Grizzly 2x42 Upgrades!

Contender Machine

Contender Machine

Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
271
Well like many other knife makers on here when I saw the new Grizzly 2x42 belt grinder on the market I bought one immediately. The price of this thing is just crazy cheap. It’s easily the best grinder you can get for under $400 because well it‘s about the only grinder you can get for under $400. That being said it is cheap for a reason. The build quality and design is not the best as can be expected.

So naturally I did some upgrades! Since I make a living building grinders and grinder accessories I do intend to build and sell these upgrades to anyone who would like them but I thought I’d just start by sharing what I have done so far. I’d love to here any comments or ideas for further upgrades.

First thing I did was make new platen brackets as well as a simple steel platen. I made the brackets slotted so that it has adjustment both left to right (to center the platen up to the belt better) as well as adjustment in and out to allow for running radius platens. I haven’t made any radius platens yet though. Would anyone be interested in radius platens for this grinder?

Here‘s the new platen and brackets mounted in the stock platen frame. The new brackets allow better access to both sides of the platen.





The next thing I did was make a couple of new work rests. I made a 5x12 inch work rest that can tilt both forward and back 15 degrees. This along with tilting the platen itself allows for a wide range of angles. I also made a drop down work rest arm to allow for better jig grinding as it gives you access to more of the platen. By nature of the design you can only tilt back 15 degrees with the drop down arm. Tilting forward is limited because the work rest hits the arm.

















The last and probably most exciting thing I made was a small wheel attachment. This prototype is made to fit the standard small wheels that use 7/8 OD bearings with an overall length of about 3 1/8 inches. A lot of knife makers already have these wheels to use with there 2x72 so making the attachment use these wheels was the most practical. It accepts up to 2 wheels so that one acts to flatten the belt out.

This works really well.







Since this is a very cheap grinder to start with I had to design these attachments to be cheap and quick to make. It’s mostly just laser cut steel with some drilled and tapped holes and some milled slots. They went together very nicely and seem to run very well.

I intend to have both some flat and radius platens heat treated to make them hold up a lot better to the heat and belt wear.

Let me know what you guys think and if any of you would be interested in adding these upgrades to your new grinder as well! As always I’m open to suggestions!
 
I would say a 3 or 4" tracking wheel and better designed track arm and adjust lever would be welcome. I am assuming you have been following the other 2*42 thread and if i had a bit more gaf and/or tooling I may have remade the crap shed hinge and m4? adjuster along with the 4" tracking wheel. But to be honest, the way it works is good enough for me. I can't be bothered atm. Maybe later, after I add the full size platen w/2" and 4" tracking wheels like Thom Moss Thom Moss did.
 
aareeyesee said:
I would say a 3 or 4" tracking wheel and better designed track arm and adjust lever would be welcome. I am assuming you have been following the other 2*42 thread and if i had a bit more gaf and/or tooling I may have remade the crap shed hinge and m4? adjuster along with the 4" tracking wheel. But to be honest, the way it works is good enough for me. I can't be bothered atm. Maybe later, after I add the full size platen w/2" and 4" tracking wheels like Thom Moss Thom Moss did.
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Yeah I saw that full size platen and 4 inch tracking wheel that looks awesome! That should allow to run 2x48 inch belts as well.

I should add that I believe the small wheel attachment I made should work with 2x48 inch belts. I didn’t have any on hand so I ordered one. I‘ll see how it fits once I get it.
 
The nice thing about this grinder is that it's a perfect base for a new knife maker to get and start grinding... Then with these upgrades they can add them over time to end up with a really nice machine!

I don't have the machine but wonder if there's a way to make the normal 2x72 rubber platen idler wheels work on these. I saw the mod in the other thread but he had to drill and tap for it to work. I suppose a new C plate would work as an upgrade at some point but was wondering if there is a bushing that could fit around the stock bolt or something that you could make?
 
REK Knives said:
The nice thing about this grinder is that it's a perfect base for a new knife maker to get and start grinding... Then with these upgrades they can add them over time to end up with a really nice machine!

I don't have the machine but wonder if there's a way to make the normal 2x72 rubber platen idler wheels work on these. I saw the mod in the other thread but he had to drill and tap for it to work. I suppose a new C plate would work as an upgrade at some point but was wondering if there is a bushing that could fit around the stock bolt or something that you could make?
Click to expand...
That’s a good question. I haven’t taken any wheels off of mine yet but if they are an 11mm shaft then it is definitely possible they could be made to fit 1/2 inch bearings with a bushing. Or maybe just replacement arbors.
 
REK Knives said:
The nice thing about this grinder is that it's a perfect base for a new knife maker to get and start grinding... Then with these upgrades they can add them over time to end up with a really nice machine!

