What is given up on a 2x48 vs a 2x72 grinder?

Bühlmann

Bühlmann

North Lake Forge
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Messages
475
So another thread on here got me sniffin' around a bit at grinder upgrades. I'm pretty cherry, and use a cheap Norse 2x42" grinder that I mod'd a bit to make more user-friendly, but the speed is a real challenge to work around sometimes.....well most times, actually. I know a 2x72" is the gold standard, but I came across the new Kamimura 2x48 from Ameribrade that they are offering with a 1hp VFD and some really sweet features at about a $1200 price point. So this has me thinking a bit about where my skills are and what my intentions are and whether or not this may be a good enough answer for a hobbiest, or would the wiser money be on a spending a little more for the 2x72. Keeping in mind that this is not my livelihood and likely will not be, what exactly would the shortcomings be of the smaller grinder with similar features?
 
I like my 2 x 42 belt grinder . With 1.5 hp 3 phase motor and 3 speed 10 , 20 and 40 m/s will do anything i want .I have also 50 x 1500 belt grinder , 2hp motor and about 23 m/s belt speed .To be honest i can t find any difference in grinding ........
my small beast
gPf7bvC.jpg
 
Speaking as someone who doesn't make nearly as many knives as tools, not much unless you need the length, and then a lot. I use a 2x48 grinder, FTR, and with an 8" contact wheel and not much platen.

I've got my eye on a 16" contract wheel grinder and that's definitely one case where 2x48 isn't going to cut it as my math suggests that the contact wheel has more circumference than the belt length.

if you want a run of slack belt and a big long platen, though, I'd probably spring for the extra length. More options for changing contact wheels or idlers, too - just more room to work. I gather belt cost is about proportional to length.
 
I agree, a 2X48 will work just fine "IF" you can find it cheap. Much less selection of belts.

Add another $200 or so to that $1200 and you can purchase a Reeder with 2hp motor and a Chinese VFD (which is no real handicap).
 
D-weaver said:
Speaking as someone who doesn't make nearly as many knives as tools, not much unless you need the length, and then a lot. I use a 2x48 grinder, FTR, and with an 8" contact wheel and not much platen.

I've got my eye on a 16" contract wheel grinder and that's definitely one case where 2x48 isn't going to cut it as my math suggests that the contact wheel has more circumference than the belt length.

if you want a run of slack belt and a big long platen, though, I'd probably spring for the extra length. More options for changing contact wheels or idlers, too - just more room to work. I gather belt cost is about proportional to length.
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This just has me imagining someone putting a belt on a big contact wheel, and that's it. 🤣 idk why that image is so funny to me.
 
I've got an ausi made 84 engineering 2x48. Honestly, it's a pretty capable machine. The only real down side is the shorter platen for grinding distal on longer knives, or thinning stock


Mine is sweet to slack belt with, and modular so easy to make or find tooling arms for it.

Plenty of belt availibility as well (at least here in nz)

I'm not in any hurry to replace it
 
Blankblank said:
This just has me imagining someone putting a belt on a big contact wheel, and that's it. 🤣 idk why that image is so funny to me.
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I was thinking the same thing. Not because I think it would work, but because I'm sure someone has not just put a belt on a contact wheel at some point, but probably glued one on with contact cement.

drive wheel and idling contact wheel seems a whole lot smarter with the ability to track. Would hate to have a 16" wheel catch something or come apart in a shop, though. It would run all over the place until something stopped it. The radius platen sounds safer, as mentioned above. I thought about doing that on my B/G attachment as the tension is sprung and it would allow it, but I'm not making knives and would really rather have a large wheel.


This is the unrealistic dream I mentioned - a huge wet silicon carbide wheel.
 
D-weaver said:
I was thinking the same thing. Not because I think it would work, but because I'm sure someone has not just put a belt on a contact wheel at some point, but probably glued one on with contact cement.

drive wheel and idling contact wheel seems a whole lot smarter with the ability to track. Would hate to have a 16" wheel catch something or come apart in a shop, though. It would run all over the place until something stopped it. The radius platen sounds safer, as mentioned above. I thought about doing that on my B/G attachment as the tension is sprung and it would allow it, but I'm not making knives and would really rather have a large wheel.


This is the unrealistic dream I mentioned - a huge wet silicon carbide wheel.
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You want big wheel ? This is big wheel :)
w2eZ0mf.jpg
 
that one must be silica - an absolute man killer.

Not that a 24" silicon carbide wheel at high speed wouldn't maim someone, too.
 
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