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Plans for 2"x72" Knife Grinder/Sander No welding required

Well got my NWGS built last week. Now just waiting on my VFD setup to get here, just going to use a 2hp standard with 3 step until it arrives. Great job on the design Tracy, thanks!

Nice grinder, I'd change that tension spring -just to be safe. Doesn't look too secure. :thumbup:
 
Yesterday I visited Tracy Mickley at his shop and picked up some parts for my grinders. He had the parts in stock and promptly filled my order which was very nice. I also saw his grinder and he demo'ed it for me and also the various attachments he had.
The grinder ran very smooth, which is very important to me. and was solidly built. It really made me happy to see that it is going to be exactly what I want.

Thanks Tracy,:thumbup:
 
Yesterday I visited Tracy Mickley at his shop and picked up some parts for my grinders. He had the parts in stock and promptly filled my order which was very nice. I also saw his grinder and he demo'ed it for me and also the various attachments he had.
The grinder ran very smooth, which is very important to me. and was solidly built. It really made me happy to see that it is going to be exactly what I want.

Thanks Tracy,:thumbup:

I enjoyed the visit Randy. Stop over again some time....
 
Nice grinder, I'd change that tension spring -just to be safe. Doesn't look too secure. :thumbup:

Thanks for the compliment flatgrinder, but all the credit goes to Tracy for coming up with a great design.
Although when looking at the spring it may seem unsecured, it is actually on very securely. In the pictures it does not show it but there is a large washer on either side of the spring. I have even ran it through the " If it can break I will break it test " and it has yet to fail. You can actually bounce the tracking wheel up and down very vigorously and it will not come off.
 
I think I've read this post over 5 times now! I got my plans today and I'm very excited. I'm on a mega-low budget, so I'll just be going with the flat platen attachment for now.

There are two things that I am curious about though:

Is it possible to pivot the flat platen with the tool attachment so I can grind an angle with the tool table flat?

I'm also very curious about modifying this to add an open end of the drive shaft to allow for a disc grinder, or other wheel attachments? I'm drawing up some pictures right now for what this might look like. I realize this would make the base size much bigger, but one machine to rule them all? I'll post some pictures of my ideas soon. But I'm thinking an extended drive shaft (likely with more pillow blocks too), or two shafts, offset parallel, and you just move the belt to the other shaft.
 
Here is how it is now:
nwgs.jpg

Idea 1, I'm not sure how much longer the shaft would half to be, or how easy the drive wheel on the end of shaft is to remove, but:
nwgs2.jpg

Maybe the wheels/sanding disk in front?:
nwgs3.jpg

Maybe the best answer would be to have the motor be movable?
nwgs4.jpg


I'd really just like to be able add a buffing, grinding, sanding wheel/disk on one end.

But... this might mean that that motor would have to have a reverse? Or could you have all of this on a small table, and the wheel over hanging. It seems that it would be easy enough to build a tool table to work with a sanding disk as well.

L
 
if you want to have a shaft just try and find a motor with a shaft out both ends.
 
Just a thought I wanted to throw your way. If you are wanting a buffer, angle grinder as well as the belt grinder. After you ad up the extra costs in pillow blocks, longer drive shaft, more sheaves/pulleys, etc, you would be better off and save money just to purchase an inexpensive buffer/ grinder. I have several buffers and grinders that range from the expensive brand name types all the way down to the two Harbor Freight buffers and grinders. And IMHO the $50.00 HF models work just as well and have lasted and served me just as long.
You will have to also remember that if you were to add the extra drive shaft length, pillow blocks, sheaves/pulleys, and wheels that you will be increasing the load and rotating mass of your motor. This will not only effect the performance but also the life span of said motor.
I think you will find when you get the plans that if you still wish to have those options available on your NWGS that it is a very simple matter just to make a specified tool arm for the attachment you are looking for that can be swapped out of the machine itself.
Just my $.02 worth.
Kevin
 
Thanks for the feedback. It's been a little hard to think through since I haven't seen one in person and I don't have any of the parts yet.

So, can you angle the platen?
 
The plans call for 2 bolts thru the tool bar so it cannot be swiveled/angled. If you used just one bolt and radiused the end of the tool bar then you might be able to do it. I do not have the plans or grinder in front of me right now so check those first.

But,,, someone else has made a swiveling platen. Tracy showed me one of them. Check the other posts in this thread or maybe Tracy will post a pic.
 
want me to send you the drawing its to scale and has all the measurements and where to drill the holes. You could try it out and put it in the plans.

Hi Jarod,

I see that your cool 3 in 1 belt grinder tool made it up on Tracy's website. I'm wondering if you'd share some measurement specifics. I'm struggling to purchase everything and your Cool Tool would help cut costs, as well as work real well!