I don't have the machine but wonder if there's a way to make the normal 2x72 rubber platen idler wheels work on these. I saw the mod in the other thread but he had to drill and tap for it to work. I suppose a new C plate would work as an upgrade at some point but was wondering if there is a bushing that could fit around the stock bolt or something that you could make?
Click to expand...
If you felt like digging through a timkin catalog or shoot them an email I would imagine there is a bearing you could find that would go 1/2 od to the 15mm id of the factor bearing and use the same bolts and everything. It's just easier to drill/tap it imo. Hell you don't even have to tap it, just a 1/2 hole works too. The factory bearing is 6002rs. 1616rs is the obm bearing on the 2*72 wheels. They'll could def be upgraded as well. I am not happy with the obm wheels but I'm the one that went cheap. As soon as I kill those bearings it's getting higher graded and a center interior support
 
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aareeyesee said:
If you felt like digging through a timkin catalog or shoot them an email I would imagine there is a bearing you could find that would go 1/2 od to the 15mm id of the factor bearing and use the same bolts and everything. It's just easier to drill/tap it imo. Hell you don't even have to tap it, just a 1/2 hole works too. The factory bearing is 6002rs. 1616rs is the obm bearing on the 2*72 wheels. They'll could def be upgraded as well. I am not happy with the obm wheels but I'm the one that went cheap. As soon as I kill those bearings it's getting higher graded and a center interior support
Click to expand...
I did a little looking around and couldn’t come up with any hybrid metric/inch bearings but they could very well be out there. Replacing the entire wheel with a standard size arbor and spacer between the bearings would definitely be the best option.
 
Another thing that could be handy make a 9" disk wheel that is driven by the belt. I'm in the middle of making one and it's aggravating. Im trying to use one of the metal wheels I took off the grinder and I was trying to use wood but it gets out of balance and gets scary real fast. Really not interested in taking that to the face. Guess im gonna have to bite the bullet and order a wheel.
 
Contender Machine said:
Well like many other knife makers on here when I saw the new Grizzly 2x42 belt grinder on the market I bought one immediately. The price of this thing is just crazy cheap. It’s easily the best grinder you can get for under $400 because well it‘s about the only grinder you can get for under $400. That being said it is cheap for a reason. The build quality and design is not the best as can be expected.

So naturally I did some upgrades! Since I make a living building grinders and grinder accessories I do intend to build and sell these upgrades to anyone who would like them but I thought I’d just start by sharing what I have done so far. I’d love to here any comments or ideas for further upgrades.

First thing I did was make new platen brackets as well as a simple steel platen. I made the brackets slotted so that it has adjustment both left to right (to center the platen up to the belt better) as well as adjustment in and out to allow for running radius platens. I haven’t made any radius platens yet though. Would anyone be interested in radius platens for this grinder?

Here‘s the new platen and brackets mounted in the stock platen frame. The new brackets allow better access to both sides of the platen.





The next thing I did was make a couple of new work rests. I made a 5x12 inch work rest that can tilt both forward and back 15 degrees. This along with tilting the platen itself allows for a wide range of angles. I also made a drop down work rest arm to allow for better jig grinding as it gives you access to more of the platen. By nature of the design you can only tilt back 15 degrees with the drop down arm. Tilting forward is limited because the work rest hits the arm.

















The last and probably most exciting thing I made was a small wheel attachment. This prototype is made to fit the standard small wheels that use 7/8 OD bearings with an overall length of about 3 1/8 inches. A lot of knife makers already have these wheels to use with there 2x72 so making the attachment use these wheels was the most practical. It accepts up to 2 wheels so that one acts to flatten the belt out.

This works really well.







Since this is a very cheap grinder to start with I had to design these attachments to be cheap and quick to make. It’s mostly just laser cut steel with some drilled and tapped holes and some milled slots. They went together very nicely and seem to run very well.

I intend to have both some flat and radius platens heat treated to make them hold up a lot better to the heat and belt wear.

Let me know what you guys think and if any of you would be interested in adding these upgrades to your new grinder as well! As always I’m open to suggestions!
Click to expand...
I would definitely be interested in these upgrades, especially the small wheel attachment. That thing is sweet!
 
REK Knives said:
This is hilarious... Apparently you can convert it to a 2x72 (Gavko) and it works! Not my cup of tea though, I would rather keep it 2x42 or maybe 2x48 max.

View attachment 2415395
Click to expand...
That's hilarious! I love the ingenuity but I agree not really my cup of tea either. I can't imagine the rigidity is very good at all and it still lacks many of the benefits of a true 2x72. But it is awesome!
 
Update on the small wheel attachment.

I played with it some more last night and it seams to work really well. It works in either the top or bottom tool arm slot so the ability to have a work rest when the grinder is horizontal is definitely possible. I just got in a 2x48 inch belt so when I get a chance I'll see if that will fit. I'm sure that it will if the arm is slid out a little ways.

I'm going to try to make a couple slight modifications for belt clearance later today and will hopefully have a final version to share tomorrow.
 
REK Knives said:
This is hilarious... Apparently you can convert it to a 2x72 (Gavko) and it works! Not my cup of tea though, I would rather keep it 2x42 or maybe 2x48 max.

View attachment 2415395
Click to expand...
When me and Stacy were talking about it way earlier in the thread this is similar to what I had in mind. However, I was intending to add a full size platen, 2,4 in contact wheels, and a 5" tracking wheel to suck that goofy ass arm in a lot. But after doing the wheels and platen I am very happy with what I have. Maybe do something like that if you're gonna run a rotary platen so that you have room?

Edit: also use steel 1/4x1 angle and bolt it down so you don't have it fall over on you. That would be a cool face scar though. Lol
 
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