Pictures of the TW-90 Surface grinder attachment?

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12345678910 said:
thanks very much.

Those are the best photos I've seen.

I think I had it more or less figured out, but I'm still stuck on the slide ways

How do the two blue aluminum parts stay together and slide ?

If it was a machine tool, I'd say dovetails.

but those pieces are aluminium and dovetails/ gibs are comparatively difficult to do.


And can you give us a rough idea, how wide and long are the blue parts ?

Also how those parts are joined in a way that allows them to slide together.
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The blue aluminum part runs on some type of round rod/bearing. You can see just the end of it torwards the end of this video. [video=youtube;15j4jBznIyE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15j4jBznIyE[/video]

I'm thinking a cheap way for a person to do it at home would be to canabalise a junk lathe cross slide, you would already have dials for thickness and a solid mounting platform for the linier bearing or what ever you could find to duplicate the motion.
 
This looks like a cheaper shop built alternative to the Redi-Rail [video=youtube;S92qAeqhrsg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S92qAeqhrsg[/video]
 
Really guys ??????? Why dont you ring Trav and ask him...........He has worked his butt off to make this and all credit to him. If you are a engineer or think you could build this you certainly dont need his inch by inch ideas to construct one.
Like home owner builders who have never done a day at trade school walking onto the job site every hour and asking how to frame up some trussess?????
Go pay or go away
Rant over



12345678910 said:
thanks very much.

Those are the best photos I've seen.

I think I had it more or less figured out, but I'm still stuck on the slide ways

How do the two blue aluminum parts stay together and slide ?

If it was a machine tool, I'd say dovetails.

but those pieces are aluminium and dovetails/ gibs are comparatively difficult to do.


And can you give us a rough idea, how wide and long are the blue parts ?

Also how those parts are joined in a way that allows them to slide together.
Click to expand...
 
Laurence and trooper-

I hear ya guys! :)


This kind of thing is why I always say that me trying to sell any of the shop gadgets I came up with/made/use would not be worth the time and effort.

It's not that I don't get the desire... I do. Shit, most of us got started making knives because we have that, "I can build it... I don't care what it is, I can build it" attitude. I know I have it... half the time I think I could build a space ship if I really really wanted to. ;) :D And of anyone, I totally understand wanting something that I cannot afford. But sometimes the solution to that is saving your pennies. :)

In a case like this, we are talking about something that Travis makes his living off of.

He is a crazy, mad scientist, genius type... and he came up with this very specific, brilliant design, and then turned it into a tool that is available for sale. I think it's unfair for people to be brainstorming on how to copy something he worked so hard to come up with. If a guy has his own ideas and doesn't want to copy Travis's work, then there would be no need for photos of Travis's work.

I wonder how some of the guys that are always copying others work would feel if they came up with something so unique, offered it for sale to put food on the table (or in Travi's case, gallons of coffee! ;)), and then had other people trying to copy it. Just say'n... :)
 
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Yup. That's why I said "Good luck. Sometimes it's just better to pony up and buy it. Travis makes nice stuff.". A competing design is ok. But reverse engineering, eh not so much.
 
Honestly, I think it would be cheaper for you to simply buy one rather than attempting to reverse engineer it.

Travis makes a very nice product, and it seems a bit shady to copy the design.
 
God forbid there is a forum where we can freely brainstorm how to make our own tools, oh no.... All I see here is the good ole boy system at work, Travis is in the circle so we must all buy from him. Nothing against the guy, I'll probably buy his grinder down the road too; no way would I ever pay $1500 for such a small surface grinding attachment though. This is the exact same sentiment everyone here has, no way is a casual knife maker going to spend that much money when they can buy a surface grinder and the mods needed to make it a belt conversion for cheaper than that. Argue space saving all you want but most anyone can find enough junk in their garage shop to shove aside to put in a real surface grinder. So why not combine our thoughts and think of a way to cheaply cob something together?
 
trooperstealth said:
Really guys ??????? Why dont you ring Trav and ask him...........He has worked his butt off to make this and all credit to him. If you are a engineer or think you could build this you certainly dont need his inch by inch ideas to construct one.
Like home owner builders who have never done a day at trade school walking onto the job site every hour and asking how to frame up some trussess?????
Go pay or go away
Rant over
Click to expand...

Why dont you ring Trav and ask him
Click to expand...

Conversations are meaningless, pictures are everything.

Go pay or go away
Click to expand...
When new makers come in and want to make their first blade, forge, HT oven, hydraulic press, rolling mill, light box, hand sanding jig, filing jig, stitching pony, grinding jigs, folders...we don't tell them to just go buy one, we show them how.
Machines are more interesting than knives because they do stuff.



