ssdave
Banned
I've been contemplating a belt grinder for some time. Actually, I have a Walker-Turner 6x42 running zirconium, and a 1x42 cheapie delta. But, would like a serious 2x72, set up for metal speeds instead of woodworking. Primary use will be gunsmithing, maybe some bladesmaking, and general shop fab incidental use. I picked up a suitable 3 phase 1 1/2 hp motor and a good (not cheap chinese) VFD for it last week. So, now decision time, to buy what?
I'd made a decision a long time ago I don't want to make my own. I had a whole shop worth of Belsaw equipment I bought at salvage, and some of the castings and bases would have been very adaptable to a belt grinder. But, I decided not and passed the equipment on instead.
Although I will put a motor and base on one if that makes sense. Thus bought the motor/vfd when I got it reasonable.
Had done some research, and though I'd get a Coote. A lot of respect for it among knife makers, and low price. Not as low as some on ebay, but better made. The more I look at it, though, the less versatile it is. More susceptible to chatter/vibration due to 2 wheel arrangement. No way to change grinding wheel diameter, or use small diameter attachment. A person would have to make their own rests, and making a decent base and motor mount would be a fair amount of work.
A while back, I thought I'd get a Burr King or Kalamazoo. But, real lack of versatility there, and more for industrial deburring than blade making and gunsmithing. Plus, they're expensive.
Started looking at 3 and 4 wheel grinders, because of versatility. Bader looks good, but fairly expensive, particularly as you add attachments. Several other of the knifemaking ones similarly expensive such as originblademaker and Beaumont.
I guess I'm just being cheap here. I'd like a heavy duty, sturdy, versatile unit but don't want to pay $2500. There just seems to be a void between the $500 and the $2500 units.
Now, I see why almost everybody is making their own instead of buying.
I'd made a decision a long time ago I don't want to make my own. I had a whole shop worth of Belsaw equipment I bought at salvage, and some of the castings and bases would have been very adaptable to a belt grinder. But, I decided not and passed the equipment on instead.
Although I will put a motor and base on one if that makes sense. Thus bought the motor/vfd when I got it reasonable.
Had done some research, and though I'd get a Coote. A lot of respect for it among knife makers, and low price. Not as low as some on ebay, but better made. The more I look at it, though, the less versatile it is. More susceptible to chatter/vibration due to 2 wheel arrangement. No way to change grinding wheel diameter, or use small diameter attachment. A person would have to make their own rests, and making a decent base and motor mount would be a fair amount of work.
A while back, I thought I'd get a Burr King or Kalamazoo. But, real lack of versatility there, and more for industrial deburring than blade making and gunsmithing. Plus, they're expensive.
Started looking at 3 and 4 wheel grinders, because of versatility. Bader looks good, but fairly expensive, particularly as you add attachments. Several other of the knifemaking ones similarly expensive such as originblademaker and Beaumont.
I guess I'm just being cheap here. I'd like a heavy duty, sturdy, versatile unit but don't want to pay $2500. There just seems to be a void between the $500 and the $2500 units.
Now, I see why almost everybody is making their own instead of buying.