THE ACCURATERELOADING.COM KNIVES AND KNIFE MAKING FORUM


Moderators: Saeed
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
belt grinders
 Login/Join
 
One of Us
posted
anybody here build their own belt grinder. If so, I would like to hear your experiences in building it and running it.
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
We run 4 belt grinders. Two are very nice commercial grinders that work very well (a 1.5 hp and a 2 hp). Two are home builts and work darned near as well (a 1.5hp and a 5 hp).

A discussion with drawings and pictures are on the website in The Craft section:

Our Knife Site

A number of other folks have built these and speak well of them. We very much like variable speed DC motors to run them with.

There are other tools on the site as well, from an edge scribe and a vise to salt pots for heat treating.


Mike

--------------
DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ...
Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com
 
Posts: 6199 | Location: Charleston, WV | Registered: 31 August 2002Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
MStarling

where do you recommend I get the contact wheels.
Did you use bearings, or bushings.
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
Ahhhh ... the one piece you can't really make. Three choices for acquisition:

1) Complete assembly with bearing and shaft ... most expensive but easiest way to do it.

2) Contact wheel without bearing or shaft

3) Contact wheel with only carrier ... no center at all.

These places have all three kinds:

http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/grinder.html
http://www.kovalknives.com/kmg.htm
http://www.texasknife.com/store/s-pages/TKS_MainframeSt...ltGrinder1.htm~smain
http://www.contactrubber.com/products/contentview.asp?c=64300

Unfortunately, none of these approaches is really cheap. Certainly cheaper than a bader or other high quality grinder. I cannot recommend the Grizzly ... too many folks have panned it. The discussions of the KMS has been pretty good. Check Google for "grinder contact wheel."

Any shaft arrangement should have enclosed bearings. In a grinder environment there is just too much abrasive crap in the air for non-enclosed bearings or sleeve bearings to survive very long.

You can often find DC motors and controllers on eBay. Make sure they are fully enclosed with cooling fans. Open units from treadmills are often available, but they get filled with grinding shards and burn up ... literally.

I personally like the 10" without grooves. Less aggressive than the grooved wheel, but gives the nicest finish. 8" is easiest to learn hollow grinding as it is not as easy to lose the path you are cutting.


Mike

--------------
DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ...
Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com
 
Posts: 6199 | Location: Charleston, WV | Registered: 31 August 2002Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
looks like there is no cheap way to get started in knife making. what are those contact wheels made of? Gold?
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
one of us
Picture of Ropes
posted Hide Post
Pops knife supply sells a contact wheel from south africa that is a little more reasonable.

Scrap metal and a treadmill motor can save you considerable money when building your own. As stated a treadmill motor will burn up but I got one for free and it will work for that price.

It is not cheap to get into but the rewards are well worth it and you will spend countless hours in front of the grinder.

practicalmachinist.com has a variable drive forum that has lots of good info.

http://www.dealerselectric.com/ - variable drive packages

http://www.surpluscenter.com has some decent prices on motors and drives
 
Posts: 549 | Location: Denial | Registered: 27 November 2004Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I must be going blind. don't see any contact wheels on Pop's supply. Might be just as easy to buy a new Bader as they seem to keep their value quite well and can easily be sold.
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I've got several of Bader's wheels and they work very well. Also have their big grinder. You won't go wrong with their wheels.
Don




 
Posts: 5798 | Registered: 10 July 2004Reply With Quote
one of us
Picture of Ropes
posted Hide Post
To get anything from pop call him 4-8pm, he never ever has answered one email as far as I know.. He also has good prices on Bader equipment..
 
Posts: 549 | Location: Denial | Registered: 27 November 2004Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I wonder how hard it would be to find somebody to just rough grind a number of blades that I want to my specifications and then finish them myself. Wouldn't have to get a grinder then?
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
one of us
Picture of Ropes
posted Hide Post
Sorry for the long delay... the first knife I made was with a set of files and some sandpaper. It was actually a lot simpler back when I did not have all the tools.
 
Posts: 549 | Location: Denial | Registered: 27 November 2004Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Yea, but I want hollow ground blades and I think one needs a belt grinder to do that.

Anyone want to cut out a couple of blades and hollow grind them for me?
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
Moderator

Picture of Mark
posted Hide Post
You can hollow grind with a regular bench grinder, just remember to take it slow and keep the blade wet. Also, make sure the rest on the grinder is stable and tight. You may want to make a sturdier one as the ones with most bench grinders are kinda wobbly when it comes to grinding lines.


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7757 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
Few stock removal knife makers use any rest at all!


Mike

--------------
DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ...
Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com
 
Posts: 6199 | Location: Charleston, WV | Registered: 31 August 2002Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
what are the recommended blade thicknesses for a drop point hunter and for a smaller caper.
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
Moderator

Picture of Mark
posted Hide Post
Betcha did for your first knife though! Smiler


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7757 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I got my first contact wheel from Dunn and company for less than $100.00. Go in there and ask for whatever Diameter and width you want and specify what bearings inner Diameter you need and they can help you. most of there wheel are rubber faced. I'm very happy with mine and have been using it for many years now. they will probably have to order it in but i'll wait to save some money. the edges of my wheel are chamfered on mine. Tell them to not chamfer the edges on your wheel!!!!
 
Posts: 59 | Location: Ok city, OK | Registered: 21 May 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Nate D:
I got my first contact wheel from Dunn and company for less than $100.00. Go in there and ask for whatever Diameter and width you want and specify what bearings inner Diameter you need and they can help you. most of there wheel are rubber faced. I'm very happy with mine and have been using it for many years now. they will probably have to order it in but i'll wait to save some money. the edges of my wheel are chamfered on mine. Tell them to not chamfer the edges on your wheel!!!!


do they have a website?
 
Posts: 7090 | Registered: 11 January 2005Reply With Quote
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


Copyright December 1997-2023 Accuratereloading.com


Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia