I have wanted to make my own knife for a long time. One piece of equipment that every knife maker uses is a good belt grinder. This size is very common. Lots of different ones built out there. From plywood and screwed together to extruded aluminum and all points in between. You can buy kits and pieces if you wish too. This is my take on it built mostly out of left overs, cast away parts, scrapyard finds etc. I had started this a while ago, got shelved for a while, now I'm back at it.
One cast off 1.5 HP motor from a pooched pressure washer.
A keyed hub from Princess auto and piece of 1/2" plate cut out and machined to accept hub, TIG welded together.
Cut a piece of very, very heavy wall tubing, machine to accept hub assembly.
Finish machining on lathe after welding the 2 together, check run out, .002". Acceptable
Basic drawing of completed grinder. Most pieces will be cut out of 1/2" mild steel.
Take aluminum found at scrap yard, machine on lathe, press in some princess auto bearings and we have 2 front wheels.
Pull out some 1.125" bar stock, machine in lathe for wheel mounts.
Had to order a part. I needed a tracking wheel, they have a slight crown to them to keep the belt centered. I had found a caster wheel that had a perfect and crown but when I got it. It was to heavy and the bearing wasn't up to par. To keep things moving I just ordered one from EBay. It came with the pivot mount to make life just a little easier for me.
While I was waiting I started piecing it together with a few tack welds. I used a piece of seamless tubing for the outside slide tube. It's a left over piece from a trailer hitch I built. I drilled and welded a nut to hold in place. I like to put them in the corners, that way it wedges them right into the opposite corner and nothing moves.
Mounted up my tension arm with the tracking wheel. Gave it a test run, smooth as butter.
Pull apart, weld up, reassemble, install base.
I'm so happy with how it works, I might even take it apart and paint it.
Definitely on my to build project list. Pictures are great Any chance you would share a basic drawing with all of us wanna be tool makers? I'll trade you for my English wheel cad files...
Definitely on my to build project list. Pictures are great Any chance you would share a basic drawing with all of us wanna be tool makers? I'll trade you for my English wheel cad files...
I can share the files, there really isn't that many of them. All of them are just the flat plate which I cut on my CNC plasma cutter. I worked this build around material I had, like I said in the build a lot of the parts are scrounged and cast offs, so my files my may not suit your needs, especially the motor mount. I half planned and half designed on the fly. I bought very little for it. Then again I keep a bunch of in steel in stock for my business.
I don't know how to attach a DXF file to this post so if you or any one else wants a copy of the files PM me with your email. I'd certainly trade for your E wheel files, just need a little bigger shop for it
Definitely on my to build project list. Pictures are great Any chance you would share a basic drawing with all of us wanna be tool makers? I'll trade you for my English wheel cad files...
I can share the files, there really isn't that many of them. All of them are just the flat plate which I cut on my CNC plasma cutter. I worked this build around material I had, like I said in the build a lot of the parts are scrounged and cast offs, so my files my may not suit your needs, especially the motor mount. I half planned and half designed on the fly. I bought very little for it. Then again I keep a bunch of in steel in stock for my business.
I don't know how to attach a DXF file to this post so if you or any one else wants a copy of the files PM me with your email. I'd certainly trade for your E wheel files, just need a little bigger shop for it
I know a guy that might be able to help you build that bigger shop
That's a good point about the guards, Safety first. But I'm not sure I've ever seen a guard on one of these types of belt grinders. Make for easy belt changes, that's for sure.
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If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards and GET A BIGGER HAMMER!!!
where I work everything has to have guarding of some sort, we have enclosures, light curtains, you name it because people are not responsible for themselves like the old days, I think this is how stupid people who would normally get killed off due to their stupidity survive. in your own place though anything goes right? although working where I do i tend to practice a lot safer ways of doing things then i used to.