Belt Sander Question

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Jul 24, 2019
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Good afternoon everyone. Long story short I started making knives about 3 months ago and have made a few horrible knifes since then, but I'm getting better. A problem I am having is I am limited to a Harbor Freight 1" X 30" belt grinder that I am looking to upgrade. I am having trouble with finding a good replacement for it, however. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for all the help.
 
How much can you spend?

we can start from there
 
How much can you spend?

we can start from there
Im not too worried about the price right now since I will need to save up a bit to get it. But probably in the 500 to 1000 range. Also Im not looking for anything professional. Just something better to get me through my Novice days.
 
For about a 1000 you could get an oregon blade maker grinder and then source your own motor and vfd.
 
I sourced my own motor and vfd and it was great. Bought a 3 phase motor second hand for under $100 and paid about the same for a vfd. VFD is definitely the way to go.
 
Like OBM; Kadrmas grinders are a cheap entry level. I have one and like it so far. https://kadrmaskreations.com/product/srg-1-5-2x72-belt-grinder-sander-frame-with-wheels/

If you want to go even cheaper you can start tooling around with a Craftsman/Norse/Palmgren/Dayton 2x42.. They can be had for ~$200. They run fast. TrueGrit has some decent options for belts. I started with one of these and found it to be a vast improvement over the filing jig. They have some good modification videos on YouTube for it as well. Slavik Tely uses one and his work is excellent, but know it will take patience to learn.
 
What ever you get just make sure its a 2X72 with variable speed. If you get anything else you will just be mad with yourself for not getting a 2x72.
 
For just under $1100 I ended up getting a full chassis Ameribrade 272 with wheels and their 7" drive wheel as well as a handful of their belts. I then bought (which is all still a part of the $1100) a new motor/vfd package, grinder stand and a power on/off switch. I'm incredibly happy with it and its such a great step up from the 1x30 I used before that. I now have the small wheel attachments and made a surface grinding attachment for it as well.
 
Good afternoon everyone. Long story short I started making knives about 3 months ago and have made a few horrible knifes since then, but I'm getting better. A problem I am having is I am limited to a Harbor Freight 1" X 30" belt grinder that I am looking to upgrade. I am having trouble with finding a good replacement for it, however. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for all the help.

Not sure if you have a grinder yet, but I have been looking at this one NRT 2x72 Belt Grinder Mod-E - http://www.northridgetool.com/grinders/#grinder_mod-e It's $475 shipped to your door without a motor and vfd, which can be had for another $400. So you're talking all in for ~$900

I'm looking at (no motors or vfd):

- NRT 2x72 Belt Grinder Mod-E ($450 + $25 shipping)
- SRG 1.5 2×72 Belt Grinder ($629 + $100 shipping)
- Reeder Grinder Chassis + wheels add-on ($795 + $75 shipping)
- Ameribrade 272 with 7" drive wheel and work rest ($699 + shipping)

Not sure if anyone here has experience with the Mod-E but seems hard to beat for the money. It has a pretty small work rest and their upgraded work rest is $168 so that brings it pretty close to being the same as the SRG and the Ameribrade.

So yeah, idk.... You can always just keep saying, but this one gives you that, and this one gives you this. To me I guess I would rather outgrow a $475 grinder rather than a $700-$800 one, but im still uncertain where ill go.
 
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