What is a platen for?
- Thread starter DgrantD
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- Aug 12, 2002
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The Platen is used for flat grinding(and I track belts off one edge or other to pick up smaller curves, and for various things). Being as you have a KMG1, I'd assume(and judging from pictures, it seems to be) that you have a real, functional platen. What exactly were you trying to grind(profile, bevel, etc)? and what steel and what belts were you using?
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Some use the platen for profiling. But you couldn't pay me to do that. I prefer the contact wheel for that procedure. Most use it to flat grind blades, and taper tangs. I taper tangs on mine, but finish them up on a 9 disc, which gets them flatter.
Platen grinding is not as aggresive as contact wheel grinnding, but you can make it a little easier, on both you, and the machine, by installing a pyroceram liner on the platen. It will keep friction, and heat down, always a good thing, plus it will stay flat for a lot longer than the metal platen material.
Platen grinding is not as aggresive as contact wheel grinnding, but you can make it a little easier, on both you, and the machine, by installing a pyroceram liner on the platen. It will keep friction, and heat down, always a good thing, plus it will stay flat for a lot longer than the metal platen material.
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- Jul 8, 2002
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The platen on my Burr King is about worthless. I picked up my grinder after it had been used for a couple years in a manufacturing plant, so the platen is far from flat.
I actually just put it back on not too long ago. I do 99% of my work on the contact wheel. I think the only thing I have really done on the platen is taper tangs and to try to get some of the material out of the big choils before I go at it with the file.
I only do hollow grinding, probably because I dont have a good platen, and I like the looks of a deep hollow grind on large knives. But one of these days, hopefully soon, I will try to do a folding knife, and I do admit, flat grinds look better on small knives.
I think a disc grinder is in my near future, either that or a surface grinder, or both.
Can you do flat grinds with a disc grinder?
Anyway, just my $0.02, and not much content.
I actually just put it back on not too long ago. I do 99% of my work on the contact wheel. I think the only thing I have really done on the platen is taper tangs and to try to get some of the material out of the big choils before I go at it with the file.
I only do hollow grinding, probably because I dont have a good platen, and I like the looks of a deep hollow grind on large knives. But one of these days, hopefully soon, I will try to do a folding knife, and I do admit, flat grinds look better on small knives.
I think a disc grinder is in my near future, either that or a surface grinder, or both.
Can you do flat grinds with a disc grinder?Anyway, just my $0.02, and not much content.