160-650$ knife-making belt grinders

[ching0n]

I'm seeing a number of belt grinders that look tempting. I was considering the 1x30" from HF for 60$ but these variable speed models aren't that much more than I'd spend if I wanted to convert one to variable speed. The larger ones do seem like a good deal as well, thoughts?:

1x30" 170$ var speed, swivels horizontal, flat platten and big wheel:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807364472341.html

2x36" 200$ var speed, flat platten, swivels horizontal, no big wheel, controller not pictured but reviews seem to show it there??

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804559176436.html

2x47" 328$ var speed, flat platten, swivels horizontal, no big wheel (vendor also has 2x36 like above but with better design for clearance of swivel and arm handles):

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805762009522.html

2x42" 396$ var speed, flat platten, swivels horizontal, no big wheel:

Grizzly T32459 - 2" x 42" Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder - Grizzly Industrial, Inc.

<h1>T32459 Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder</h1> <h2>Shape and sharpen your custom knife blades with ease.</h2> <p><i>Recognized as one of the Best New Power Tools of 2024 on bobvila.com!</i></p> <p>Do you have a 110-volt receptacle and want horizontal and vertical grinding? With this machine...

www.grizzly.com

2x82" 550-625$ (can take 72" w/small mod) fixed speed, no horizontal swivel, flat platten, 12" big wheel:

Robot or human?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803205623471.html

2x82" 687$ (can take 72" w/small mod) var speed, flat platten, no horizontal swivel, 12" big wheel:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807099746297.html

 

[ching0n]

pulled trigger on small one. Should fit my needs based on youtube reviews and I may want to tackle building my own if going bigger.

 

[wxm]

Very nice. Can you share the foot print? Real estate is very tight at my garage.

 

[ching0n]

Very nice. Can you share the foot print? Real estate is very tight at my garage.

for the small one I bought? it's tiny, about as big as a bench grinder. Not here yet, just based off videos I've seen:



the 72"


82"

grizzly:

• Overall dimensions: 15-1/2" W x 19" D x 18" H (expect med size ones from aliexpress to be around this size)

 

[ching0n]

this design looks incredible. Small footprint, small, medium, big wheel, and platten, all w/o replacing accessories, horizontal swivel, 180's on a lazy susan to access either side, table mountable on either side (spendy though and looks like they only have oddball belt size left (55")):

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804668580460.html

 

[catalytic]

^^ I own a lot of burr king and similar belt grinders. Personally, I am very nervous at designs where things are very adjustable without positive locks that I can trust not to move when my fingers are near belts and wheels.
If you get one of these things do your fingers a favor and drill a hole for a taper pin or cotter pin to lock it in the spots you want.
The other thing to know is that you want a motor that is very, very durable (metal dust, stress, heat...). Not sure about these.
Otherwise, the design looks nice.

 

[ching0n]

^^ I own a lot of burr king and similar belt grinders. Personally, I am very nervous at designs where things are very adjustable without positive locks that I can trust not to move when my fingers are near belts and wheels.
If you get one of these things do your fingers a favor and drill a hole for a taper pin or cotter pin to lock it in the spots you want.
The other thing to know is that you want a motor that is very, very durable (metal dust, stress, heat...). Not sure about these.
Otherwise, the design looks nice.

As far as I can tell, these motors seem to be the industrial sewing machine brushless servos that are being retrofit into all kinds of machinery. It looks like the Grizzly went on sale as low as $269 at some point and from reading the reviews they may have had a lemon batch concerning proper grounding. At 269$, that would've been a no brainer, I can only find the servo/controller for 200$ alone.

I went and cancelled the vevor because they ran out and ordered the blue one w/o the big wheel attachment. They look very similar to the grizzly in construction plus there's a 20$ discount right now. 200$ shipped w/taxes/discount from ali, seller confirmed controller was included despite not being pictured. We'll see how it works out. It looks like China's redoing all these in stainless steel now so maybe they're phasing out the painted ones.

 

[nerraw117]

got a link to the one you ordered?

 

[ching0n]

got a link to the one you ordered?

It was the 2nd link in my OP. Make sure to select the right voltage and when entering coupon (USBF20 in my case), press space after (in checkout):

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804559176436.html

Seller also has a slightly tweaked model for more (+90$) w/knobs relocated and tilt knobs installed, making that procedure tool-less. This model doesn't have an air spring though:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805978086832.html

Lastly, I came across these two other models which appear to use the same controller as the Grizzly but use a smaller belt than the ones above 1 & 1.5" x30 so are closer to the vevor w/a more powerful motor. While this motor/controller combo looks a lot more professional, I'm a bit hesitant on them until I understand the solution the grizzlies had and would stick w/the sewing machine setups of the above.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807374005692.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800328263379.html

 

[ching0n]

got a link to the one you ordered?

Looks like grizzly is on sale now. I hear ppl. having issues w/earlier units but grizzly support always had their backs:

Grizzly T32459 - 2" x 42" Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder - Grizzly Industrial, Inc.

<h1>T32459 Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder</h1> <h2>Shape and sharpen your custom knife blades with ease.</h2> <p><i>Recognized as one of the Best New Power Tools of 2024 on bobvila.com!</i></p> <p>Do you have a 110-volt receptacle and want horizontal and vertical grinding? With this machine...

www.grizzly.com

edit: looks like Q & A confirms some updates to machines:

Grizzly T32459 - 2" x 42" Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder - Grizzly Industrial, Inc.

