight to the sanding surface. Sorry, not explaining myself very well here. Somebody??
 
Knife edge disc not beveled. Nielson call it modified. If you can afford it go with the nielson disc setup. buy once cry once.
I took one of the standard aluminum discs and turned the edge down to about .065 at a 45 deg edge. That will get you started.
 
42F06C4F-D3C6-450F-AD7F-3B772419A26D.jpeg
Here’s what I was trying to say
 
I don’t know if you can do it with your vfd but my guess is you could with a little modification. The cable going from your vfd to your grinder would have to either have a plug installed and then outlet plugs from whatever you want it plugged into.
Or
You could probably do it with switches.
I went the plug route.
Sorry if I’m confusing or making your decision tougher, it just worked better for my individual setup for a growing shop with not a lot of money.
I can take pics of the setup if you want. There are several old threads I had bookmarked, I’ll see if I can find them.

Make sure you have an electrician help you!
Also, it's stated in these posts, but you never want to switch power until it is cut from the tool you're currently using. i.e., you want to turn your belt grinder off, power down, then move the plug to your disk, surface grinder, etc. then power back up.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/3-grinders-1-vfd.977970/

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/can-2-grinders-motors-be-hooked-up-to-the-same-vfd.792391/

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/what-is-a-good-way-to-design-multiple-grinders-on-1-vfd.857177/
 
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DanF said:
Not sure we are talking apples and apples.
The bevel I am referring to is on the edge, almost like the front edge is sharpened (poor analogy). If the edge geometry is flat, or squared off it’s hard to get all the edges on a small blade in tight to the sanding surface. Sorry, not explaining myself very well here. Somebody??
Click to expand...

SBuzek said:
Knife edge disc not beveled. Nielson call it modified. If you can afford it go with the nielson disc setup. buy once cry once.
I took one of the standard aluminum discs and turned the edge down to about .065 at a 45 deg edge. That will get you started.
Click to expand...

DanF said:
View attachment 1471817
Here’s what I was trying to say
Click to expand...

Gentleman, gotcha! Actually I had seen in Luke Swenson's instructional video where he had turned down the edge on his disk and thought it was a great idea. So I pulled the disk off my 5" chucked it into my mill and using files ground the edge down. It works pretty dang good for doing tang notches! Sure wish it went both directions though. A larger workrest would be great too.
20201211_144927.jpg

Josh Rider said:
I don’t know if you can do it with your vfd but my guess is you could with a little modification. The cable going from your vfd to your grinder would have to either have a plug installed and then outlet plugs from whatever you want it plugged into.
Or
You could probably do it with switches.
I went the plug route.
Sorry if I’m confusing or making your decision tougher, it just worked better for my individual setup for a growing shop with not a lot of money.
I can take pics of the setup if you want. There are several old threads I had bookmarked, I’ll see if I can find them.

Make sure you have an electrician help you!
Also, it's stated in these posts, but you never want to switch power until it is cut from the tool you're currently using. i.e., you want to turn your belt grinder off, power down, then move the plug to your disk, surface grinder, etc. then power back up.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/3-grinders-1-vfd.977970/

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/can-2-grinders-motors-be-hooked-up-to-the-same-vfd.792391/

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/what-is-a-good-way-to-design-multiple-grinders-on-1-vfd.857177/
Click to expand...

Great info Josh. Thank you for the help. I'm tracking 100% with what your saying. Lucky for me too my grinder motor to my VFD has the plug like you mentioned. I'm liking this idea a lot esp. since I am working from a limited budget and because my shop is only 9' x 13". I get it's only a VFD but it seems as I add I need every inch I can get.

20201211_144941.jpg
 
That was a big problem for me as well. Working out of a 2 car garage and I’ve outgrown it very quickly. The cost of a vfd per tool gets expensive too. Making a dustproof enclosure was cheap and easy. The teeco fm50 had great reviews and several guys in here had it so it was a risk I was willing to take and it worked out.
 
My Tru Grit 1 hp disc sander with miter guide is one of the most used tool.
I have a Nielson Disc system with 3 modified discs under the Christmas tree.
 
Nielsen disc system is high quality disc system. I use mine on multiple tasks on every knife I build.
 
thanks AVigil, I deleted all ties with FaceBook, I was able to find an email address for him. thanks for the reply

Hey Boatbuilder do you make folders?
 
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