Why do I need VS disc sander?

L

LCoop

Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
589
Ok I'm just a hobbyist knife builder but recently bought a high end 2 x 72 grinder with high end VSD 3 phase drive. So I can obviously run a VSD disc sander from this same setup! I've searched and searched but what exactly are the uses I could expect from adding this as my next purchase? So just FYI I've built and used a PID oven capable of HT stainless and I'm more of a stock removal knife guy rather than forging even though I was taught forging but my teacher doesn't use a disk. I've been making knives for about 10 years strictly as a hobby. But I'm ready to take the next step to upgrade my tooling.

FYI I can't begin to say enough thanks to all the great knowledgeable posters here who take the time to answer questions here! I just lurk but have learned SO MUCH just from this site! Thanks to all who know exactly who you are! You take the time to repeatedly answer some basic questions that could be read in the stickiest. Hopefully I'll post some pics of my latest knives here but just haven't made any for awhile!
 
Belt sanders don't really get things flat because the belt curls a little before the work and after the work. You can't really see it happening but you can measure it. Discs get things flatter because the disc is adhered to the flat surface, but again, still not truly flat, just much closer than a belt. It's a progressive thing, belt sander flat, disc sander flat, then it's much less work on a surface plate hand lapping for a truly flat part. Although depending on what you're doing, any of these steps may be flat enough for your application.

The other thing they are really nice for is when you want to roll over a straight edge to make a rounded corner, and the edge is longer than easily done on your belt sander, especially when going across 2 different materials that you want to flow into each other, like a metal bolster and wood handle.

Some people use them to flatten out their bevels but I don't find that very useful because I usually just screw up my plunge lines doing it. It is nice on no-plunge bevels, gets you closer to flat before hand sanding.
 
I got mine mainly for working the tangs on slip joints, the more I use it the more things I find I can do. Getting scales flat and tangs flat is a big part of it.
 
I really love my VS disc. It's one of those tools you wonder how you ever got along without once you get one. I use mine mainly for finish grinding once I come off the belt at 120 grit I can go to 220, 320 and 400 on the disk and it saves me a ton of hand sanding and the cost of belts. Also great for bolsters or anything you need to get flat. I just bought a 9" disc, 3 phase motor and ran a female dryer plug from my VFD and added male dryer plugs to both my grinder and disc motors so I can use the same VFD for both. I had a single speed disc before this set up, but it was not nearly as useful as the variable speed and by having a 9" disk you can use standard sheets of sand paper.

Check out the video below to see Nick Wheeler using his disc.

[video=youtube;ssribfAn8TQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssribfAn8TQ[/video]
 
I just built one and keep finding more uses for it. Flattening scales, and bolsters for one. Also working on a wa handle knife at the moment and it's great for that. Oh, and working with my daughters on their pinewood Derby cars.
 
I use mine for mostly scales to get them flat. But use them for lots of thing that I would not want to do on anything else. Could I live without it, yes but I don't want to.
 
When you hinge it so you can use it parallel and perpendicular to the floor, you'll come up with all sorts of things you can do.
 
Last edited:
Once again I'm over whelmed by the experts who answer my questions! Thanks for the video Nick, YES I have a shop dog myself but she hates loud machines so just hangs out when doing less noisy stuff! But she's a helluva blood tracking dog wanting to see me use my latest knife! lol Thanks for the responses!
 
Karl I think I "follow" you on another site. Trad Gang? Can you give me more specifics on how you use a disk grinder? You are a incredible knife maker and I wish I just knew what you, and others that take the time to post here, forgot about knife making!
 
Last edited:
This thread inspired me a bit and I went back and watched Nick Wheeler's videos. I trued up my disc, and hit the flats on some rough ground blanks with some Gator ceramic 80 grit. I'm impressed with the flatness. We may have to do a disc grinder KITH in the future. Knives made on JUST disc grinders, no belt machines.
 
Last edited:
LCoop said:
Karl I think I "follow" you on another site. Trad Gang? Can you give me more specifics on how you use a disk grinder? You are a incredible knife maker and I wish I just knew what you, and others that take the time to post here, forgot about knife making!
Click to expand...

Yep - Trad Gang.
The most significant use I get from mine is using it to clean up the vertical grind marks right in front of the fillet (plunge cut).

If you have never seen the Tim Hancock video on knife grinding - get it. It changed my life.
I surface grind all of my components, but every now and then a quick touch up of 4-5 seconds on a knife piece can save enormous time of hand work.

I use it on every single knife.
 
Kevin McGovern said:
This thread inspired me a bit and I went back and watched Nick Wheeler's videos. I trued up my disc, and hit the flats on some rough ground blanks with some Gator ceramic 80 grit. I'm impressed with the flatness. We may have to do a disc grinder KITH in the future. Knives made on JUST disc grinders, no belt machines.
Click to expand...

I am trying ............................... ;)

This one is only 1.5 mm. thick

359a89g.jpg

28k0ysp.jpg


2.8mm

e8kgn6.jpg

2l994g.jpg
 
Kevin McGovern said:
This thread inspired me a bit and I went back and watched Nick Wheeler's videos. I trued up my disc, and hit the flats on some rough ground blanks with some Gator ceramic 80 grit. I'm impressed with the flatness. We may have to do a disc grinder KITH in the future. Knives made on JUST disc grinders, no belt machines.
Click to expand...

I'd rather file it out! Maybe I need some ceramic, but I find it almost painful to use for any amount of material removal and go through Rhyno sheets like water.
 
i found some Ceramic 3m gator paper at my mom and pop hardware store. they sell several grits by the sheet. It tore through some steel. i was impressed. I won't be giving up my belt grinder or anything, but i can see using this post HT, especially since my 2x72 is fixed speed and my disc is VFD.
 
Another good thing to consider when buying is one that the discs can be simply exchanged so that several sizes of sandpaper are always available without having to strip the one disc. Yes, that probably would have to be a Rod Nielson magnet disc grinder.
Frank
 
Wow so lots of info to digest! Karl I've ordered the video thanks for the suggestion. Now I guess I should wait to see the video but what's everyone's opinion on whether to have a flat or angled disc face?
 
If you get the Nielsen magnet disc machine , you can have both and be able to change one to another in 30 seconds or less
Frank
 
I bought a beveled face thinking I'd do bigger knives, but now I have a flat disc and like it a lot better.
You will get a (very small) hollow using a beveled disc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top