OBM 2 speed drive wheel

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I'm looking for feed back on the Origin Blade Maker 2 speed drive wheel for 2x72 belt grinder. Is it worth the $124 bucks they want for it ?

 

[catspa]

You’d get more and better answers in Maintenance, Tinkering and Embellishment. I don’t know how to move you there, but perhaps a mod will come along and do it.

Parker

 

[killgar]

Or you might try here- https://bladeforums.com/forums/shop-talk-bladesmith-questions-and-answers.741/

That's the knifemakers sub-forum.

 

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Thanks

 

[A.McPherson]

I don't Know about their grinder, but I did order wheels from them about 6 years ago and they are still going... Although I think I'm gonna have to replace the bearings soon...
I'm pretty satisfied.
That being said they did change their name from "Oregon" to "Origin" and I've heard some less than stellar reviews of their business practices since then...

 

[weo]

they did change their name from "Oregon" to "Origin"

But this may have been simply because there was another company (or perhaps knifemaker) here in Oregon that already had registered the name "Oregon Blade Maker".... so I'd caution against correlating this to the relatively few complaints I've heard/read over the years about their businesspractices.

 

[Taz]

I looked at that 2 speed wheel a while back, but never went with it since I got a 220V line in my garage and went with a VFD instead. I had a very difficult time finding reviews on it as well.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have looked at their video. It is just a gear reduction adapter that changes the speed to 25% of motor speed. The really bad thing is that you have to change the whole setup every time you need to change speed. That will never work for most folks. With that requirement -you would be far better off and cheaper to just get two different size drive wheels.
I also don't see a long life for the setup. Grinding dust and wear will make that system have a short life, IMHO.

As Taz said, a VFD is a far better choice. You can run them on 120 or 220, depending on motor size. A fully wired and ready to bolt on 1HP VFD and motor package is only $560,

KB Electronics KBAC-24D VFD and Techtop Motor 56C Package, NEMA 4X, Belt Grinder | eBay

• KB Electronics 9480 Forward-Stop-Reverse Switch Kit. • KB Electronics 9482Power Switch Kit. You will be responsible to set the drive jumpers to their correct settings, install all fittings and wire the drive and motor.

www.ebay.com

 

[Taz]

I was going to get one to try out; I could use a 1750 motor and use it slow to run small wheels and do handle shaping at lower speeds and then flip it to grind steel. But I saw home much of a PITA it would be to do that each time, so I put a 220V outlet in my garage. I lucked out because there was already a 220V breaker in my garage subpanel, so I just had to have an electrician wire up the outlet!

Some of the KBAC can run on 110V, and are NEMA4 sealed, so I would probably go that route. I have a cheap chinese VFD currently, but most of those can't run on 110V input.