NickWheeler said:
Laurence and tooper-

I hear ya guys! :)


This kind of thing is why I always say that me trying to sell any of the shop gadgets I came up with/made/use would not be worth the time and effort.

It's not that I don't get the desire... I do. Shit, most of us got started making knives because we have that, "I can build it... I don't care what it is, I can build it" attitude. I know I have it... half the time I think I could build a space ship if I really really wanted to. ;) :D And of anyone, I totally understand wanting something that I cannot afford. But sometimes the solution to that is saving your pennies. :)

In a case like this, we are talking about something that Travis makes his living off of.

He is a crazy, mad scientist, genius type... and he came up with this very specific, brilliant design, and then turned it into a tool that is available for sale. I think it's unfair for people to be brainstorming on how to copy something he worked so hard to come up with. If a guy has his own ideas and doesn't want to copy Travis's work, then there would be no need for photos of Travis's work.

I wonder how some of the guys that are always copying others work would feel if they came up with something so unique, offered it for sale to put food on the table (or in Travi's case, gallons of coffee! ;)), and then had other people trying to copy it. Just say'n... :)
Click to expand...

In my mind it's the same thing as the Bader, KMG, NWG and GIB grinders

go read the British Blades forum, It's not even a KMG over there, it's named after the guy making them there because of the regionalism.


They are all ripping off the Bader, but no one sees it that way.

Being in Canada, I'll never see one of his grinders at a hammer in or something like that unless I pony up MORE than the price of my car to buy one.
The closest I can get is a photo on the internet.


I will make my own thing, but before I do I will study the industry benchmarks first.

He came up with some innovations and influenced the grinder industry forever.
Who was tilting before he did?
Some Bader hinge tilts, but clumsy.


He's an industry leader, no surprise that there will be followers, especially at a diy lower price.


Maybe some will succeed, mostly they will give up and buy.

Especially when you see how much matrial cost and machine work he has in it.
 
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Travis probably can't recall all the hours he invested in the development of his surface grinder. I would bet he has a pile of scrap metal from designs that didn't meet his standard. Copying his grinder would still require time that you could use making knives.

He makes quality products and I wonder why he doesn't apply for patents on them.
 
William Schrade said:
Travis probably can't recall all the hours he invested in the development of his surface grinder. I would bet he has a pile of scrap metal from designs that didn't meet his standard. Copying his grinder would still require time that you could use making knives.

He makes quality products and I wonder why he doesn't apply for patents on them.
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Unless you have big dollars to spend on the protections, and bigger dollars on the litigation, it's meaningless


Somebody in europe is ripping off the grinder, maybe you could sue them
Once it's in China no amount of lawyers can stop it.
 
setlab said:
God forbid there is a forum where we can freely brainstorm how to make our own tools, oh no.... All I see here is the good ole boy system at work, Travis is in the circle so we must all buy from him. Nothing against the guy, I'll probably buy his grinder down the road too; no way would I ever pay $1500 for such a small surface grinding attachment though. This is the exact same sentiment everyone here has, no way is a casual knife maker going to spend that much money when they can buy a surface grinder and the mods needed to make it a belt conversion for cheaper than that. Argue space saving all you want but most anyone can find enough junk in their garage shop to shove aside to put in a real surface grinder. So why not combine our thoughts and think of a way to cheaply cob something together?
Click to expand...

I agree that $1,500 sounds like a lot of money for a "small surface grinder but,unless you have been to his shop, you have no idea of what the SG is capable of. Travis has taken it so far beyond its original purpose it boggles the mind.
Yes, he doesn't talk about it here, he keeps the really great stuff off the net, and shows it to those who take the time to attend his hammer inns or just drop by.
 
12345678910 said:
Unless you have big dollars to spend on the protections, and bigger dollars on the litigation, it's meaningless


Somebody in europe is ripping off the grinder, maybe you could sue them
Once it's in China no amount of lawyers can stop it.
Click to expand...

So because someone else is "ripping off" one of his tools that makes it ok! LOL This isn't another NWG or KMG there have been many 2 x 72" grinders for years. "Travis has corner the market!" No market cornered here guys and no one is brainstorming on how to develop something new! Just how to name all the parts and how to rip off Travis's design.

Travis is the originator of this concept and $1500.00 is cheap for the quality & brilliance of this man's machine. I welcome innovation for something new in knife making. This behavior? Not so much!

