The Grindomatic5000

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Sam Salvati

Sam Salvati

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Aug 6, 2007
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I have seen various incarnations of this jig but never one like this. I put it together today, some drillin and tappin and bam, Grindomatic5000.

One of the best features of the KMG is the adjustable angle platen, never really though much of that til I worked up this jig. It is just a piece of HEAVY angle iron with some holes I spaced 6" apart, the bolts that go in there are adjustable stops, the blade rests on them while you grind. You center scribe your stock, the angle iron jig sits flat on the work rest, then after you figure out the proper angle for the width of stock you want to use you set the platen and just grind away to your scribe line. Works a charm! I want to do some pieces where it is ground from flat stock, then forge bent to add some curvature, it's quite a handy setup. I see using it also to rough something out then freehand it from there, nice to work off of a precise base.

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Very interesting but be careful Sam your going to risk raising the wrath of the non-jig Gods. Id like to see this in use though! Any pics on the machine or do I have to wait for the video to come out!
 
I always say the validation of the method is in the results. I mean, if I can look at a perfectly ground sword blade and not be able to discern whether it was produced by a skilled and experienced artisan, channeling sublime muscle memory and riding the razor's edge between exquisite and execrable, or a monkey with a jig, I say "pish posh to all that freehand hogwash and bring on the epsilon automatons!"

Just messin' with you, Sam. I remember when I needed training wheels, there's nothing funny about it.

Wait, that didn't come out how I planned. Conciliatory! That's where I was going with this-

Um, hey nice welder in the background!




No, I mean it Sam, cool jig, just more proof that you're smarter than you look!

Damn. I'll shut up now. (Dodges a flying cross peen.)
 
Jigs are for girly-men! :)

Nothing wrong with being a girly-man, of course... if that's your thing.

Hey, nice bench in the background!
 
Salem I'lll get you!!!! and your little dog too!!!! Seriously though, it has it's place in my shop, I find myself doing more then one of a thing very often, it's nice to decrease the chances for a screw up. Plus, if you think it's effortless, there was a SERIOUS learning curve to use it!!! must have took 10 minutes, maybe 20!

I see this jig like I see the forge (almost), a tool to help me build a base off of which I can work. I only rough things in, same as I do in the forge then come back and freehand finish everything. for production too I can see this thing kicking butt!!!!

thanks Mike!
 
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Yeah, I can dig it. For grinding a sword blade it could help things go quicker. Might also be useful to throw at an apprentice who just can't learn to grind freehand.

I don't literally mean "throw at"- well maybe, depending on the apprentice.
 
learning to dodge is good for the reflexes, learning when to dodge is good for the soul. :)

Nice jig, I wanna see it setup though, I think I understand how you're using it but I'm not 100%. Seems like this would be great for getting the bevels hogged out on a bunch of one pattern for production, like you mentioned.
 
Remy, yes it will be great for production! I could even see adding an air piston actuator to run it back and forth and another for fine adjustable forward pressure!!!

I will photo it all set up today.
 
Sam Salvati said:
Remy, yes it will be great for production! I could even see adding an air piston actuator to run it back and forth and another for fine adjustable forward pressure!!!

I will photo it all set up today.
Click to expand...
You will have to change the name to RoboGrindiNatorMatic5002

I have nuthin against jigs...... meaning, I do everything freehand, Nancy.... lol. Just messing. My thoughts echo Salem's:thumbup:
 
I think that's a pretty darn good way to grind a sword-length blade!

My experience so far is that up to a 10" blade, I can do the ABS-style of grinding: elbows locked into your side, hips square to the platen. But even on a wakizashi-length short sword, that doesn't give you near enough movement to grind the whole blade in one shot.

Howard Clark does this beautiful swooping motion to grind a katana forging in one pass on a 2" belt. It must have taken him years to perfect -- he says that he replicated a Tai Chi movement.
 
Lazlo, I have found the same thing. Anything longer then a foot and I am arms out and it's a wrestling match with nice long sweeps. This is ideal, based off the blade I show, for the tactical type stuff, it would be the chisel grind KING (not that they are hard anyway).
 
Here you go Dix, blade is clamped to the angle spine resting and supported by the bolts, platen is angled.

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