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Tool Time Let's talk shop. Equipment, Tips & Tricks, Safety issues - Post it here.

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  #1  
Old 11-20-2012, 01:17 PM
irondun irondun is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
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two wheel grinders

Hello-
I'm ready to move to a 2x72 grinder and have found a wealth of information and opinions in the old posts. The only grinder I've used is a 1x42. I'm curious as to why several people strongly dislike two wheel grinders. What are the inherent problems in the machines?
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Old 11-20-2012, 04:32 PM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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Irondun...For me, the biggest complaint against two wheel grinders is the lack of versatility. Another problem is that there are not enough grits readily available for grinders in the two wheel size...usually something other than 2 x 72.
I am luckier than many, I have a two wheel Grizzley and two other very nice and very versatile three wheel grinders that I made. I borrowed many of the ideas from the pictures on the internet....mostly KMG grinders.
My advice is to use the grinder you have for awhile until you figure out what features you want...as well as what you do not want in a grinder.
Consider making your own grinder. Designing and making your own grinder is in my opinion the way to go since it is going to be much cheaper, and you can incorporate your own ideas into the design.
Your grinder is going to be your biggest asset in knifemaking, and it is NOT the place to skimp, but I would wait until you are confident that you know exactly what you want, and use that time to save your cash for that great day.
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Old 11-20-2012, 05:57 PM
irondun irondun is offline
 
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Hello, Ed-
Thanks for your reply. I was thinking about a Grizzly( price is so attractive), but I do like the layout and adaptibility of the KMG. I sent for the NWG plans but it's not clear to me how much savings are possible. I was mostly curious if the faults of the Grizzly and K'zoo are due to cheapness or basic engineering.
Ken
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Old 11-20-2012, 10:34 PM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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Irondun...I do not consider that either the Grizzley or the Kzoo are cheaply built. The main thing is that for about the same money, you can build yourself a KMG clone, and have much more bang for your buck. I have my own shop, and I already had the motors and most of the steel on hand, and I can cut accurately and weld. If you have those skills, you can save a ton of money....or....perhaps you have a friend who could assist you. I have less than $200 in each of my grinders...not counting the labor. Of course, if you have the funds....
It's not so much the cheap construction with the Grizz and the Kzoo, it's more about the design features and the flexability found in the KMG design.
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Old 11-21-2012, 08:42 AM
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AUBE AUBE is offline
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As Ed said, versatility. The 3 wheel grinder I built loosely based on the NWG plans also tracks better than my Grizzly. But the main benefit is being able to quickly switch out tooling arms...you can go from a 8" wheel to a 10" wheel, to a 3/4" wheel, a flat platten, rotary platen, etc. You can't easily do that with a 2 wheel model.

The Griz is definitely a nice machine, and runs strong, but I still prefer my KMG clone...and they came to about the same price.


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Old 11-21-2012, 11:28 AM
irondun irondun is offline
 
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Thank you for helping me clear that up. Guess I've got my winter project laid out - at least it's inside work. Maybe I'll learn some welding.
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  #7  
Old 11-23-2012, 09:38 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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I don't know whether to say that I've had the fortune or misfortune......to use just about every 2x72 machine available today. The "two wheel" design machines, including the Burr-King, all have a combination of issues that turned me away. In the "two wheel" configurations they offer a very limited field of view when working on them, and when you do change them around....you need a small tool box and a LONG coffee break to do it.

I personally think that the KMG is the best grinder on the market for the money. If it's your first time stepping up to a 2x72" machine, I would encourage you to purchase one. I say that because unless you're well versed in fabrication, often times your first couple of attempts at building your own will be disappointing. First, you have no experience to base how well (or how poorly) a self-built grinder is working, unless you experienced one of the high precision machines. That leads into my second point....when you pay the "big bucks" for one of the top of the line grinders, what you're paying for is the precision.....meaning that everything is square, true, lined up, and operates as smoothly/accurately as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I've built several grinders, but it took me until about the 5th one before I got all the details and precision nailed down to the point that they would run/operate in a manner that was acceptable to me.
It really all boils down to what you want, and how you want it. I've never regretted laying out the money for a top end grinder, simply because with minor care it will last my lifetime and beyond....and it will always pay for itself.


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