Trying to get a KMG :grumpy:

Tiiiiiiiim

Tiiiiiiiim

Joined
Jun 11, 2010
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I've been looking to upgrade my crappy 6x48" linisher to a 2x72" grinder and keep hitting dead ends. I thought about making one, but I'd rather leave it to the professionals and just buy one. Plus i don't have enough time to work on knives let alone make a grinder. I looked into buying one in Australia but the only guy i could dig up that sells them couldn't start my order for another 4-5weeks + he has a 4-5week turn around + the grinder will cost $2000 + around $200 postage. So I looked into the fabled American KMG but they don't ship internationally. So i signed up to hopshopgo (paypal service that buys stuff from the US and sends it to you) and did a shipping estimate and that came in at a whopping $825 just for shipping! :eek::mad:

*sigh* Suggestions anyone?

Thanks,
Tim.
 
It all depends on if you have more time or money. You could get the EERF plans for free and have a local machine shop to cut out the parts and even put it together for you. There are also CAD plans for a KMG clone that a machine shop could put together for you.

Hope this helps,
Jason
 
GIB??? It assembles in a day(yeah, yeah a couple months for me..... but that's because of moving and work) and since it's a compact package? He ships to Canada in three boxes I believe... I love mine! I'd be happy to help with a parts list after assembling mine! $250 for the kit is a nice starting price.
 
There's an old joke in the engineering community...

Quality
Price
Schedule

Pick two (because you can't have all three).

Any problem can be solved with sufficient resources (money), but that drives up the price.
Many problems solve themselves if you let enough time pass by, but that impacts the schedule.
As long as you don't care about quality, you can always bring down the price and tighten up the schedule.

As regards this issue, Paying exhorbitant shipping solves your problem... at a cost.
Accepting the 10 - 20 week lead times solves your problem... so long as you are patient.
Being willing to build your own (or contract someone locally to fabricate the unit) solves the problem... with dubious quality.

Which of the three are you most willing to give up?
 
+1 for the GIB - don't be intimidated that you have to assemble it yourself, you have clearly shown the ability necessary to set it up... And if you do want to get it waterjet cut you can download the CAD files and bring them to the shop...
 
I still think buying anything the weight of a grind is going to cost an arm and a leg to get it shipped down under:( It will have to come down to how quick you want it, how much you are willing to pay and how much time you are willing to put into building it. Once you put all that together it should point you in the right direction
 
fluidsteel said:
Brilliant!!! Plus one on the water jet.... That'd be awesome IMO....
Click to expand...

I agree. This is probably your best (i.e. cheapest and fastest) option. You'll probably net out around $1000 US, and you have definitely demonstrated that you are capable of building it. The only issue is your time and whether or not you WANT to build it.
 
There are lots of makers down under.Right?Contact every one of them you know and dont know and ask them for suggestions.You never know they may have a spare machine and need some cash,or know someone that builds 2x72 machines,or ect....If you dont ask youll never know.
 
I went down to Ohio and got mine. Saved on shipping and other things. Got to meet Rob Frink too, he and his wife are nice people.
If I was as far away as you, I would look into a Bader, or a Wilton, they probably have dealers who stock them in OZ.

Good luck and post what you buy.
 
Thanks for all the words of advice and encouragement.

Seals said:
There are lots of makers down under.Right?Contact every one of them you know and dont know and ask them for suggestions.You never know they may have a spare machine and need some cash,or know someone that builds 2x72 machines,or ect....If you dont ask youll never know.
Click to expand...

Well I've had this conversation on Australianbladeforum.com and that one guy with the massive lead time and high price is all i could come up with.

tryppyr said:
There's an old joke in the engineering community...

Quality
Price
Schedule

Pick two (because you can't have all three).

Any problem can be solved with sufficient resources (money), but that drives up the price.
Many problems solve themselves if you let enough time pass by, but that impacts the schedule.
As long as you don't care about quality, you can always bring down the price and tighten up the schedule.

As regards this issue, Paying exhorbitant shipping solves your problem... at a cost.
Accepting the 10 - 20 week lead times solves your problem... so long as you are patient.
Being willing to build your own (or contract someone locally to fabricate the unit) solves the problem... with dubious quality.

Which of the three are you most willing to give up?
Click to expand...

Shipping over the KMG will cost as much as the maker in Australia but thats the problem. I don't really have $2000 to spend. I can afford the actual cost of the KMG (about $1300 with motor etc.) and i wouldn't mind waiting a while if i could get it for that price in Australia. Time i'm reluctently willing to give up but the price ends up being the same...too high.

Making it seems is the only way to get something in my budget but It is daunting having to co-ordinate so many parts. If i could just get them all from the same place that would be awesome. You have to understand i come from the lazy generation Y. I expect everything to be one easy email or click away. haha :D
 
Check and see if you can get the GIB shipped for a reasonable price.

If that falls through get the EERF files and have it cut out locally. I am very happy with the EERF grinder I built and it is not that difficult.

It might take a little more time to get all the parts together but you will have a nice grinder and you can take pride in building it yourself.

Take care

Charles
 
And besides the steel and nuts/bolts to build the grinder you can pretty much order everything else from Tracy Mickley at USA Knife Maker and IIRC he ships to Australia... I got my motor from Wayne Coe, you could see what he could do for you in the way of shipping since the motors he sells are drop shipped...

Either way you roll, good luck!
 
Frank Barron said:
I went down to Ohio and got mine. Saved on shipping and other things. Got to meet Rob Frink too, he and his wife are nice people.
If I was as far away as you, I would look into a Bader, or a Wilton, they probably have dealers who stock them in OZ.

Good luck and post what you buy.
Click to expand...

lol I drove down too, it's a nice machine, soooo solid compared to my old unit that cost much more...

For the OP I personally found that when things got too expensive it was better to work within the limits of my present tooling. Honestly I'm not sure I would make worse knives with just files and sandpaper (betcha they'd be smaller than I make typically but that could be a good thing)...

I kinda miss the days of files and sandpaper
 
if you begun building back when you started the original thread on ABF you'd be done by now tim

Something tells me you arent just going to stumble upon some secret for getting a grinder of the quality you want for a price that makes you happy.

It's not like theres a shortage of plans with the EERF, NWG and KMG clone.
If you can make knives then you can make a grinder.
and if you just get stuck into it it'll be done in no time.
 
FTO_dude said:
if you begun building back when you started the original thread on ABF you'd be done by now tim

Something tells me you arent just going to stumble upon some secret for getting a grinder of the quality you want for a price that makes you happy.

It's not like theres a shortage of plans with the EERF, NWG and KMG clone.
If you can make knives then you can make a grinder.
and if you just get stuck into it it'll be done in no time.
Click to expand...

I didn't have any money back then. Just got my tax return :D

I know I know. I just want everything done for me.
 
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