Viel belt grinder - what hp motor?

S

streetcore

Joined
Nov 4, 2016
Messages
8
Hi everyone,

New member here. I've done some knife sharpening with the Edge Pro system, but I'm getting into wood working as well and have inherited some older chisels and tools that need new edges. I'd like to continue working with knives as well as wood working tools, so I'm thinking about getting the Viel 1x42 belt grinder from Lee Valley or from Viel direct since I'm in Canada.

LV recommends a minimum 1/8 hp motor and Viel sells them with either a 1/4 or 1/3 hp. Is more hp always better and is it necessary on this machine? I have a line on a used 1/4 hp Baldor motor at a good price, but it's a bit of a drive to get it and I'd still have to add a switch, cable, etc. So I'm wondering if I should just spend a bit more and get the fully equipped machine with the 1/3 hp motor from Viel.

Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
I believe the 1/3HP is the way to go for your 1 X 42. Be prepared to maybe have to play with it a bit but I think it can work for you.
Frank
 
I have a 3/4 on mine. the 1/2 horse is the min. I would go. they are good sharpening tools and excellent to grind folder blades.
 
Thanks for the advice. I may go with the 1/4 hp Baldor because it will be at least $100 cheaper. I figure I can put that money into belts and attachments instead.

Any suggestions for a selection of belts to get started with?
 
That 1/4 HP will be to small. Even a 1/2 would work better than a 1/3 HP Go for 60,120,220 ceramic and gator belts in 45, 30 and even one 16. Tru Grit can help you.
Frank
 
for sharpening only 320, 600, 1200 and a good leather strop. the knife angle attachment for it isn't that great,it will move on you until you learn to use it. I do better freehanding on it. harbor freight has some 1/2 horse motors new for around 100.00. the scissor grinding attachment and most of the other attachments work well. I also bought the handwheel and another drive wheel that I had reamed for the 3/4 hp. I agree with Frank 100 on the 1/2 I wouldn't go any less. you may find something on your local craiglist or even the auction site. the viel is a good choice for starting out and you wont be into as many headaches and heartaches as some who want to use a wood sander to grind on.this is made for metal and well made at that, I have ground a lot of folder and small hunters on this thing and it still is going strong. as to switch I got a foot control from McMaster carr for mine the motor just plugs into it and it plugs into the wall.
 
Frank Niro said:
That 1/4 HP will be to small. Even a 1/2 would work better than a 1/3 HP
Click to expand...

Thanks again for the advice. It seems odd that Viel would only sell them bundled with either a 1/4 or 1/3 HP motors. Why would they sell them like that if they're underpowered? They do sell 1/2 HP motors separately, and they're only $10 more than a 1/3 HP, so it can't be a cost thing. The 1/4 HP Baldor is a really good price and they're supposed to be great motors, but I'll start looking for something more powerful.
 
These sanders . belt grinders have been made for all sorts of applications. 1/4 HP would immediately give you problems, none due to you but it would leave you wondering. Princes Auto has good motors at very reasonable prices here in Canada. By the way, some great work can be done on one of these! Sure wish I had enough room to leave mine on the bench at all times. Where did you find that Veil?
Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Princes Auto has good motors at very reasonable prices here in Canada. By the way, some great work can be done on one of these! Sure wish I had enough room to leave mine on the bench at all times. Where did you find that Veil?
Frank
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. Princess Auto seems to sell the same Marathon motors for the same price as Viel, but I'm going to look for a used one first. http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/1-2-hp-furnace-electric-motor/A-p0755868e There's a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near me and they usually have a decent selection of used furnace motors.

I haven't bought the Viel yet. I'll be getting it from Lee Valley or Viel direct if I decide to order it with a motor.
 
3/4 HP or even 1/2 HP seems overkill, especially if you are just talking about sharpening. I have a 1/4 hp motor on mine and I use it to grind blades after forging. I'm just a hobbyist, so I'm not grinding a lot of blades and I don't do stock removal as my primary shaping. Still, I'm taking off a lot more metal grinding out forge marks than you'll ever do just sharpening. I got a lower 1140 rpm motor to reduce belt speed. At no point is the motor struggling. The only tweak I had to make actually was adding a spacer under the tension spring to get enough belt tension so it didn't slip on the smooth metal drive wheel. It works fairly well for my purposes, and if you are just sharpening I'd say you are plenty good with a 1/4-1/3 hp motor.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
lanternnate said:
3/4 HP or even 1/2 HP seems overkill, especially if you are just talking about sharpening... I got a lower 1140 rpm motor to reduce belt speed. At no point is the motor struggling.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. It's interesting that you mention a lower speed, because I'm looking at a couple used dual speed 1/2 HP motors. One is an Emerson with 1725/1140 and the other is a GE with 1725/850. I was leaning toward the Emerson, but now I'm wondering if there would be any advantage to having the option of an even lower speed. Any suggestions?
 
