Where to get steel for this grinder?

[Scott.Rapp 0]

Hey! I'm looking to find places where I can buy the steel required to build this grinder. http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

 

Is there anyone out there that would have the stuff that they would be willing to sell to me? Or maybe someone knows a good place to go to get stuff like that? I'm kinda out in the middle of nowhere, so there really are no shops in my area.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Geoff Keyes 664]

Scott, I'm not saying that you shouldn't build your own grinder, but..... .

 

I'd look closely at the cost of materials, including shipping, plus the cost of machine shop time (yours or someone elses), plus your time. Even if your time frame is flexable, and you throw in your time, the final cost may be more than just buying the same machine from Beaumont.

 

As for steel suppliers, I think Admiral sells non-tool steels as well as stock for blade makers.

 

BTW, there is a thread here about this build, you'll want to have a look at that.

 

Grinder build

 

 

Just my .02

 

Geoff

[Scott.Rapp 0]

Scott, I'm not saying that you shouldn't build your own grinder, but..... .

 

I'd look closely at the cost of materials, including shipping, plus the cost of machine shop time (yours or someone elses), plus your time. Even if your time frame is flexable, and you throw in your time, the final cost may be more than just buying the same machine from Beaumont.

 

As for steel suppliers, I think Admiral sells non-tool steels as well as stock for blade makers.

 

BTW, there is a thread here about this build, you'll want to have a look at that.

 

Grinder build

 

 

Just my .02

 

Geoff

 

Hmm .. well ... I was trying to find a way to figure the cost of materials. I know I can get a decent motor on ebay pretty cheap, and I think the biggest cost would be the steel for it. I have a good bit of free time on my hands, being single. I don't mind putting a lot of time into building it, either. Doesn't really look like it would take more than a couple days if I had the part.

 

Add in that I'd only have about $500 to work with ... buying one from beaumont would save me a lot of time - but it would be double the price, if I can squeeze it out of $500 somehow.

 

I also just found this ... it looks like the minimal build (which I could get by with for now) would be about $300 ... give or take a little.

 

http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/index.p...products_id=723

 

Anyone have experience with this guy's build?

 

 

The reason I'm asking about a grinder like this ... well, as some of you know I got that 2x42 craftsman. Well, like you all said - it runs pretty fast, and hot, but it doesn't have any torque. I have a feeling I'm going to kill the thing soon though. It's having trouble starting once in awhile (just hums - no movement).

Edited August 6, 2008 by Scott.Rapp

[cwilliams 1]

I am in the middle of the Michael de Clerk grinder plans right now. It cost me about $95 for all the steel to build the grinder from a local steel shop. I spent all day Saturday with my bandsaw cutting the 3/4x6x34 stock to size and also the 1/4x6x24 to size also.

Next weekend I will fly cut all four sides of each piece to get them to the appropriate size and next drill and tap. I anticipate about a month of Sat to complete the build.

Do you plan to have the stock cut by the steelshop or are you doing it yourself.

Chris

 

PS www.surpluscenter.com had the 3/4 bearings for $8 if you want to save a few dollars.

Edited August 6, 2008 by cwilliams

[Ken Kelley 0]

Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife book has plenty of ideas for low cost grinders. One of his is built out of hardwood. They don't have to be fancy to work well. Tracy's grinder is a good machine too. I know of several people who have been very satisfied with the machine. I built my KMG clone about a year and a half ago and have been tickled to death with its capabilities. It was a chore but I enjoyed the building process. I didn't save a whole lot of money over buying a new one but the challenge was enjoyable. Whatever you decide to build will make you happy. Go for it.

 

K

[Scott.Rapp 0]

I am in the middle of the Michael de Clerk grinder plans right now. It cost me about $95 for all the steel to build the grinder from a local steel shop. I spent all day Saturday with my bandsaw cutting the 3/4x6x34 stock to size and also the 1/4x6x24 to size also.

Next weekend I will fly cut all four sides of each piece to get them to the appropriate size and next drill and tap. I anticipate about a month of Sat to complete the build.

Do you plan to have the stock cut by the steelshop or are you doing it yourself.

Chris

 

PS www.surpluscenter.com had the 3/4 bearings for $8 if you want to save a few dollars.

 

Hmm... maybe I should just buy one, eh? That's gonna take me awhile

 

Have to hope my little craftsman lasts long enough, hah

[matt venier 3]

Hey Scott

I finished my no weld grinder/sander a few months a go and I would say all together I spent under $500. I got a real good deal on a 1 1/2hp motor but the steel wasn't cheap. I would have order all the steel from usaknifemaker because his prices are real good but shipping made it more expensive than getting it local. As far as the grinder goes it's a BEAST compared to my 1/2hp jet multi tool and I would highly recommend the step pulleys to get different speeds, I've seen a huge improvement with my grinding by slowing the belts down when I don't need to hog out a lot of material. check out this thread I made when I finnished it if you want to have a look.

