# New tool time!



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I actually wasnt sure where to put this. Its a new tool, but at the same time, i built it, so project showcase it is! Anyway, ladies, gentlemen, bob, allow me to present FrankenGrinder:










...wait, crap, wrong picture. Anyway, FrankenGrinder!


















Made from the finest scraps of 3/4 plywood, 1/2 mdf and various hardware leftover from projects past, powered by a 2hp DC motor, er, lets say liberated from a treadmill, she uses a 2x72 sanding belt to rip through steel at belt speeds ranging from 0-4000 sfpm. She pairs pretty nicely with the mini-forge I made last week and the electric heat-treat oven i plan on building next week. Finally time for me to start making knives again!

For anybody curious, i got the plans here:
http://www.ibuildit.ca/Workshop Projects/belt-grinder-1.html

Theres a lot of plans out there for making a KMG style belt grinder from metal, but like most woodworkers, im not exactly set up to work for metal. Mr Heiz's plans are entirely wood and easily sourced hardware, so they were pretty easy to knock together


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You know, if you had allowed the space on under the belt it could have been a little stroke sander too. I like it.


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

WOW!! That looks Wonderful!!!


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I like it. When I finish my bowl lathe a sander is next on the list. Is there any reason it has 4 wheels? How well does the tracking work?


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## MEP1 (Aug 14, 2015)

I've wondered myself if I could use the set of metal English wheel dies from Harbor Freight for a homemade sander like that.


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## was2ndlast (Apr 11, 2014)

It's alive bwahahaha....


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

hwebb99 said:


> I like it. When I finish my bowl lathe a sander is next on the list. Is there any reason it has 4 wheels? How well does the tracking work?


The platen attached to the arm is actually removable, the arm actually takes whatever attachments I care to add, I.e contact wheels and the like, so its not limited to having 2. As far as why it has more than 2 wheels, I'm not entirely sure but I believe its to improve tracking at high speeds, so that when you're grinding metal the belt has less chance of walking of the belt due to there being more wheels to guid it. I dunno. 

As far as tracking goes, its really pretty good. Both the drive wheel and the idler wheel have a pretty good crown on them, so the belt likes staying centered on them anyway, and the tracking adjustment on the idler wheel do a pretty good job of keeping it centered on the platen. I fed some steel into the belt at 4000rpm, and the belt stayed centered. 

As a last note, what were you wanting to build your sander for? If you're thinking woodworking, this isn't the machine for you. This ones meant to grind steel into shape, and while yes, you could shape wood no problem, you'd be severely limiting yourself with the 2 inch wide belt. I'd recommend building an edge sander. A while back shopnotes had plans for a 6 bhpy something or other edge sander, you might check those out 



MEP1 said:


> I've wondered myself if I could use the set of metal English wheel dies from Harbor Freight for a homemade sander like that.


I hadn't thought of that, but looking at the kit I wouldn't recommend it. The wheels are all crowned, so they wouldn't work for contact wheels. The drive wheel is fixed to the shaft, so you couldn't really use one of those for that either, which leaves the idler wheel. One of those might work for the idler, but I really really doubt that the bearings are rated high to a high enough speed



was2ndlast said:


> It's alive bwahahaha....


Yeah, I couldn't resist


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

An edge sander is more what I had in mind, but it is really the same concept.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

*Its only been... crap, that long?*

I keep forgetting to come back and update this thread... Oopsie!

Okay, i did have to make a couple tweaks to the original build. The first one was the platen. Originally, it was plywood, but that was less than idea. Turns out, at 4000sfpm, plywood is flammable. As you can imagine, having a platen smoldering a crater in the center isnt exactly conducive to getting a decent grind line, so that had to be rebuilt. I ended up taking a glass tile, getting it cut down to size and getting creative with some epoxy to affix it to the new platen attachment:









And yes, i did say new platen attachment, not just new platen. At the start i was getting more vibration than i wouldve liked, so i took some sandpaper and worked more on getting the platen wheels true and square to the body. Problem was, as i found out, the axle for the wheels wasnt square to the body, and i ended up with a cone shaped wheel. Anyway, a quick trip to the drill press revealed my table slipped out of square. Much cursing later, i completely rebuilt the platen attachment, as well as the tracking wheel mount. 