Thanks, Phil
 
Got Tracy's plans several weeks ago, then I got shipped out of town for work for a few weeks :thumbdn: Picked up the metal at a local Metal/scrap yard, 88lbs of various steel, all drops, or cutoffs, for 55 bucks, and heck ended up with some extra at that!. I needed a 4x9 piece of 1/2" for the rotating attachment, they had a 6x20 peice for cheap, for example(I like it there, I'll be going back)

Great plans Tracy, good to feel confident I have a good design to go from. Got a couple things cut so far, but then got sidetracked trying to figure out a cheaper way to go with wheels etc. Shoot that stuff gets expensive fast. I'll get there. Incidentally, anyone looking for a decent motor, Northern tool has a 2hp general duty motor/1725rpm for $134, decent motor should serve you well. I'm trying to track down a VFD setup, but if all else fails, thats the motor I'll be getting.

Jarod, great little mod you came up with there, I had a similar thought in my head but hadn't gotten anywhere on it before I saw your. Perfect, I don't need to change a thing. Great design man, good going.

Syn
 
Syn,

Do you have some details re Jarod's rotating attachment? I see you referred to dimensions of its metal. Can you tell me more? I'd love to build it and haven't heard back from Jarod yet.

Thanks, Phil
 
Got Tracy's plans several weeks ago, then I got shipped out of town for work for a few weeks :thumbdn: Picked up the metal at a local Metal/scrap yard, 88lbs of various steel, all drops, or cutoffs, for 55 bucks, and heck ended up with some extra at that!. I needed a 4x9 piece of 1/2" for the rotating attachment, they had a 6x20 peice for cheap, for example(I like it there, I'll be going back)

Great plans Tracy, good to feel confident I have a good design to go from. Got a couple things cut so far, but then got sidetracked trying to figure out a cheaper way to go with wheels etc. Shoot that stuff gets expensive fast. I'll get there. Incidentally, anyone looking for a decent motor, Northern tool has a 2hp general duty motor/1725rpm for $134, decent motor should serve you well. I'm trying to track down a VFD setup, but if all else fails, thats the motor I'll be getting.

Jarod, great little mod you came up with there, I had a similar thought in my head but hadn't gotten anywhere on it before I saw your. Perfect, I don't need to change a thing. Great design man, good going.

Syn

As far as alternative wheels go, I'm looking into industrial replacement wheels for casters. http://www.sebastianequip.com/ Is a company that supplies a local factory I work for. They have a LOT of wheel options that I think would be great for knifemaking. A lot of different composite materials, some with different combinations as well. They have lots of different sizes and thicknesses. I'm just trying to learn more about the bearings. They seem to be great quality and very inexpensive.
 
I just ordered a 8" contact wheel from www.sunray-inc.com for around $75. I'm told by a fellow that has done this that'll the wheel will likely need truing up. Also ordered a set of skateboard wheels with bearings from ebay that I'm going to try as idlers and a small contact wheel. eBay has a category for skateboard wheels which I searched in for "75A" (couldn't find any 70A wheels). I'm going to check out sebastionequip.com too. Thanks for the tip.
 
I just ordered a 8" contact wheel from www.sunray-inc.com for around $75. I'm told by a fellow that has done this that'll the wheel will likely need truing up. Also ordered a set of skateboard wheels with bearings from ebay that I'm going to try as idlers and a small contact wheel. eBay has a category for skateboard wheels which I searched in for "75A" (couldn't find any 70A wheels). I'm going to check out sebastionequip.com too. Thanks for the tip.

Their website is definitely lacking, but I have access to their catalog at work. They have tons of caster wheels, which most come with the metal caster housing. But you can buy just the replacement wheels for some. I'll try to get a copy of the page and post it so you can see.

I'm very interested to hear about your wheel experiments! Especially skate board wheels.
 
I just ordered a 8" contact wheel from www.sunray-inc.com for around $75. I'm told by a fellow that has done this that'll the wheel will likely need truing up. Also ordered a set of skateboard wheels with bearings from ebay that I'm going to try as idlers and a small contact wheel. eBay has a category for skateboard wheels which I searched in for "75A" (couldn't find any 70A wheels). I'm going to check out sebastionequip.com too. Thanks for the tip.

I'd say for idler wheels you can go with about any hardness from 50 to 100A. I've got several different wheels from Sunray I'm testing now. I didn't get any with flashing casting residue but some of them do not run as smooth as one of Rob's rubber wheels. Smoothing them out using a half wide belt and touching them with a coarse flat file will need to be done. I've heard of a couple references to the poly getting over heated and melting a bit. I have not seen that personally but it is a concern I have. I talked to the Sunray people and they tell me the poly can take up to 180F degrees with no problem. I know I routinely have knife blanks steam and boil water when dunked during grinding so 180F is a bit on the low side for our application. Whether that heat actually transfers to a moving contact wheel through a belt is something else. On the other hand, if you are careful and manage the temperature when grinding with a poly wheel, they are a very economical way to go. If you are going to have extended periods of grinding, I'd stick with a traditional vulcanized rubber wheel.
 
Can you tell me the formula for figuring out the final FPS belt speed.
I was just given a 1.5 hp baldor that was on a table saw. this turns at 3100 rpm.
I know its fast but the price was right.
I have all the square tub assembled on the NWG. Have not acquired pulleys and wheels vet.
Really well thought out plans.
 
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