Looking for a good 2x72 belt grinder

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Sep 22, 2018
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I've been looking for a while for a good belt grinder and I came across this forum. not sure if this is the right place to make the thread but I was hoping to get some help.

I've heard of tx grinders and esteem grinders - what are some other grinders?

I really like this guys grinder - does anyone make anything similar? I paid for his plans but realistically I don't have the time to build it.
 
What's your budget, and where are you located?

There are probably dozens of options to choose from now days, ranging anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
The TW-90 by Travis Wuertz is the "cadillac" of grinders, but it's also one of the most expensive. Just about everyone that has one will tell you it's worth the money though.
Next in line would probably be Northridge. They're relatively new, but they're putting a lot of machines out there, and getting a lot of positive reviews.

Hardcore, Ameribrade, Pheer, OriginBladeMaker (formeraly OregonBladeMaker), Wilmont, PolarBear Forge, Reeder Products, etc... all make very functional machines, and that's a very short list. There's several other grinder companies I'm not remembering at the moment.
 
A higher end grinder will have more Bell's and whistles. However, You don't need to spend a fortune to make knives. You need to give a price range and then suggestions can be made. I have seen guys with talent make nice knives on the 2x42 Sears Grinder. The $3500 Grinder is nice but definitely not magical!
 
I like my esteem. At least when I was looking the price seemed right for the options I wanted. The only downside is the rest. I think there are some better rest systems. It will be easy to change it if it bothers me enough.
 
My suggestion is to use the search engine in the stickies at the top of this forum as this question has been asked and topic discussed quite a few times in the past year.
 
Check out our 2x72" belt grinder! We have been on the market for about 1 year and just released our newest version. Some of the key features that set us apart:

  • Integrated controls into the base of the grinder (no more remote mounting and you get options for future upgrades)
  • 2 tooling arms
  • 1/2" drive plate
  • 90 degree tilting with lift assist (only need about 10 lbs to rotate from vertical to horizontal)
  • toolless operation (adjust tracking or change/adjust attachments and work rest without tools)
  • INHOUSE FINANCING to help out new knife makers get the right machine the first time.
All that for $2400 for a standard platen or 10" wheel or 12" wheel. Other attachment options include 14" contact wheel or our in house contact platen with a 5" and 2" contact wheel with a 7.75" 1080 cold rolled platen with glass shelf.
 
If you can wait another month or 3, Wilmont will have their new grinders available after the first of the year. I have an LB1000 which came as an assemble yourself kit which took about an hour to assemble. I added a motor/VFD that I bought separate and spend about $1200 for a variable speed, 1 1/2 hp, 2 x 72 grinder. Google "wilmont LB1000" to see when he is ready to take orders.
 
Anyone have any experience or feedback with origin blade maker 2x72s??

Also, has anyone tried the "das toobinator" commonly found on ebay, the price is relatively low (something like $700) ... I heard its made by origin blade maker?
 
Anyone have any experience or feedback with origin blade maker 2x72s??

Also, has anyone tried the "das toobinator" commonly found on ebay, the price is relatively low (something like $700) ... I heard its made by origin blade maker?

I have a OBM 2x72 grinder and have liked it quite a bit. A few shortcomings out of the box: the flat platen bracket mine came with doesn't allow for a file guide to be used on the left side of the platen and the gas strut that comes with it is relatively weak (20lbs). I recently ordered one of their "bikini bracket" flat platen mounts which has alleviated the first problem. I haven't found a need to get a new gas spring just yet, but others (weo if I remember correctly) have had the tracking wobble after a few years of service. Everything I've ordered from them has been shipped promptly and been packed exceptionally well.
 
I have a OBM 2x72 grinder and have liked it quite a bit. A few shortcomings out of the box: the flat platen bracket mine came with doesn't allow for a file guide to be used on the left side of the platen and the gas strut that comes with it is relatively weak (20lbs). I recently ordered one of their "bikini bracket" flat platen mounts which has alleviated the first problem. I haven't found a need to get a new gas spring just yet, but others (weo if I remember correctly) have had the tracking wobble after a few years of service. Everything I've ordered from them has been shipped promptly and been packed exceptionally well.
Thats not too bad considering the price point. Thanks for the feedback! Which obm grinder is it?
 
