Bench grinder into belt grinder?

[nutball]

let me precede this post by saying I am VERY VERY on-a-budget...
So I have a good quality bench grinder, I also stumbled across this handy looking device:



of course they want 200$ for it, So enter my genius Idea.
Take off one of my grinding wheels, and attach...this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_11211.jpg

Im guessing by removing the motor and some of the bits an pieces I should be able to make it work. any thoughts? has anyone done something like this before.

[Ed Caffrey]

I can understand being on a budget.....but that thing is not the answer. I say that because your expectations of what it can/will do are going to be much more than it's capable of. You'll spend the money on it, be disappointed in it, and will start seeking something "better". Things will go along those lines until you get totally frustrated through several different machines, then you will resign yourself to "save up" and purchase a good 2x72" grinder. May advice is to just start saving up now for one of the "top end" 2x72" grinders....you'll be money ahead, with a lot less stress and frustration.

[Ed Tipton]

Nutball....I agree with Ed Caffrey on this subject. We all understand what it means to work with limited finances, but given that limitation, it is even more critical that you spend your limited funds where it is going to do you the most good.
It's not that the item pictured will not work, but the 2x72 grinders are better suited to making knives and you have the added benefit that there are so many more belt grits available in the 2x72 format. With a little ingenuity and time you can make your own 2x72 grinder at a great savings if you just do a little legwork. Junkyards (scrapyards) frequently have exactly what you would need to build your own at greatly reduced prices ....plus....you have the added benefit of building your own grinder and can make exactly what you want rather than settle for something far less acceptable.
The unit pictured is something currently in your present budget, but the realization that it is inadequate will soon make it something other than a good deal.
The sense of urgency to get started making knives may make it seem like a good compromise, but the reality is that you will likely be greatly disappointed and frustrated when you realize it's shortcomings.
Look on you tube. There are many 2x72 grinders there that guys have made, and there are plenty of ideas to draw from for making your own grinder.

[Doug Lester]

There are worse options out there but I'm with the others. Chances are that if you got it you will soon be wishing that you had that $200 back to put into a 2X72" grinder. There may be some who will say that they weren't too unhappy when they started out one of those. Then they end up by saying that they eventually moved on to a grinder set up for knife making and that unit sits in the back of the shop and is used to sharpen tools, which it's probably what it was intended for.

Doug

[jdale]

I badly wanted a KMG but couldnt afford to shell out that kind of money. I found somone selling home made ones based off of the KMG layout on ebay, he has since started selling them on his own website.
I bought one for $650 it came with a 1hp leeson motor and a digital variable speed drive. All i needed to do was mount it to a base and i was good to go. Ive made about 20 knives on it already and the only modification i made was to get a ceramic platten. This is his site: http://www.2x72beltgrinder.com/Home.html
Im sure some of the big name sanders are superior, but for a total set up for less than half the cost of a bader(minus the motor) it i am very pleased with it

[Ed Caffrey]

It's all about "give-n-take" when it comes to knifemaking. You're always going to have to give up something somewhere, in gain something elsewhere. This holds true with machines/Grinders too. Personally, my opinion is that a grinder is the most important piece of equipment in the shop. Being overly frugal when it comes to that machine causes more grief than good.
I know we all have to work within our means, but the old saying of "You get what you pay for" is ultimately true when it comes to a grinder. In the end, YOU are the one who must decided if the trade-offs are worth the low price you pay.
There's simply no way around the fact that if you save and spend the money on a top of the line grinder, you're going to get a much better machine, capable of so much more than the cheaper ones, and you'll likely never need to purchase another one. Secondly, buying a top end grinder is just a wise investment....if you ever decide you want to sell it, chances are very good you'll get nearly what you paid for it....not gona happen if you go cheap to begin with.

[EdStreet]

Lemme point out a few things that is obvious here. Namely that is a jet and they have some very good quality to them.

a) that is way over priced.
b) it wont do the job you need.
c) there are other, cheaper alternatives that will give you good results and while it may not be the overpriced 2x72's out there it will provide many advantages over any 2x out there.

4x36 allows for non-knife making wood working, larger objects well lets just say a 2x72 belt grinder falls grossly short in that arena. You can get models like this at harbor freight and sears for bit shy of $100

6x48 is about the same as the above but larger. Also these have flat disc wheels on the side. Harbor freight list this one for $200 with stand.

[sway]

I too, will agree with Ed and Doug, I started with a cheap Grizzly 1x48" and found it to be very
frustrating to make a decent knife with it. So after countless hours searching the internet and this forum, I came to the conclusion to build my own, thanks to http://usaknifemaker.com.
I purchased the plans for $25 bucks and slowly acquired, through buying ,stealing(just kidding) and horse trading. I finally got a really good knife grinding machine. Good luck.

[AUBE]

Perhaps I'm reading his post wrong but to me it seems like he doesn't plan to use the Jet, he just got the idea from the Jet. He plans to hook a Harbor Freight sander (2nd link.... 1x30"?) to a bench grinder motor. Which would give you more power but seems like a pain in the butt for what you end up with.

If you can't afford a top end grinder perhaps look into making your own. If you scrounge you can make them pretty cheap, you may even be able to use your bench grinder motor if its decent hp.

[andrewj1398]

Originally Posted by sway

I too, will agree with Ed and Doug, I started with a cheap Grizzly 1x48" and found it to be very
frustrating to make a decent knife with it. So after countless hours searching the internet and this forum, I came to the conclusion to build my own, thanks to http://usaknifemaker.com.
I purchased the plans for $25 bucks and slowly acquired, through buying ,stealing(just kidding) and horse trading. I finally got a really good knife grinding machine. Good luck.

How much did you no weld grinder cost in material to make?

[huzmkl]

Originally Posted by andrewj1398

How much did you no weld grinder cost in material to make?

Does anyone wonder the answer to this question in 2022?

[M&J]

Are you considering building one?

[Aleena]

Hi Everyone
Converting a bench grinder into a belt grinder can be a cost-effective way to expand your workshop capabilities. With some modifications and the addition of a belt, you can use your bench grinder for a w##er range of tasks, including grinding, sanding, and shaping various materials. However, it's important to follow proper safety precautions and ensure the conversion is done correctly to avo## any potential hazards.