Interesting

I was looking at a unit without a motor since I have a source for used single phase 1/2-1hp motors that might work.

Anyone have any experience? The price looks reasonable enough since I don't have the welding skills to make my own!

I've never seen any of those grinders as I have a Bader grinder, along with two other home made ones for doing slack belt and flat work.
The 2FS72 Kalamazoo looks like it would work. Use the one HP motor if you decide to buy it. Not sure about the tracking of the Kalamazoo; that would be something to look into. You need the belt located exactly where you want it while grinding.
If I was buying a grinder today, I'd buy one like Mike Straling uses, a variable speed set up. I bought the Bader in 1980, and it keeps on grinding, so I'll stick with it.
Good luck, and keep us posted on how you're doing.

Don

Sorry, I am not familiar with the Kalamazoo belt grinders. I too have a Bader and a Wilton Square wheel.

Belt tracking trueness is very important if you intend to grind master bevels on blanks. Check around on some of the knife forums and ask lots of questions / lots of reading. The Bader tracks better than my square wheel. The old Burr Buster tracks the best of all the machines I have used. The Burr-King tracks good too, but a hassle to change from one mode to another.

I simply do not have a 4 figure budget for the Bader/Burr King/Wilton grinders. I am also not likely to have one soon. I had thought of making my own, but I think I would be lucky to get to the quality level of a Grizzly or such.

These looked a bit better made...though it is all from pictures and reputation. At least they are made in the US, not China!

are you sure you want a grinder than only takes an 8 inch wheel. I would think you would want at least a 10 inch wheel for hollow grinding.

I have personally never liked hollow ground blades and don't expect to make very many, if any. If I were to do a hollow grind I would try a very shallow one using a convex platen, but currently I have no desire to try it with a contact wheel. Maybe they are just too thin and seem weak to me, I dunno, but I just don't like them.

Just call me a flat grind guy.

You can find plans for a grinder on the internet.

If I were to buy one I would buy a KMG from beaumont metal works.

quote:

Originally posted by Ropes:
You can find plans for a grinder on the internet.

If I were to buy one I would buy a KMG from beaumont metal works.

Yup, there are KMG clone plans on the internet, have a copy downloaded. After building my own variable speed reversible disc grinder, I am saving up to purchase a KMG. that extra money ensures everything mathces up, holes are drilled square, and there are no runs to Depot after you forgot something.

The Beaumont Rotary Platen is the cat's meow for flat grinding! The rest of the structure for the grinder is easily built.

Mike Alexander has plans for a grinder on our web site in the tool plans section of "The Craft" area. We have 4 grinders ... two build on Mike's plans and two commercial units built by John LeBlonc. They're all variable speed DC motor driven (1 hp, 1.5 hp, 2 hp, and 5 hp). 1.5 to 2 hp is about right.

Wheels are available from:

http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/grinder.html
http://jantzsupply.com/cartease/item-detail.cfm?ID=GG120
http://www.contactrubber.com/products/contentview.asp?c=64300

Grizzly also has them if I remember correctly