<h1>T32459 Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder</h1> <h2>Shape and sharpen your custom knife blades with ease.</h2> <p><i>Recognized as one of the Best New Power Tools of 2024 on bobvila.com!</i></p> <p>Do you have a 110-volt receptacle and want horizontal and vertical grinding? With this machine...

www.grizzly.com

 

[wire]

Looks like grizzly is on sale now. I hear ppl. having issues w/earlier units but grizzly support always had their backs:

Grizzly T32459 - 2" x 42" Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder - Grizzly Industrial, Inc.

<h1>T32459 Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder</h1> <h2>Shape and sharpen your custom knife blades with ease.</h2> <p><i>Recognized as one of the Best New Power Tools of 2024 on bobvila.com!</i></p> <p>Do you have a 110-volt receptacle and want horizontal and vertical grinding? With this machine...

www.grizzly.com

edit: looks like Q & A confirms some updates to machines:

Grizzly T32459 - 2" x 42" Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder - Grizzly Industrial, Inc.

<h1>T32459 Knife-Making Belt Sander/Grinder</h1> <h2>Shape and sharpen your custom knife blades with ease.</h2> <p><i>Recognized as one of the Best New Power Tools of 2024 on bobvila.com!</i></p> <p>Do you have a 110-volt receptacle and want horizontal and vertical grinding? With this machine...

www.grizzly.com

It was on sale for $269 in August, just sayin'

 

[ching0n]

It was on sale for $269 in August, just sayin'

no free shipping then so it came out the same.

 

[ching0n]

It was the 2nd link in my OP. Make sure to select the right voltage and when entering coupon (USBF20 in my case), press space after (in checkout):

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804559176436.html

Seller also has a slightly tweaked model for more (+90$) w/knobs relocated and tilt knobs installed, making that procedure tool-less. This model doesn't have an air spring though:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805978086832.html

Lastly, I came across these two other models which appear to use the same controller as the Grizzly but use a smaller belt than the ones above 1 & 1.5" x30 so are closer to the vevor w/a more powerful motor. While this motor/controller combo looks a lot more professional, I'm a bit hesitant on them until I understand the solution the grizzlies had and would stick w/the sewing machine setups of the above.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807374005692.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800328263379.html

This just came in. First impressions is this thing is a beast, excellently packed. Looks stouter & stiffer than the grizzly w/thicker 10mm/3/8" steel construction throughout. Tracking is seamless and air spring tension is fairly high.

Negatives so far: controller came w/a Euro plug and a travel adapter to work w/NA outlet. Controller has no mount but decent chassis w/threaded holes for mounting. I ordered the 36" model since I think the 48" just has a longer mounting bar which I can fab myself.

The vevor was also shipped despite seller saying they were out and I think it's very well built as well so decided to keep it. This one came w a broken knob despite being well packed. Item is heavy so any drop will shift weight. Vevor shipped two replacement knobs.

So far happy w/both but can't speak to the durability or long term support.

 

[tarbellb]

Thanks for researching and posting.

Post more pics of the machines once you're set up, looks like a good deal.

 

[ching0n]

Thanks for researching and posting.

Post more pics of the machines once you're set up, looks like a good deal.

It's been cold & have had other priorities. I gave the 1x30" a run today and dressed two mini sledge hammers (4 faces). I think the belt may be a finer grit now but the machine ran w/o a hiccup. It's a tad above freezing outside so motor didn't even get luke warm running 1hr+ continuous (I rounded 2 faces and I'm new at this). Having a contact wheel + a slack belt + clearance around the abrasive is a game changer

"cattus maximus" did a review and recommended some hardware upgrades & QC problem areas that I may address later.

 

[ching0n]

Thanks for researching and posting.

Post more pics of the machines once you're set up, looks like a good deal

I've been playing w/the blue one now and have been satisfied with it. I think I've gone through 2-3 zirconia belts made out of splitting 4x36 HF clearance specials. I made a controller mount out of an old office chair back rest, used the grinder to shorten a few bolts and "square up" some bad cuts. I mounted the controller upside down because this puts the cables coming down the bottom which makes it easy to tie down to the controller bar. It might be possible to flip the controller's display internally but it seemed more trouble than it was worth. I can also mount it the right way up but then the cables come out the top and curve downwards.

I also made two arms to fit a 48" belt. Here I'm prepping to tack a new table onto the 3/4" bar. This was fairly simple task, one's a 3/4" bar, the other is some oddball metric that I "pieced together" by welding a 1/8 strip onto rectangular stock to shim to size. I used the grinder to get the fit right. I didn't bother to look for the correct metric bar so it might've been easier to do that.

The platen brackets were slightly out of square and are a bit too long for the 2" platen. I imagine they make a 2.5 or 3" version of this thing and use a common part. I can cut to fit to clear but I may just remake it out of angle and save these if I ever want to try a wider belt. I'm also debating chopping the support on my new work rest to make belt changes easier but I may just push the platen back instead and keep the support.



Office chair back rests make great controller supports & come pre-drilled! I should've welded this one but the countersunk holes were already there.



These were slightly out of square and too long for the 2" platen. That means the grind wasn't square width wise. I doubt this is done intentionally and meant to be corrected by shimming, I just bent them back to square.



Being too long means grinding undercuts can be a hassle. I could cut them flush but I'll be remaking them out of one piece angle instead to save them.



I think the next upgrade will be:

1. a glass platen to save the steel part.
2. I may magnetize the new work rest to swap out work rests for different tasks.
3. I think I also need to install a carry handle behind the controller bar or upsize the current tensioner handle which I'm using as carry handle. This machine is getting heavy, It really is pro-grade minus a few oversights (they didn't include washers or longer bolts in a few key areas that are commonly tightened/loosened for instance).
4. Also need to change the plug so I don't use the stupid travel adapter