Kalamazoo 1x42 Inch Grinder

[alexkuzn]

Is Kalamazoo 1SM 1 x 42 Inch Grinder good only for finishing jobs?
I am shopping for a grinder for finishing kits from KnifeKits.com for now but I'd like
to have a grinder also good enough for grinding blades (in case I decide to go into more serious knife making)

Any advise?

[Drac]

I have a Grizzly version of the same grinder and yes it will be usable for blades. Now here come the buts. It runs Very fast for a knife making grinder. You build up a lot of heat quickly. You will also go thru a lot of belts as they're smaller than the 2x72 and because of the speed. They also don't have the range of belt selection that the bigger grinders have.

I have a KMG that I got about 6 months after I got the 1x42. It's great. If you go thru a search on grinders you'll find a lot more info. One common recommendation is to save a few more dollars and ether buy a 2x72 (example Grizzly?s runs about $300-$400) or there are several examples of very nice ones made by other people.

Jim

[Ray Rogers]

Like Drac, I'd recommend the Grizzly 2x72 if you could afford it but the last I heard they were on indefinite backorder (check with Grizzly to see if that has changed). The Coote is an alternative but quite a bit more expensive.

I have a Grizzly 1x42 G1013 and, again, as Drac said they are too fast. However, I stripped off all the metal cowling and the 9" disk (don't like disks) and then changed to pulleys which reduced the speed considerably. If you decide to get into knife making more heavily later and buy a 2x72 the 1x42 will still be useful in your shop .......

[Julie Coffey]

I just went to the Grizzly site and am wondering if they have more then one 72"?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item...emnumber=G1015

If it is the same one (with spindle sander) they are listing it as being on sale currently. That would lead me to believe they have them back in stock- could be good news?

Julie

[chrisinbeav]

If memory serves my correctly, Grizzly does have a couple different styles of the 2X72...

Here's something else to think about, a 1x42, when using this narrow of a belt it is exceedingly difficult to get clean straight grinds. There just isn't enough grinding surface area to keep the grinds nice and flat and uniform.

For me I have found one advantage over the bigger ones. I find it easier to profile blades using a 1 inch wide belt. It's easier for them to conform to curves. They do make "J-Flex" belts in the wide widths, I just haven't tried them to know how they perform.

Drac had mentioned that it is possible to build your own grinder... I'm one of those cheap skates that can't pay the $ for a nice one. So I built my own...

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=28377

This takes you to a semi-tutorial on my grinder.

Chris Nilluka

[Drac]

Chris, not calling you a cheap skate, I'm just not very good at building machinery .

I use the J-flex in both the 2" and 1". For broad, gentle curves, the 2" works well giving a smooth arc. For finger notches, it's the 1" or the small wheel attachment.

The Grizzly does run fast for a 2x72 but it can be slowed down I think. I will sing the praises of a KMG. Designed for knife makers, with the input of knife makers. It has a great design, easy expansion and a mid-range price for the base model.

Jim

[Ray Rogers]

I believe that Grizzly only has one model of 2x72 grinder. It is listed as on sale right now but according to another recent thread the grinder really isn't available. I suspect that something happened overseas where the grinder is made and Grizzly is temporarily unable to get them. Problem is, sales fliers are laid out far in advance of the sale and still list the grinder.

No doubt about it, the KMG is a much better grinder but even the minimum unit is near twice the Griz price. The Coote is cheaper than the KMG but not by much. I would certainly prefer to have the KMG....

[Julie Coffey]

Chris I followed your links and read you were considering converting a 42" to a 72". Did you try that? how did it turn out. Just curious.

Julie

[chrisinbeav]

Originally Posted by Julie Coffey

Chris I followed your links and read you were considering converting a 42" to a 72". Did you try that? how did it turn out. Just curious.

Julie

Julie,

Actually I never tried it... Once I got my 2x72 built I haven't really even thought about it.

Chris Nilluka

[gb6491]

Originally Posted by Julie Coffey

Chris I followed your links and read you were considering converting a 42" to a 72". Did you try that? how did it turn out. Just curious.

Julie

Julie,

A 42" to 72" coversion was started by a member of these forums. The link is here: http://knifenetwork.com/forum/showth...ight=craftsman
The photos don't show up for me, but they are in an album here: http://groups.msn.com/HomeorshopmadeGrinders

Here might be another way to do it: http://tinypic.com/5cya6f

Regards,
Greg