Any one have a recomendation for a grinder?I've only got about $500 to spend.I've looked at the Coote $385 and the Pro Cut 2 $499( from Koval knifes )Both are similar in design.Neither comes with a motor and both are limited to one size contact wheel.The grinder that Robert Frink is selling looks real nice and versital,but is $680 without a motor.Any other suggestions would be helpful. thanks

Stan two things come to mind here.First;get registered bud!!You are welcome to visit and stay.:)

Second;Email me at HANDMADEKNIVES@AOL.COM

Stan
Try R.W.Wilson He make's a 3 wheel It is a heavy duty. It cost around 800.00 plus shipping.
Troy

Stan,

Have a look at the Grizzly Knifemakers grinder at www.grizzlyindustrial.com

It's only a 2 wheel but you can use an 8

STAN, GIVE THESE PEOPLE A CALL, I THINK IT ANSWERS YOUR NEEDS FOR AROUND 550.00. COMES WITH 1 HORSE MOTOR, 3450 RPM, 3 INCH DRIVE WHEEL, AND ADJ. MOTOR BASE. IF YOU PREFER, WITHOUT MOTOR FOR 400.00. IT COMES WITH ONLY A SQUARE NOSE ATTACHMENT AND TH S/H IS XTRA. TELL THEM KEN, FROM WACO, SENT YOU.
LOG CABIN FORGE
STAN PARSONS
517-631-3952/ SHOP
517-631-5744/ HOME

I do believe that you can get a 10in wheel for the Grizly 2x72

Stan, First grinder I purchased was the Coote's, I was in the same money situation you are in. Its a good grinder for the price. The time I bought mine it came with either 6",8", or a 10" contact wheel. I think all of them come with the flat grinding attachment. You can step pully it to change speeds. For the amount of money you can spend its the most bang for the buck. As for the motor I wouldn't go for anything under a horse and a half and go with the 1700RPM. 3400RPM is way to fast. Ray

Thanks for all the input everyone.I was out of town over the week end and was suprised to find 2 motors sitting on my back porch when I got home.One is a 2hp 3450 rpm,the other is a 5hp 3500 rpm monster,but after reading the previous post they may be a bit fast.

Get them set-down pulleys and go after it Stan!ounds like the motor fairy (sp) was busy.:-)

Stan, try stepping down the 3400. You'll be able to get down to the fastest speed you want to grind with but to slow it down more I'm thinking the wheel will be so big that its in the way. On the Coots grinder the step down wheel is in line with the contact wheel. Ray

Thanks again everyone,I've been looking at step pulleys to set this up with 3 or 4 speeds.What range of speeds should I try to acheive

Stan ,
I know that there are different recommendations for different size buffing wheels but not sure if it also applies to grinding wheels.

As far as speed for grinding wheels!I have read contradicting post as far as speed vs. belt life.It seems to me that if you got below 1750 too much the belts would tend to pull your work using coarse belts.

Just thinking out loud,hope it does not add confusion.

Stan, I'm really not sure about speed rpm wise but in order to step the 3400 down you go from small wheel on the motor to larger on the grinder. There's so mathmatics involved their and my peanut is in the off position. I think I'd try to get the speed down to not quite half of the 3400. That should do you for most of your grinding. The finer grit belt the slower you want to go. I guy was trying to sell me a 3400 motor at the last knife show I was at. The guy next to me said you can take the motor into a shop and they can change the speed on them. I'm not sure, but wouldn't hurt to give them a call and find out. The motors that showed up on your back porch are single phase I hope. Ray

Guys,

Here is an URL for calculating Surface Feet/Minute. Just for reference, the single speed Wilton runs at 4600
SFM. I usually hog at about 3600 SFM and finish grind at about 1800 SFM.

www.carycorporation.com/d...calculator (http://www.carycorporation.com/databk/calculator)

Brett

I use the grizzly grinder but couldn't do the hollow grinds that I wanted to so I replaced the platten with an idler making it into a three wheel grinder. I have been very satisfied with the change and can return it to the original configuration in 2-3 minutes when I want to flat grind.

Hey, Gary, would mind sharing with us how you set up your third wheel? Thanks!

TMARSHMAN,

The third wheel conversion was not too difficult. I purchased a 14" idler wheel w/bearing and axle from Texas Knife Supply. To mount it I center bored a three inch piece of 2" round stock which I drilled & tapped two holes for set screws. This was welded to a piece of 1/4" x 2" in which I drilled two holes to match the slots on the factory mounting plate for the platen. By reversing this mounting plate (after removing the platen) I am able to simply bolt the new idler in place. The factory slots in the mounting hardware allow me to align the new idler with the drive wheel. Though this is a new conversion, I have ground around 30 blades with it and am very satisfied so far.

Though I have made knives as a hobby for thirty years, I am fairly new to the profession (I quit my job a year ago to be a full time maker). So I must equip my shop as inexpensively as possible until what time that my income from the business allows me to purchase whatever tools I want reguardless of price. Anyway, often a customized tool fits ones needs better than the best commercial one on the market.

If my description wasn't sufficient enough or hard to follow, please let me know and I will be glad to try expound. I always love to talk shop with another maker.

Gary

The easy way to change the speed to one half of the RPM is to use a machine drive pulley or sheave half the diameter of the sheave attached to the grinder, i.e., motor pulley at 1.75 inches, machine pulley at 3.50 inches.

Make sure you have the correct pulley/drive belt configuration. Grainger's can, should they deign to, furnish what you need to do the job.

Leon Jester
Roanoke, VA. USA