Help me decide on a 1" x 42" belt grinder

Note the 2x72s don't have to be fixed location. I mounted mine to a little cart that I wheel off to the side when I'm not using it. I also have a shelf under it I use to store tooling etc.. I need to make a belt holder for it, keep everything together. The cart I got locally from someone that seemed to have picked it up from the local school system as surplus. It's a nice metal cart that's built like a tank. I could probably put my lathe on it without damaging it. The motor alone weighs 50lbs, so I really wanted the wheels. :)

The belt wheels and steel were about $200. Motor and VFD drove the price up on me, I was planning to use a treadmill motor I got for free. But I think it was worth it. Another $150ish for those. There's nothing wrong with the nicer small units, if they have the power needed, but when for a similar price I could build a 2x72, it was a no brainer. Even cobalt bits get chewed up fast on it. Whatever gets the job done though. Not everyone wants to build them, and the prices for the custom 2x72s are a bit nuts.
 
Regardless of which grinder you end up with, if your goal is to use it as a lathe tool grinder as part of its duties then you need to pay attention to these things:
  • The platen has to be independent of the sander chassis so you can add on a Pyroceram platen liner. I consider this to be the single most important thing you can do on a belt sander because it greatly limits wear. You cannot grind anything flat if the platen itself is not flat and the glass liner stays flat for a very, very long time.
  • You must have unobstructed access to the right side of the platen so you can grind the critical rake angles. Many grinders have some kind of obstruction on the right side so if the one you get is like this then you need to modify it to provide access.
  • You really need a good tool rest that will not move in use. Ideally, it should index to precise angles and be movable quickly. If possible, it is best to be able to change belts without moving the table but this isn't always possible. Regardless, make a good tool rest; it is almost as important as the glass platen liner.
I think building a 2X72 belt sander is the way to go. However, not everyone has the space, money or need for such a beast so a smaller one will work provided you handle the concerns above. Good luck with your search, Ken. This tool is an important one in my opinion.
 
mikey said:
  • The platen has to be independent of the sander chassis so you can add on a Pyroceram platen liner. I consider this to be the single most important thing you can do on a belt sander because it greatly limits wear. You cannot grind anything flat if the platen itself is not flat and the glass liner stays flat for a very, very long time.

  • You must have unobstructed access to the right side of the platen so you can grind the critical rake angles. Many grinders have some kind of obstruction on the right side so if the one you get is like this then you need to modify it to provide access.

  • You really need a good tool rest that will not move in use. Ideally, it should index to precise angles and be movable quickly. If possible, it is best to be able to change belts without moving the table but this isn't always possible. Regardless, make a good tool rest; it is almost as important as the glass platen liner.
Click to expand...
What do you think of the 3/4 HP Jet,Mike? it looks like it meet all the 3 point that are critical for tool grinding although I'm not buying it specifically for that purpose but it is on my mind to eventually grind my own tools.
I'm not sure if the platen can be modified but it has an unobstructed access to the right,and a beefier tool rest is easy to make :
jet-577004-lg.jpg
 
I own about 6 different belt Sanders my first was from Foley tool sharpening co. It's a 1" x 44" belt , the 42" work well on it. It's belt drive don't remember the HP . It's never stopped in use unless a belt breaks . I have a small delta 1 x 30" it was a inherited from my step father. It's been used ALOT by him and me because it's portable. But for my money I'd get the jet if I only wanted one new one. Lots of copies but jet seems to be getting the best ones.
 
Whoever designed that 1"x 30" sander probably never thought it would be such a success ,it has been around for years and it is so portable and easy to adjust and most of all ,it is cheap,I paid $50 for mine 10 years ago and still see them for under $100 bucks.
 
Ken from ontario said:
What do you think of the 3/4 HP Jet,Mike? it looks like it meet all the 3 point that are critical for tool grinding although I'm not buying it specifically for that purpose but it is on my mind to eventually grind my own tools.
I'm not sure if the platen can be modified but it has an unobstructed access to the right,and a beefier tool rest is easy to make :
Click to expand...

I think it looks like a good sander. The only concern for me is the platen being anchored on the bottom. It is a hefty platen but it still needs to be gusseted to prevent any movement. @Aukai did this on his and added a Pyroceram liner and it looks like a really good mod. Maybe PM him and ask him what he thinks.
 
I have a 2x72 3 wheel from oregon blademakers which I have used over a year now. 1/4" steel ,no flex, good bearings,sturdy rest and vibration free. Price is close to your budget .Footprint is small. Made for knifemakers who need the quality.
I kick myself for not buying a belt grinder 5 years ago!:distrust:
https://originblademaker.com/

Screen Shot 06-08-18 at 02.02 PM.PNG
 
Bruce, you're the 3rd person who likes this sander, I just read the story of how you bought and what a great deal it was , you also mentioned you like the 1/3 horsepower ,I thought 1/3 HP would be too weak for a metal grinder but it's good to know you can't stall the motor that easily.
 
Pacifica,That 2" x 72" grinder looks well built, 1.5 HP motor is the size I would choose if I ever wanted to build one from scratch, the price is one of the lowest I have seen but as you can guess it'll be more than double by the time I get it .
Thanks for the link,
 
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