2x72 grinder?

Thanks DW

Now I've got some thinking to do

and welcome to the site. I don't do a lot of posting here I do alot of reading and learning
 
Well I've been thinking and have decided to "build a grinder so I can build a grinder"

got to thinking you never get it wright the first time, so just plan a learning curve in to the project. I think I will build the simplest cheapest grinder I can and kinda figure it out then try to build a NICE grinder. then I will have the answer to my original question.

Now I have a plan ( and the misses no longer has a clothes rack "Treadmill"):eagerness:
I have a few more questions
1st should I start a new thread. Please let me know....... you know it's about the motor!
 
ttabbal, that is a good looking build I sure hope mine turns out that nice. I don't know how I missed your post earlier, and thanks for the link I'm kinda leaning toward that design.
 
Danny, I've been grinding lathe tools for over 20 years on a belt sander and while me and the guys rib each other about my little one and their big ones, I'm convinced that there are some features that matter on these machines. The knife makers have their machines down to an art now and the TW-90 is near the peak of that crowd but I mostly grind tools, not knives, so I just have basic priorities.

When I build my grinder, I plan to incorporate the following:
  • Tracking on the top most wheel. My feeling is that I want the tracking mechanism independent of the drive wheel. My current little Sears 2X42 has the tracking on the upper wheel and it is perfect - easy to adjust, never goes off track unless the belt slips (rare) and is very precise.
  • Enough power - I think 1-1/2HP is about minimum.
  • Variable speed - I'm not sure it matters if you use a DC or AC with VFD. I want high speed for shaping and hogging but for finishing, you need lower speeds and VS will give you that.
  • I want a really good solid platen with a Pyroceram liner. I plan to use a piece of 3/8" thick precision ground tool steel and epoxy a liner to it. I want zero give at the platen. I don't care if the platen can tip forward or back; I'll do that with the tool rest. I want it perfectly vertical and rock-solid.
  • I want an indexable tool rest that locks solidly in use but is easily repositioned to whatever angle I need. I often work in 1-2 degree tool angle increments so this is necessary for me. The rest has to be adjustable for belt-to-tool rest distance so my tool doesn't tip sideways into a gap when I put pressure on it. It also has to allow unlimited access to the belt from both sides so I can grind my back rake angles without running into some obstruction. Finally, the surface area of the table has to support a tool bit fully, with room to spare; you can't grind a tool if it isn't sitting stable on the tool rest. For those of us who grind tools, the tool rest is the key and the rest is just details.
I know having the ability to use contact wheels and other attachments is important and I'll make provisions for that but my main use will be for tool grinding and fabrication. For me, a good platen and tool rest are really, really critical. Right now, my little 2X42 works really well for me so I can afford to take my time moving forward on a bigger machine but I have to admit that the guys are getting to me!
 
Here’s my first crack at a belt grinder. It has most of what Mickey listed above. The platen is 1/4” but backed by 2x2 angle and faced with 1/4” glass. The rest does pretty well, maybe could have been made deeper on the belt to have more side support but hasn’t been an issue yet. I had a 3 hp treadmill motor on the shelf so there it sits. With the current pulleys it will spin over 7 k SFPM, that’s scary fast for me. I usually run it in the mid 4 k range. I made the drive pulley to 12” circumference and take the speed reading off of that wheel so the readout is in fpm.
I’ll probably give this to my nephew in the future and build another that will be more refined but this one is solid as a tank. Just not smoothed and painted.
DE59795E-9C4D-49E8-9CD6-F648BDA7514C.jpeg
Thanks for your input Mickey
 
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Z2V said:
I’ll probably give this to my nephew in the future and build another that will be more refined but this one is solid as a tank. Just not smoothed and painted.
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I dunno', Jeff, that one looks pretty good to me! It certainly grinds nice tools, that for sure.
 
Yea, it does grind very well. My nephew is sophomore in college and really interested in knife building. As a student his resources are limited so I might just gift this to him after I make another. I will hate to give up that 3 hp motor though.
Ahh, there are others out there.
It’s all fun
Mikey, you did get the grinder fad started!! , thanks for that!
 
Z2V said:
Mikey, you did get the grinder fad started!! , thanks for that!
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Maybe I drew some attention to it but you guys have since left me in the dust!
 
Thanks mikey That is just the info I'm looking for. I have put off getting my little lathe up and running for to long simply because I wasn't sure about tooling. your tool bit grinding "Book" Thread;) has got me off my donkey many thanks. (The misses may differ) I blamed you anyway LOL.
I've need one any way and my son has took interest in knife making SO!! haha

Z2v good looking machine, how are you running the tread mill motor I assume the mc-60 controller
 
Yes Danny, I’m using the MC60 but if I come across a MC2000 I will likely swap them out. The 60 does just fine though.
 
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