What combo to get? Sander/Grinder or seperate machines

[Yo Mama]

Hello,

I'm wanting to get into making myself a few blades. I'm not looking to sell them, so they don't need to be perfect. I'm hoping to get a belt sander and don't know if a grinder combo makes sense? Can I remove enough metal with just a sander to go without a grinder? Or will this just wear out belts very quickly? Should I get an angle grinder instead?

As it will be a hobby not business, I'm looking around 150 dollars. The Grizzly H7760 Combo Belt Sander/Grinder caught my eye. Will 2 inch belt be big enough? Or should I stick with 4 inch? I want to be able to make larger blades, so I'm guessing 4 inch?

It's a bit overwhelming! I want to eventually get a drill press, or should I get this now as well? Is there an easy way without one to drill into the tang?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

 

[Wowndeye]

While I'm far from an expert here, I've started out with an angle grinder that I've had for years which I use to cut out the blank from the bar and after getting it as close to my lines as I can with that, I use my Harbor Freight 1x30 to finish grinding out the profile. I've also been using it till recently to do my bevels but I'm trying out Aaron Gough's filing jig which you can find a video on Youtube for. Filing is much slower, but much more controllable and harder to make goof's on. The 1x30 is pretty fast and not variable speed and maybe it's just me, but I had a hard time getting my plunge lines to match up when grinding the bevels which resulted in a lot of frustration. I've started my plunge lines w/ a chansaw file and then am using the filing jig to take down the rest of the bevel. I also got the Harbor Freight 4x36 belt sander w/ 6 inch disc and it has been semi useful but it is so ridiculously underpowered it's not even funny. I've just been using the stock belts with it and am going to try a couple better ones from Supergrit and see if it performs any better for the 4x36 part. The 6 inch disc has been almost useless to me at this point. All that said, get quality belts from Supergrit or Trugrit or any of the other knife supply stores online. Low grit ceramics for rough shaping profile, bevels and handles and then some finer ones for dialing things in. All that said, if you can afford a 2x42 or better, I'd go there. I can't wait to get a 2x72! You've got more surface area on your belt and seems like all the pros have at least on 2x72.

For a drill press I have my cheap 5 speed Harbor Freight again set to the slowest speed (which for carbon steels should be much slower), but with a good cobalt bit and some Rapid Cut cutting oil, it works fine. Just take it slow! I don't know how else you might get any holes drilled without a drill press.

Hope that helps some!

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Hello,

I'm wanting to get into making myself a few blades. I'm not looking to sell them, so they don't need to be perfect. I'm hoping to get a belt sander and don't know if a grinder combo makes sense? Can I remove enough metal with just a sander to go without a grinder? Or will this just wear out belts very quickly? Should I get an angle grinder instead?

As it will be a hobby not business, I'm looking around 150 dollars. The Grizzly H7760 Combo Belt Sander/Grinder caught my eye. Will 2 inch belt be big enough? Or should I stick with 4 inch? I want to be able to make larger blades, so I'm guessing 4 inch?

It's a bit overwhelming! I want to eventually get a drill press, or should I get this now as well? Is there an easy way without one to drill into the tang?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

I posted about that specific grinder/sander when I first started making knives. The answers I got were pretty much to not go that route. You're gonna want to use a 2in belt system. The platens on grinders with belt sizes wider than 2in aren't that versatile.

Here's my old thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1147771-Grizzly-H7760-Combo-Belt-Sander-Grinder

I went with the craftsmen 2x42 and am pretty happy with it.

 

[hobbiest]

While I'm far from an expert here, I've started out with an angle grinder that I've had for years which I use to cut out the blank from the bar and after getting it as close to my lines as I can with that, I use my Harbor Freight 1x30 to finish grinding out the profile. I've also been using it till recently to do my bevels but I'm trying out Aaron Gough's filing jig which you can find a video on Youtube for. Filing is much slower, but much more controllable and harder to make goof's on. The 1x30 is pretty fast and not variable speed and maybe it's just me, but I had a hard time getting my plunge lines to match up when grinding the bevels which resulted in a lot of frustration. I've started my plunge lines w/ a chansaw file and then am using the filing jig to take down the rest of the bevel. I also got the Harbor Freight 4x36 belt sander w/ 6 inch disc and it has been semi useful but it is so ridiculously underpowered it's not even funny. I've just been using the stock belts with it and am going to try a couple better ones from Supergrit and see if it performs any better for the 4x36 part. The 6 inch disc has been almost useless to me at this point. All that said, get quality belts from Supergrit or Trugrit or any of the other knife supply stores online. Low grit ceramics for rough shaping profile, bevels and handles and then some finer ones for dialing things in. All that said, if you can afford a 2x42 or better, I'd go there. I can't wait to get a 2x72! You've got more surface area on your belt and seems like all the pros have at least on 2x72.

For a drill press I have my cheap 5 speed Harbor Freight again set to the slowest speed (which for carbon steels should be much slower), but with a good cobalt bit and some Rapid Cut cutting oil, it works fine. Just take it slow! I don't know how else you might get any holes drilled without a drill press.

Hope that helps some!

I don't know this from first hand experience but if you check out reviews on that HF sander people say if it feels under powered there is something inside thats to tight you can adjust. Might want to check it out.