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Ed Caffrey's Workshop Talk to Ed Caffrey ... The Montana Bladesmith! Tips, tricks and more from an ABS Mastersmith.

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  #1  
Old 02-25-2009, 02:05 AM
Rick Baum Rick Baum is offline
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7" drive wheel source for square wheel grinder

Hello all,

I recently aquired a square wheel grinder for a song and am interested in slowing it down with the 7" drive wheel that I've heard exists but am having trouble locating a source. I tried True Grit but their supplier quit them. I tried Wilton but they suggested True Grit ... Ugh! Short of paying the local machine shop to turn one for me does anyone know of a current supplier?

I can't wait to get 220 in the shop so I can hopefully get a lot more torque out of the one horse motor. The slightest pressure on the platen and the machine bogs way down. In the mean-time I'm adding a pyro-ceram platen cover hoping to keep things running a bit more efficiently. Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

Rick
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  #2  
Old 02-25-2009, 06:15 AM
Bob Hartman Bob Hartman is offline
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True Grit's web site still shows it available
http://www.trugrit.com/knife-wilton.htm
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  #3  
Old 02-25-2009, 07:49 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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I've not checked on them in a long time, but after looking, it appears that the major knife supply outfits no longer carry them. As Bob pointed out, Tru-Grit still lists them. If you can't find them there, you may have to find a chunk of aluminum and have one built by a machine shop.

Thats what I had to do, because when I got the idea, nobody carried them. I went to the local scrap yard, found a 2" thick aluminum plate, and had them cut me out an 8"x8" piece. I took the 10" drive wheel off the Square Wheel, and went to the machine shop. At that time it cost me just over $100 to have the new 7 1/4" wheel turned and balanced. Thats been a lot of years ago, so I have no idea what it would cost now. However, I think that ever if its double that, it worth it because of how well it tames down the machine.


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Old 02-25-2009, 02:31 PM
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Alan L Alan L is offline
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Have you checked with Rob Frink at Beaumont metalworks? Or Sunray? I know Sunray does mostly contact wheels and rubber-covered casters, but if they can make a wheel they can make a wheel, you know?
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Old 02-25-2009, 07:37 PM
combs6136 combs6136 is offline
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How about adding a pulley to the current wheel and use a belt to a small motor to drive it as slow as you want...Simple and works great.......I did it ......I got a deal on a square wheel as well.....But for finish work the slow speed really works.........I can take a picture and show you if you are interested...........It takes only a second to put the slow speed belt on.......I used an old washing machine motor.....Been working for 10 years....carl


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Old 02-25-2009, 08:09 PM
combs6136 combs6136 is offline
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slow down motor

I went to the shop and took a picture of the set up if you are interested...Email me and i can send a nice picture of it.......combs6136@yahoo.com.........ps.. i don't know how to post it here...................carl


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Old 02-26-2009, 02:09 PM
Rick Baum Rick Baum is offline
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Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the replies! I apologize for my late reply to all of you... been away from internet access for a few days.

After all of your replies about TrueGrit I decided to call them again just to be sure. it didn't make any sense that they would be discontinuing the wheel but still leave it on the website. Well... Just yesterday they decided to purchase some more 7" wheels. They have to purchase a minimum of 10 wheels now when they used to be able to order them singly. Apparently there is a pretty good demand for them. Since yesterday I am the 4th person to order one. Now I just have to wait a week or two and I should be rolling a little more in control. I just added the ceramic platen. Now to convert the wiring over to 220 (both in the shop and on the machine). Should be a pretty sweet setup once it's all done.

Ed... Did your grinder bog down with minimal pressure against the platen before you did all of the mods? I swear I could stop the belt altogether with about 2-5 lbs. of pressure if I wanted to. Will converting to 220 help with that a bunch? It seems like jumping to 220 and adding a smaller drive wheel will drastically help with overall torque.

Thanks All!
Rick
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Old 02-26-2009, 02:51 PM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Hi Rick!

Glad you found the pulley!

YES! The combination of the smaller drive pulley and changing to 220V will make it a totally different machine. When mine was at 110V with the 10" drive pulley it was just as you described.....a real dog. I first put the small drive pulley on, which helped the torque a bunch. About a year later I switched it to 220V, and it was a totally different machine! I'm grinding on forging hammers right now, and have been hogging on 2" square 4140 with a 50 grit belt, and can't bog it down. Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten how doggy of a machine it was at 110V with the 10 drive pulley.

Your gona love it once all the changes are made.


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Old 02-26-2009, 02:59 PM
Rick Baum Rick Baum is offline
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Thanks Ed! That's exactly what i wanted/needed to hear. I can't wait!

Rick
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  #10  
Old 02-27-2009, 11:53 AM
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jim poling jim poling is offline
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Hi Guys I have been using my Square Wheel since about 1989 and have always struggled with the extreme belt speed. After reading this thread I checked with Trugrit. While I was waiting for his call back I also checked with Shane at Sunray products and placed an order for a 7" by 2" aluminum drive wheel for about $60. Any one out there that has not yet ordered a wheel may want to check with them. I told Shane what I needed and that it was for and he quoted the wheel without The Urethane coating at about half the price. Hope this will help some else. Have a great day guys.

Jim

Last edited by jim poling; 02-27-2009 at 01:41 PM.
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  #11  
Old 02-27-2009, 04:32 PM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Hey Jim! Make sure that Sunray is going to balance that wheel for you!! If its not balanced and you install it, your grinder will vibrate itself right off the bench. I mention this because a couple of other folks have contacted me about finding a great deal on a drive pulley.....and only when they got it did they realize it wasn't balanced, and did not have the correct keyway cut int it.

Just make sure you cover your bases.


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Old 02-27-2009, 05:29 PM
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Thanks Ed, he did advise me that it was not balanced but said he has sold several units of varying sizes for this application and of them only one person complained. However if it presents a problem I can take it to the machine shop next door to where I work and have it trued out. I took the time to verify the bore size and keyway to get the proper size ordered. Shane was very upfront and honest. Thanks for the advice Ed.

Jim
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