Plans for 2"x72" Knife Grinder/Sander No welding required

[Andrew Garrett]

I thought I'd share my solution to the need for a safety 'shelf' at the base os the pyro-glass platen liner.

In keeping with the 'no weld' theme, I used a tap and screws I bought for handle fittings. I slathered in some epoxy just to feel good about it. That glass is going NOWHERE!

Thanks to Steve Pryor for the glass.

[george]

I would like to get hhold of the company that sells the plans for the grinder but my e-mails don't go through.I need some help with an adress for them thanks. george

[tmickley]

Here I am George. I'll send you a PM

[Andrew Garrett]

Tonight was the first chance I've had to really work my new grinder beyond the test phase.

I love this thing! It performs equally as good as my 2x48 Multitool II where tracking is performed and the Multitool is a darn good machine and does not get enough credit. That is to say that it tracks as perfectly as anything I've ever worked on, and I could not imagine better.

My two horse motor runs smooth and quiet and shows only the slightest bogging when suporting all my body wieght while I lean into the hogging work. The tracking doesn't budge while I do this.

But the real story tonight is my new Sunray polyurethane contact wheel. Tracy turned me on to this company and boy am I glad. I priced a 14" wheel first, which had to be custom made, as Sunray doesn't normally make wheels this size. The savings was minimal, so I ordered my big wheel from Beaumont just to be safe.

However, I did order an 8" wheel from Sunray, which is a common size for which they make a lot of wheels. The wheel is still custom as I got to select my durometer (70A just like most rubber contact wheels) and my core material (billet aluminum) and my hole size (1/2" with berrings installed) and my polyurethane color (black). I also specified that the corners should be sharp, not in the least bit rounded.

A rubber wheel would have cost me $260 or so. This one cost about $78.

As I said, I was leaning into my work tonight as I ground six blanks from bar stock. I used a Norton 60g hogger and a variety of steels (1095, Walker damascus, CPM 154, and 154CM). At no time did the polyurethane get hot or soft (my biggest fear). In fact, it performed exactly as my rubber 8" wheel on my Multitool II.

Sunray told me over the phone that they have been getting a lot of orders for wheels to be used as contact wheels. They know how much contact wheels normally cost. Don't be surprised if the prices go up! I HIGHLY recomend these wheels if you want top flight performance for a fraction of the cost. I know Tracy sells a few on his site.

Note that the second pic is of the wheel after grinding the six blanks. Almost two solid hours of hard grinding.

[tmickley]

I hire my 14 year old son Connor to work with me in the shop a couple hours every Saturday and Sunday. He gets to earn a few bucks and learn a few skills and I get some help and quality time in with him. We've been building his own No Weld Grinder and finished it off this weekend with a nice coat of paint. He named it "The Green Machine".
He did most of the building on the grinder with me looking over his shoulder. I built the stand with the tool holder. The stand is welded and isn't in the spirit of the No Weld Grinder -- since it's welded but it could just as easily have been bolted together using the same techniques as building the grinder.

[rhrocker]

Great job!! Better check that drive wheel, I think it's loose, only 1/2 or it is being used.
Connor, your dad should be paying you about $18 per hour )

[Andrew Garrett]

A thing of beauty...

I see abunch of Sunray wheels, don't I?

Is that a 2.5" contact wheel serving as a contact wheel? How's that workin' out?

[Don Robinson]

Tracy, give your son congrats for me. And, I really like the stand you built. But how can you use it with wheels on it? Push it up against the wall?

[tmickley]

Robert: good catch on the drive wheel. I had removed it for painting and hadn't put it back on all the way for the picture. I'll talk to boy about your proposed rate of pay, typically, I don't think management is going to go for it.

Andrew: the 2.5" tracking wheel is a sunray i had made to try out. it has a steel core and slips a bit when starting up but after that it works fine.

Don: those were the only wheels i had laying around the shop. they roll easier than I had anticipated. i thought the weight of the whole thing would be enough to keep it in place in use. it isn't and i will have to switch out 2 of them for locking wheels. i have to build another identical stand for my grinder so i'm not out anything.

[tmickley]

shows the tool bars for the No Weld Grinder...and good for a couple laughs to boot...

[Don Robinson]

Nice job, Tracy!