New Grinder

[ex_isp]

Hey guys! Still at it in the shop/garage... Bought new tool/attachment that I REALLY like! This is a belt grinder with a flat surfacing disk that bolts to a bench grinder on the right side. Has serrated rubber contact wheel for the belt which allows for hollow grinding on my blades with ease. Has a flat surface disk on the right side of the attachment.
The best part? Under $250 for the attachment that will bolt straight up to 80% of grinder on the market. I REALLY like this tool! Did I mention that? Picked up a used (new condition) Ryobi 8" bench grinder for $40 at a local hock shop and it's in business! Of course, SnapOn sells this SAME tool for around $500. You can go direct to the dist (made in Aus) in the US and get it for about half price. If you want their motor, I think they are currently supplying with a Jet grinder though their photo shows Baldor. On my Ryobi, this thing eats meat!
http://www.multitool-usa.com/

 

[Pissompons]

Nice bench setup...looks like you like you cutlery!! I'm a fan...good luck with the new setup, looks good.

 

[ex_isp]

Cutlery? I guess... since I'm a knife maker by trade!
One of these days I'll post a couple photos of the shop. Forge, work benchs, etc...

Now, I AM surprised that no one had called me on the fact the buff on the grinder that is opposite the new belt attachment for it, does not have a nut on it!

 

[mikey]

Nah, we just assumed it was one of those self-tapping buffing wheels!

The Multitool looks good for your kind of work but it would be sort of hard to grind a lathe tool on it, no?

 

[ex_isp]

Nah, we just assumed it was one of those self-tapping buffing wheels!

The Multitool looks good for your kind of work but it would be sort of hard to grind a lathe tool on it, no?

"self tapping wheels! I love it! Actually a 1/2" hole in the buff, forced onto a 5/8" shaft. Tight enough that it doesn't slip under buffing pressue. Took quite a bit to get it on, and it was tight, so I left it.
Define lathe tool please. Are we talking knives for a wood turning use?

 

[mikey]

No, we're talking about HSS tools for turning metal on the lathe that is in your future. What, you didn't think that you could buy a milling machine and that would be the end of it, did you? No, my friend, you are now in the clutches of the hobby machining disease and there is no cure, no end. You may think I'm kidding or even delusional but I know how this is going to go ... just watch!

 

[ex_isp]

It's my understanding that metal turning tools are carbide mounted on/adhered to, tool steel. Am I misinterpreting this?
BTW, I love your sense of humor and presentation! Power hammer MUST come first though and will drain me for a while.
In my biz, a lathe is going to take a while (not that I wouldn't like to have one yesterday!

Began sourcing materials for the power hammer today. Spoke with the guys wife who has the plans, but she couldn't tell me much.
Did get materials list and contacted a large fab shop here in Mesa, Az about purchasing drop pieces from them. For them, a 6 ft piece
of 6' X 8" X 6" rectangular tube is scrap. Would love to trade them a couple knives for the steel I need.

One piece I'll need that will be hard to find or expensive, is ideally, a test failed nitrogen or oxygen cyl that's become unusable for test
failure. That should be a significant part of the anvil... filled with sand and chucks of lead. Got a motor from John yesterday (THANKS John!).
Linkages and other parts, I can fabricate most of. Just the steel to build the frame will likely be most of my cash outlay.

 

[ex_isp]

And yes, for grinding steel parts to shape for lathe tooling, the above mentioned belt grinder attachment would work very well.
I am so impressed with this device I'd make an open offer to anyone interested, and in the MESA area (or willing to travel to Mesa), to contact me and I'd be happy
to show it to you first hand. It's to me, the single most valuable tool I have, with the new to me mill, at a close second.

 

[mikey]

It's my understanding that metal turning tools are carbide mounted on/adhered to, tool steel. Am I misinterpreting this?

Yup, you are misunderstanding this. Most hobby class lathes are manual lathes, although some guys opt for CNC lathes with high speed spindles but they are the exception. Most manual lathes have a top speed of maybe 2800 rpm, max. Most carbide tooling is optimized to work at speeds well above that max. While those carbide tools will cut, they will not cut as well as they are capable of when used at low speeds. A better tool for these slower lathes is HSS or cobalt, and these are ground on bench grinders or belt sanders by the user.

Your Multitool will easily grind these HSS tools but when raised to a vertical position, the platen will be on the back side of the tool. Mounting a good tool rest might be a challenge. Of course, you could use the contact wheel with a tool rest - that might be interesting. In any case, this is premature because you don't have a lathe yet ... but you will someday. When that lathe appears, remember that I told you it was going to happen!

Oh, yeah, a power hammer would be sweet for you. I am not a knifemaker, just a knife user. However, I did have an interest in it at one time and had delusions about a forge, big anvil, power hammer, grinders and everything else that goes along with that endeavor. I never took the step but I appreciate the skill it takes to create a knife the way you do.

Here's hoping that your power hammer becomes a reality soon.

Mike

 

[ex_isp]

I normally grind freehand just because of the type of grinding I do. You are correct about the vertical position introducing an additional challenge.
I'm used to it because of the type of application I do, but I personally find even using the platen not to be a problem. Of course, many different belt grits/types are
available for the finish you desire. I'll be at a meeting this weekend where I might pose this exact question and have a definitive answer.

Until then...