Thats not too bad considering the price point. Thanks for the feedback! Which obm grinder is it?
I believe they only have the one model, just different wheel materials and colors (yellow and black) and the option to have it packaged with motor/vfds. FWIW I got mine with the glass filled nylon wheels and haven't noticed any issues with them.
 
I believe they only have the one model, just different wheel materials and colors (yellow and black) and the option to have it packaged with motor/vfds. FWIW I got mine with the glass filled nylon wheels and haven't noticed any issues with them.
Awesome! Thanks for the input. This might also help the post so ill ask it here, should knifemakers invest in vfds? And 2hp motor ?
 
Awesome! Thanks for the input. This might also help the post so ill ask it here, should knifemakers invest in vfds? And 2hp motor ?

Short answer, absolutely to the VFD.

Long answer, this is a subject that has been talked about quite a lot. Try using the custom search engine (or add "site:www.bladeforums.com" to a google query), and read through the stickies. I use the search engine constantly; it's my first order of business whenever I have a question since, oftentimes, it's already been answered.
 
I recently upgraded to a Reeder Products 2x72 with VFD and 2 HP Leeson motor. It has all the power I need, even at low speed, and is a work of art with all of the CNC machined parts. It is right in line price wise with other 2x72s that tilt to operate as a horizontal grinder, too. I ordered a Reeder grinder stand which supports the grinder rock solid and still the price came in lower that several other top end 2x72s. Also, Greg Reeder keep customer service a number one priority. Needless to say I am very impressed with my new Reeder setup.



 
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others (weo if I remember correctly) have had the tracking wobble after a few years of service.
I think I remember mentioning that, but if I remember correctly (IIRC?), that was in the winter, with no heat in my shop other than when I'm forging. I haven't really had an issue with that these warmer months.
My main beef is the platen issue with a file guide, but this is the first time I'm hearing about the bikin bracket. My solution is that I JB Welded a heat tempered glass piece to mine (there is a thread about this somewhere) and although that wasn't quite thick enough, after a couple of years mine has developed a crack so I'm JB Welding a second one on top of this, and that should give me the clearance to use the file guide.
And yes, the VFD is quite important, especially if you plan on shaping your handles with it.
 
I have previously owned 2 KMG'S and a TW-90. I was just able to get back in the game and I decided on an Ameribrade. I just got it setup. Most definitely better than the KMG. Is it a tw-90? No but not in a negative way. It also didn't cost me $3800 shipped. Incredibly well built, super smooth, and affordable.
 

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Anyone have any experience or feedback with origin blade maker 2x72s??

Also, has anyone tried the "das toobinator" commonly found on ebay, the price is relatively low (something like $700) ... I heard its made by origin blade maker?

I've heard mostly positive reviews about OBM chassis and parts, other than the platen issues already mentioned (and apparently rectified). OBM definitely fills a much needed spot in the market, and does a good job at it.

As for "das toobinator" (which I don't think is an OBM product).... it's fairly new, and it looks very well put together and at a reasonable price, BUT.....
I'd personally pass. I'm not a fan of the single speed motor design, nor am I a fan of that grinder design (which as stated in their description, is based off of a DC custom knives grinder build). No offense to D. Comeau, but I believe his intent with that design, was simply to build the cheapest and most simple grinder possible, and while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, there are better ways to build the mouse trap, IMO. I really don't like the tensioning mechanism (which I've stated in several similar threads to this one), though I think it can be easily improved, with either a pneumatic cylinder in place of the spring, or with the "lever" mod, as shown here, on D.C.'s youtube channel:

As it's currently designed, I think it'd be akward to tension belts if you don't have the grinder and it's workbench/stand set up just right, and to get any real belt tension, you'd need a much heavier spring than would be comfortable to compress using that mechanism. Just my opinion.
At any rate, there's a number of other etsy sellers and otherwise selling their version of that grinder design, and I've seen it cheaper, though maybe not as well put together. BTW, you could build your own for probably less than half the cost of what the das toobinator guys are asking, if you have a welder and some basic tools on hand.
 
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