The tracking wheel mount i had to redo because i wasnt careful enough drilling and aligning all the holes, so the wheels axle wasnt square, leading to the wheels rotation axis not being parallel to the belts axis of travel. Bad, in other words. Instead of futzing with the old one, it was easier to build a new one. I took the opportunity to replace the iffy butt hinges with some slightly more solid piano hinge. 

Shes running like a champ now. Theres still a little vibration present, but its livable. Between rebuilding half the wheels and buying fancy new computer balanced pulleys from grizzy for the motor (http://www.grizzly.com/products/Single-V-Groove-Pulley-4-Pitch-Dia-5-8-Bore/G5429), it cuts it down to almost nothing. If i really cared about the rest of the vibration id go for better bearings and shafting material, but honestly, the pulleys were the best investment i couldve made. Seriously, $12 for machined, balanced cast iron vs $20 for cast zinc at my local ace. I bloody love grizzly. Anyway, machine runs like a champ. Ive already used it to grind down a few smaller knives, and its awesome. Id attach a picture if i could, but unfortunately the one i want to show off doesnt really agree with my camera:









Ill end this long-winded post with a pair of cautionary tales. First off, never try to buy a v-belt from an O'Reileys. Went in to my local one looking for a belt to fit the new pulleys. Handed the old belt i was using, which was a 2l, and told the kid "okay, i need a belt this size, but in a 4l width". Nothing too complicated, right? He disappears into the back, comes back 10 minutes later and proudly hands me a 3l belt. I tell him "mate, this is a 3l. I need a 4l". He tells me "well, how wide a belt do you need?" "...4l mate. I need a 4l." "I dont think we have any of those, the next size up it about this big". The conversation paused there as he held his fingers about 3/4 of an inch apart. Im loosing my patience at this point, so i tell him "look, just go into the back, and look for a package that says 4l2440, thats what i need" "thats what i handed you" "...no, you handed me a package that said 3L2440. Try again."

That went on for about a half hour before the kid finally came back with a 4l belt. Youd think that someone working an automotive store would know what a bloody v belt would look like. Anyway, on to the second cautionary tale; dont store tools next to vibrating belt-driven machinery. I was grinding away at high speed one night, when all of a sudden i hear a bang, and something went whizzing past my ear and pinged off the brick wall behind me. I kill the motor and looked around and found this:









That was the blade out of my block plane. I had been using it as a scraper to true of the wheels and stupidly left it sitting by the grinder, where it vibrated and bounced its way onto the spinning belt, where it got sucked between the drive wheel and belt and bent like a bloody banana. Ill say it again, DONT LEAVE ANYTHING WHERE IT COULD CONTACT THE BELT, IT WILL BECOME A PROJECTILE FASTER THAN YOU CAN BLINK.

Catch that? Good, i didnt the first time, dont make my mistake


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## Belg (Oct 2, 2011)

I guess thats why manufacturers put guards on everything. Glad your ok and a HUGE lesson learned.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Man, that is one good looking knife, cool machine also. That plane blade could have been very bad news had it made contact. Glad it missed you.


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

Every once in a great while I get to work with guys like you. :yes:



Its kind of like going to school. :thumbsup:


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

OnealWoodworking said:


> Every once in a great while I get to work with guys like you. :yes:
> 
> Its kind of like going to school. :thumbsup:


Cant take full credit for the grinder unfortunately, that goes to Mr Heisz. He really did a good job putting the plans together. I did make a few improvements, but its really his work for the most part. Make sure to check out his site, its quite something!

http://www.ibuildit.ca/



BigJim said:


> Glad it missed you.


You and me both mate, you and me both...


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

The planer blade don't look too bad to me. 

Should be perfect for planning around (or inside) a curve now! :yes:

(sorry - couldn't resist)


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

OnealWoodworking said:


> The planer blade don't look too bad to me.
> 
> Should be perfect for planning around (or inside) a curve now! :yes:
> 
> (sorry - couldn't resist)


Well you're not wrong...


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