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I'm new to the forums, so please forgive me if someone has already addressed this question. Does anyone use the graphite coated canvas platen cushion material, and how do you like it? Thanks in advance.
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Platen Backing?
- Thread starter grease-man
- Start date
I use it on top of 1/8" duro 80A rubber plate. Love it. Can take some serious abuse.
So it is a metal platen, with rubber glued on and then graphite tape glued on on top of that
Some folx do tricky stuff: it is darn hard to get a 20" contact wheel. So they create a curved platen that looks like a section of 20" circle. To reduce
friction, a graphite tape is glued on. You can make a few blades before graphite wears off - but it is dirt cheap. Even if one can get a 20" wheel mounted somehow, spinning it is no fun !
So it is a metal platen, with rubber glued on and then graphite tape glued on on top of that
Some folx do tricky stuff: it is darn hard to get a 20" contact wheel. So they create a curved platen that looks like a section of 20" circle. To reduce
friction, a graphite tape is glued on. You can make a few blades before graphite wears off - but it is dirt cheap. Even if one can get a 20" wheel mounted somehow, spinning it is no fun !
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2000
- Messages
- 5,548
The problem with the graphite backing is you'll never get a truly good, flat surface on your blade.
Get a pyroceram platen liner and glue it to your platen after radiusing the top and bottom corners slightly to ease the belt on and off the thing.
It carries heat awat from the work and your grinder, as well as taking over half the drag from the normal platen which makes it easier on your grinder to boot. It's a win, win situation.
http://forgegallery.elliscustomknifeworks.com/
Edited to add: Welcome to Bladeforums! Enjoy! :thumbup:
Get a pyroceram platen liner and glue it to your platen after radiusing the top and bottom corners slightly to ease the belt on and off the thing.
It carries heat awat from the work and your grinder, as well as taking over half the drag from the normal platen which makes it easier on your grinder to boot. It's a win, win situation.
http://forgegallery.elliscustomknifeworks.com/
Edited to add: Welcome to Bladeforums! Enjoy! :thumbup:
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- Jun 16, 2004
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- 2,466
You only have to worry about dropping it on the floor, as heat is not a problem.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2000
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- 5,548
gshamr said:
Yep. Something like 220, then 400. Don't use a 60 grit on it.
You'll see orange glowing when you do this, it's normal so don't worry. You just don't want to leave heavy grit scratches on the radius, that's why I suggest 220/400, or whatever you have that's close.
And like Howie said, don't drop it. The heat of grinding won't bother it a bit, but the concrete floor will.
I use strips of $2 tiles from Lowes - cut 'em on my tile cutter.
To round off the edges, I use diamond hones (the $5 set from HF).
When they are abused and need replacement, a few whacks with
a hammer get it off and I glue on a new one.
Look for ones with nice and flat exterior and textured back.
At some point I do want to give pyroceram a try.
To round off the edges, I use diamond hones (the $5 set from HF).
When they are abused and need replacement, a few whacks with
a hammer get it off and I glue on a new one.
Look for ones with nice and flat exterior and textured back.
At some point I do want to give pyroceram a try.
Fred.Rowe
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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- May 2, 2004
- Messages
- 6,848
I added the ceramic platen to my KMG this spring. The changes were distinct from the steel platen. The ceramic runs much cooler. both the material you are grinding and the belts themselves take on less heat.The grinding, you do, after you harden the blade is a more pleasent experience also. If you go with the ceramic platen I would suggest you use J.B. Weld to affix it to the steel platen. The JB will take a much higher heat than any epoxy can deal with.
JM2cents, Fred
JM2cents, Fred
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- 5,548
gshamr said:
Great! Just make sure there are no dips in your steel platen. If so, file, machine, or grind it flat before epoxying on the pyroceram liner. Way less chance of cracking that way when you push against it while grinding. An uneven steel platen is about the biggest problem causing pyroceramic liners to fail, besides concrete floors.
I've had mine on for years, since Mike Fitzgerald(Fitzo) kindly sent me one a long time ago, and no failures to date.I use it on the vertical flat platen, or knifemakers attachment as Burr King calls it. Before that, when I used the steel platen by itself, I would get a screaching noise from the top wheel and you couldn't touch it, it got so hot, as did the whole connected assembly. It was ready to blow the bearings.
After installing the pyroceram liner, I never had that problem again and it all stays cool to the touch, no matter how long I use it. :thumbup:
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2000
- Messages
- 615
My main problem with the graphite coated canvas was not so much that you don't get a true flat grind, but rather that the darned stuff wore down unevenly very quickly and I couldn't get a even (smooth) grind.
I don't have a pyro-ceramic platen liner on my KMG yet, but I do have one on the Burr King. Like Mike mentioned you want to have that platen good and flat. When I put mine on I figured that the JB Weld would even out any little dips. It didn't and I soon had a crack across the pyro-ceramic liner. It still holds up, but I wish the crack wasn't there.
I don't have a pyro-ceramic platen liner on my KMG yet, but I do have one on the Burr King. Like Mike mentioned you want to have that platen good and flat. When I put mine on I figured that the JB Weld would even out any little dips. It didn't and I soon had a crack across the pyro-ceramic liner. It still holds up, but I wish the crack wasn't there.