Rotary Platen- use of

marekz

marekz

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
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Good day all, for those of you who have a rotary platen, how often do you use it?. What do you primarily use it for? thanks-Mark
 
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I use mine on almost every knife I make. Primarily for handle work. I would be lost without it.

Robert
 
Hi,
I use mine on every knife I make. The primary use is for the handle; it seems to be a halfway step between a hard platen and a slack belt. It is also great for just breaking a square edge. I couldn't function without it. By all means if you are thinking of getting one, go for it!!

Regards
Steve Hostetler
 
I also use it to back scotchbrite for final cleanups of pocket tools - it provides enough backing so I'm comfortable pushing into it a bit but still flexible like a slack belt.
 
I also use it for almost all handles, but wait there's more :)

It's very useful for refining the profiles of knives (don't really want everything to be a straight line, do you?).

Used to use it for belt sharpening until I completely gave that up for fear of micro-overheating (see other
threads on that topic).

Expect to use it soon for creating the convex part of a hybrid flat/convex grind for cooking knives. Yes,
I'm scared by this but believe that it will be better if I learn how to do it right.
 
I think it was Jerry Fisk who said that it works great for handles, especially blending in things like pins and corby bolts because it doesn't eat up the handle material around the bolt. I use if for handles and for setting an edge before going to the slack portion of 400 grit belt.
 
I use it on every blade and handle. For the blade I used it to set the convex grind that I want and the rotary allows me to do that consitantly. As Joe mentioned it does great on handles as well.
I hate all grinders but I hate the KMG less.
 
My thoughts pretty much just echo what's already been posted.

This might help show my thoughts on it... :)
[video=youtube;LlT23x0svdk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlT23x0svdk[/video]
 
I have used it alog with the flat platen to roughly simulate the very shallow full convex grind like Bill Moran used to do freehand. Suffice to say it takes me a LOT longer to do it and it still isn't quite there, but MUCH better than trying to do it on a slack belt.
fisk said:
I use it on every blade and handle. For the blade I used it to set the convex grind that I want and the rotary allows me to do that consitantly. As Joe mentioned it does great on handles as well.
I hate all grinders but I hate the KMG less.
Click to expand...
 
Bringing this thread back from the dead . I was wondering if any of you have found a good source for a thicker / stiffer Serpentine belt for the rotary attachment ? I have been looking for some time with out success . I still love this attachment and use it quite regularly . I am working on a few more options and configs for this and feel a stiffer belt would be more versatile .Also , do any of you use this attachment on a Dozier grinder ?
 
The belt he uses is
Replacement belt: 260J20



I suspect that if you go to a heavier belt, it won't match that wheel groove pitch.

An L series belt has a wider rib spacing than a J
Is it a heavier belt ?


Have you tried the customer and technical service for Gates or Jason, or other belt manufacturers?
 
I haven't contacted any of them directly. Just looked at there catalogs and on line listings . I may have to go to a much longer belt to get what I need . Thats ok because I am planning on running an 8" or 10" aluminum wheel optimize my grinder . I am designing another system like this to include a large wheel so I can hollow grind , flat grind , convex grind etc... with one set up. The belt will act as the rubber for the contact wheel for hollow grinding. I just need a beefier, thicker , stiffer belt to accomplish this. If it works well I may go all the way with it and do a 14 " wheel version as well.
 
Just thought I'd try a beefier belt on my current version to see if there are any draw backs . The longer belts should be easy to find in a beefed up version.
 
Ken, do you have the belt tightened as far as it will go?
 
was thinking of building with a thick piece of leather for a belt??? Thoughts?
 
jdm61 said:
Ken, do you have the belt tightened as far as it will go?
Click to expand...

That is what I was going to ask. Mine can get so tight I can almost flat grind with it.

R.Rock said:
was thinking of building with a thick piece of leather for a belt??? Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I dont thin think that leather would hold up to the tension, but I may be wrong.

-Josiah
 
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