I was also looking at variable speed to start. One thing to note is every one I found the lower speed is also a lower HP. At 1/2 HP for the upper speed that may be ok, but double check what they step down to. While I was looking I found this 1/4 HP single speed 1140 rpm motor for a good deal on eBay so I went with it. The only place I see myself potentially regretting the move is if I start using the grinder to also shape handles and want the higher speed on wood. I don't know that going yet again slower to 850 would have any appreciable difference, can't say for sure without having tried one at that speed.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
Based on the advice from the guys at Viel, I went with 1/4HP motor and can't imagine why anyone would feel they needed more for sharpening. I wired mine up with a reversing switch which come in handy at times.
 
I have a Viel S5 that I've been using for 12 years, made a lot of knives with nothing but it! I still use it all the time for stuff, it sharpens every knife I make and sharpens big batches of knives for other people.
I don't feel 1/2 hp to be overkill. I ran mine for a little while with 1/3 hp, not great, especially for anything BUT sharpening. I had to bore out the drive wheel hub a bit so it would fit the larger shaft of the 1/2 motor I retrofit later- a machine shop could do it for you, probably $10-$20 if you make nice.
1725 rpm is the way to go, and throwing a little height shim inside the frame tube will help it track a little tighter and better, particularly after your power stropping belt stretches out a bit!
When someone wants to know what grinder to get for like $150 or less, I steer them to the Viel over any other 1x42 or 1x30 out there. The Craftsman 2x42 is the only other reasonable choice I'm aware of under $200.
 
Salem Straub said:
I have a Viel S5 that I've been using for 12 years, made a lot of knives with nothing but it! I still use it all the time for stuff, it sharpens every knife I make and sharpens big batches of knives for other people.
I don't feel 1/2 hp to be overkill. I ran mine for a little while with 1/3 hp, not great, especially for anything BUT sharpening. I had to bore out the drive wheel hub a bit so it would fit the larger shaft of the 1/2 motor I retrofit later- a machine shop could do it for you, probably $10-$20 if you make nice.
1725 rpm is the way to go, and throwing a little height shim inside the frame tube will help it track a little tighter and better, particularly after your power stropping belt stretches out a bit!
When someone wants to know what grinder to get for like $150 or less, I steer them to the Viel over any other 1x42 or 1x30 out there. The Craftsman 2x42 is the only other reasonable choice I'm aware of under $200.
Click to expand...
I'm curious, what could your grinder not do or not do well with the 1/3 HP that it can now do or do better with the 1/2 HP motor? Never having had anything other than the 1/4 HP motor on mine maybe there is something I am missing out on. My observation thus far is that even with my shim under the spring to increase tension, the belt is going to slip on the drive wheel or slide sideways on the tracking wheel if I apply too much pressure to the grind before the motor is going to have a chance to complain.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
whatever you get better make sure it's a TEFC (totally enclosed fan cooled) motor... which the harbor freight ones aren't. I would definitely get 1/2-3/4 hp motor for it for grinding knives. I had a 1/3 on my 2x42 craftsman way back when, and I had to start it by hand to get it going lol. You could easily bog it down grinding knives w/ any pressure...
 
Lanternnate, for grinding bevels or general flattening of things the 1/2 hp worked a lot better. Honestly I don't think I've ever seen a belt slip on my drive wheel, perhaps you either need more of a shim under the tension post or your motor is actually bogging down? Definitely tracking on these is not the best, under a real load.
 
I'll have to try a bigger shim to see if I can get rid of the slip. Of course it sounds like then I might find out my motor is inadequate :'( I still would say the 1/4-1/3 is sufficient if all you plan to do is sharpen and not be grinding bevels etc. Right now I do use mine to do that (apparently not as well as it could) with the intention that in the future it becomes a sharpening only device and is replaced by a true 2" grinder.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
I agree, if sharpening only, probably even 1/4 hp would get you by. Certainly, if you are using sharp belts!
 
Hi everyone. My sharpening plans got put on hold for almost a year, but last weekend I got lucky and found a used Viel belt sander with a 1/4hp motor at a garage sale. It looks like an older one and the table doesn't have the groove to accept sliding jigs. It also has an extra wheel at the back. I'm guessing this was a modification done by the previous owner, unless they used to make them like that. It seems to work all right and the belt tracking seems okay, but the two tracking screws on the vertical column are missing and there are a couple metal shims wedged into the column instead.

Should I consider making any changes or upgrades to this machine? I'd like to restore the bevels on some chisels and plane irons and was thinking about getting the Viel chisel holder, but that would also require a new table with the sliding groove. Would a new table offer any other benefits?

Here'a few pics.

GIaLmpI.jpg


QRgRGL3.jpg


QPiEG4m.jpg


upmHZNN.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top