Wet grinding setup

kuraki

kuraki

Fimbulvetr Knifeworks
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Jun 17, 2016
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Reading the discussion on ceramic belts it seems more of you guys are wet grinding than I anticipated.

The new grinder I'm building is being powered by a Leeson wash guard motor, in anticipation of grinding wet in the future.

What kind of setup are you using? I assume you're not actually running your belt through a fluid bath but are dripping or misting fluid near your work piece? Are you using water or a metal working fluid like trimsol?

My plan was to use a little air mister like your find on a Bridgeport since they allow such great control on how much coolant is applied and it's rather portable if one wanted to move it from one machine to another.
 
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as long as you can control belt speed, keeping it simple seems to be the key. i use a paint brush, wet the belt, grind for 5 minutes or so, then wet the belt again. key is having the belt slow enough so the water stays on the belt not flung all over the shop and your face shield. i use tap water and have also tried mineral oil.
scott
 
because I work with laminated Hitachi steel, wet grinding is a must.

it might sound ridiculous but I just use a small bucket of water and throw the water onto the belt with my cupped hand.
Yes water goes flying around for 1-2 seconds and then settles on the belt.
I have a plastic tote on the floor to catch the water drip
I wear an apron and I'm not concerned about the water on my equipment.

It's not sophisticated or elegant but after much thought and trial, it's simply the fastest and most efficient way I've found.
Every other method I've seen or tried also has some other cost associated with it.
 
I use Kool mist concentrate in a 1 gallon empty windshield washing bottle hooked up to something similar to one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Air-Mist-Co...a118cf&pid=100338&rk=4&rkt=15&sd=111460485310

You need an air compressor with some decent capacity. a 2 gallon pancake compressor won't be enough.

I have an arm with two LED lights that goes above my grinder and I have the mister hooked up to that.

It is great. It's nice for me to be able to continue the grind to the tip without having to stop and cool the blank.

It really doesn't make a big mess IMO as it is just misting the belt.

Your gator belts won't like being wet though. Make sure the belts you use are ok working wet.


I had a simple 5 gallon bucket with a fishtank pump going to a paintbrush but I like my current one better. But as I mentioned you do need a decent air compressor for it.
 
Most use a Kool-mist or similar spray. You can make something very simple from a cheap submersible aquarium pump. A drip can with a needle valve also will work. I used to use an IV bottle and hose. Whatever method you use. it should be adjustable. The actual amount of water is very small. The drip/spray should be continuous while in use. A master/slave power switch like is used to turn on a shop vac when the table saw is turned on will make that automatic if you are using a pump.

There is usually a sponge or brush of some type to keep the water on the belt. The spray on the belt should be just up from the sponge.

A splash guard behind, below, and above the belt that catches and drains away the spray-off is a good idea.
 
I had planned to set up a cool mist system, but in the mean time I rigged up an IV drip to a sponge. The flow is controlled with a little plastic ball valve. It works so well, I have decided there is no need for a more elaborate system.

[video=youtube;FLB_Em9Mxjw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLB_Em9Mxjw[/video]
 
I go really ghetto on my kitchen knives and hold a hose with a sprayer in one hand and grind with the other. :D

I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than kitchen knives since they don't need a straight bevel line. I blend the taper all the way into the spine.
 
I wasn't a fan of the paintbrush one that i made prior to my Kool Mistknockoff so if you try the submersible pump thing maybe try a sponge first. Or that is what I would do if I was to try the pump method.
 
I use a Kool-Mist. Simple to setup and the output is adjustable.
 
NC Biker said:
I had planned to set up a cool mist system, but in the mean time I rigged up an IV drip to a sponge. The flow is controlled with a little plastic ball valve. It works so well, I have decided there is no need for a more elaborate system.

[video=youtube;FLB_Em9Mxjw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLB_Em9Mxjw[/video]
Click to expand...

haha, I had the exact same setup once :-)
 
How much care has to be taken with water management around the motor and VFD? I have a Northridge with the 27D/Leeson 2HP TEFC. I'd like to set up a wet or mist system as well. I don't want to create a hazard or burn up equipment.
 
Done properly, the wet system will increase humidity in the shop a lot, but not get everything nearby "wet". Good ventilation is a requirement. My wet grinder is down for rebuilding now, but in use it is used outside on a rolling cart.
 
Thanks for your reply Stacy. I will see what I can get set up. I'm near an open garage door in my workspace. I may have to investigate a rolling cart for my grinder as well.
 
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