Go ahead boys. I doubt you will come close.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
So because someone else is "ripping off" one of his tools that makes it ok! LOL This isn't another NWG or KMG there have been many 2 x 72" grinders for years. "Travis has corner the market!" No market cornered here guys and no one is brainstorming on how to develop something new! Just how to name all the parts and how to rip off Travis's design.

Travis is the originator of this concept and $1500.00 is cheap for the quality & brilliance of this man's machine. I welcome innovation for something new in knife making. This behavior? Not so much!

Go ahead boys. I doubt you will come close.
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He's not losing business because we are talking about his products.


Just like Bader sells grinders, Kmg ripped them off, and Tracy sells parts for the the NWG / GIB
All of them are still in Business.



The people that are prepared to buy his grinder and attachments at full retail price will never think of making one.

The people that are prepared to make one will never will never think of buying one.


Neither one will have an impact on the other.
 
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Eric Kidwell said:
I agree that $1,500 sounds like a lot of money for a "small surface grinder but,unless you have been to his shop, you have no idea of what the SG is capable of. Travis has taken it so far beyond its original purpose it boggles the mind.
Yes, he doesn't talk about it here, he keeps the really great stuff off the net, and shows it to those who take the time to attend his hammer inns or just drop by.
Click to expand...

Not everyone can attend his hammer inns or just 'drop by'.

As I said, this is probably the closest I will ever come to seeing one.
 
setlab said:
God forbid there is a forum where we can freely brainstorm how to make our own tools, oh no.... All I see here is the good ole boy system at work, Travis is in the circle so we must all buy from him. Nothing against the guy, I'll probably buy his grinder down the road too; no way would I ever pay $1500 for such a small surface grinding attachment though. This is the exact same sentiment everyone here has, no way is a casual knife maker going to spend that much money when they can buy a surface grinder and the mods needed to make it a belt conversion for cheaper than that. Argue space saving all you want but most anyone can find enough junk in their garage shop to shove aside to put in a real surface grinder. So why not combine our thoughts and think of a way to cheaply cob something together?
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1)
The knife maker community is very small and peoples attitudes and even more importantly their actions become known far & wide.

2)
if you can convert a large "REAL" surface grinder for so much less why are you trying to copy this small surface grinder?

3)
A new friend of my from here that is a "Casual Maker" just bought a TW-90 and SG-1 so cash talks and you know the rest of of that one.

4) This sound like the Clinton defense,
Well a lot of other guys feel this way, do this, so that makes my behavior honorable.

5)When you are able to freely brain storm about something original? I'll be the first to support it.

6) No old boys network here. Just hard working, honest & honorable men & women.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
1)
The knife maker community is very small and peoples attitudes and even more importantly their actions become known far & wide.

Well let it be knownst to all, I have no problem asking about details, I love to know how machines work, and I will argue my points until I'm blue in the face. :rolleyes:

2)
if you can convert a large "REAL" surface grinder for so much less why are you trying to copy this small surface grinder?

Why not? Why not have both? Why not challenge myself just to see if I can do it?

3)
A new friend of my from here that is a "Casual Maker" just bought a TW-90 and SG-1 so cash talks and you know the rest of of that one.

Good for him.

4) This sound like the Clinton defense,
Well a lot of other guys feel this way, do this, so that makes my behavior honorable.

Thank you for officially derailing and trolling what could have been a very productive topic.

5)When you are able to freely brain storm about something original? I'll be the first to support it.

:rolleyes:

6) No old boys network here. Just hard working, honest & honorable men & women.

Don't forget to pay your dues when you leave tonight.
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.....
 
Let's all calm down here before this thread gets locked. I think reasonable people can agree on a few basic ideas. Competition is a good thing. There is always room in the market for a better mouse trap. We are creative, can do people and we like a challenge. But the challenge should be to invent something new and better or to improve something existing. To take the ideas, ingenuity, sweat, research and development, financial investment and more that someone else has done and simply copy it after all the hard work is done is at the very least reprehensible and more likely criminal. I'm not saying that is what the OP's intent was. I'm just speaking in a general sense. I posted the pictures of the SG attachment I paid for because I thought it would help someone spark their own ideas. Plus we all like mechanical things and are curious about how they are put together. Travis' design is well thought out and well built. Whether or not you think it's worth the money is for you to decide. I know that after the world ends in a nuclear holocaust the only things that will survive are cockroaches and this SG attachment. I just hope the cockroaches can put it to better use that I can.
 
Guys, This has gone south and isn't on the topic anymore. I will close it. If someone wants to continue the discussion on making versions of commercial products, start the thread in one of the discussion forums or W&C.
 
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