 

http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?sh...&hl=grinder

 

Matt

Edited August 6, 2008 by matt venier

[Scott.Rapp 0]

Hey Scott

I finished my no weld grinder/sander a few months a go and I would say all together I spent under $500. I got a real good deal on a 1 1/2hp motor but the steel wasn't cheap. I would have order all the steel from usaknifemaker because his prices are real good but shipping made it more expensive than getting it local. As far as the grinder goes it's a BEAST compared to my 1/2hp jet multi tool and I would highly recommend the step pulleys to get different speeds, I've seen a huge improvement with my grinding by slowing the belts down when I don't need to hog out a lot of material. check out this thread I made when I finnished it if you want to have a look.

 

http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?sh...&hl=grinder

 

Matt

 

Hey Matt, that looks awesome. Would you mind pointing out to me exactly what your ordered from sunray? I found them online - however, I'm still pretty stupid when it comes to what exactly I'm looking for in the wheels and what not... Thanks

[matt venier 3]

Hey Scott

I tried to find the invoice but it's disappeared. I'll try to remember everything but also if you order the plans it lists all the wheels you'd need. 3@ 4"X2" wide idler wheels with 1/2" bore, 1 @ 4"X2.25" wide drive wheel with 5/8" bore with keyway and set screw, and a 8"X2" wide 1/2"bore idler wheel that you don't see in the pictures for a big contact wheel. all the wheels are 70 durometer (hardness) and you'll have to adjust for the two bigger wheels on the flat platen attachment because the plans calls for 2" idler wheels( I used 4" because they were cheaper. also one of the 4" wheels I crowned for the tracking adjustment. I hope this helps and I think it took me maybe 10 to 15 hours to put it all together.

 

Matt

[Scott.Rapp 0]

Hey Scott

I tried to find the invoice but it's disappeared. I'll try to remember everything but also if you order the plans it lists all the wheels you'd need. 3@ 4"X2" wide idler wheels with 1/2" bore, 1 @ 4"X2.25" wide drive wheel with 5/8" bore with keyway and set screw, and a 8"X2" wide 1/2"bore idler wheel that you don't see in the pictures for a big contact wheel. all the wheels are 70 durometer (hardness) and you'll have to adjust for the two bigger wheels on the flat platen attachment because the plans calls for 2" idler wheels( I used 4" because they were cheaper. also one of the 4" wheels I crowned for the tracking adjustment. I hope this helps and I think it took me maybe 10 to 15 hours to put it all together.

 

Matt

 

That helps a lot! Thanks so much for your input.

 

Hmm - what do you mean by crowned, and how would I do that? Is there a benefit in using 4" wheels instead of 2" wheels for the platen?

 

Ok... this is starting to make sense to me. I'm finally seeing how this thing is built. Out of curiosity ... I was thinking about getting the 4 step drive wheels... I finally understand how they are done with the belt, but my question is ... if I made the base of the motor movable ... wouldn't I be able to put that belt on in any combination of the 2,3,4,5" sizes? That would yield a lot more than 5 speeds... wouldn't it?

Edited August 6, 2008 by Scott.Rapp

[Cadillac Forge 2]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=003

[matt venier 3]

Hey Scott

I put the wheel in a drill press and sanded the rubber more rounded than square( since I've heard this ins't the best thing to do to a drill press). you could do the movable motor mount thing but using the step wheels lined up you can have four different speeds without changing the belt length, once you start trying to use the pully's the way your talking you'd need different belts or a WHOLE lot of adjustment slack. I find that having three speeds works really well for me.

 

Matt

[B. Norris 13]

if I made the base of the motor movable ... wouldn't I be able to put that belt on in any combination of the 2,3,4,5" sizes?

 

If the motor was movable, it looks like you would have 16 speeds available using 2, 4 step pulleys. I once owned a machine with the motor mount (a piece of flat plate with holes to match the motor frame) welded to a piece of pipe along one edge, parallel to the shaft of the motor. The tube was mounted on a bar connected between the two back legs of the stand. Tension was kept on the belt by the weight of the motor. This type of setup would allow you to move the motor horizontally on the bar to line up different combinations of pulleys. A set screw in the tubing to hold the motor where you want it would not be a bad idea. I googled for pictures of this type of setup but, I couldn't find any.

 

~Bruce~

Edited August 7, 2008 by B. Norris

[Scott.Rapp 0]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=003

 

Thanks for that link. I'll look into it

[Cadillac Forge 2]

here's a link to some info on al may spaknives has one too if ya need any more info feel free to contact me and i will give ya my phone #

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47049

[Geoff Keyes 664]

Scott,

 

I checked the Beaumont site and they sell the bare frame for the grinder for about $600 plus shipping. That might be another way to go.

 

Geoff

[deker 40]

Find your local welding and fabrication shop and go pay them a visit. They will likely have what you need in stock and if you take them a list of sizes of what you need you can usually get stuff cut to size for a nominal fee. You're better off trying to source steel locally to save on shipping if you can. When I built mine (documented in the thread mentioned above) I spent about $125 on steel cut to size, but everything I got was much heavier than I needed. It probably would have been $85-90 if I had sized things appropriately.

 

As a side note, it's ALWAYS a good idea to make friends with your local welding/fab shop. they tedn to have things that are scrap to them that are gold to us as knifemakers. If you're a little flexible with your needs, you can get some GREAT deals on steel to make tools, etc. I got the parts for my quench tank, which is a 20" tall piece of 5" square tube with steel for a base and a lid for $12. The guys there always like to see projects I'm working on and you can get good advice from them on stuff sometimes.

 

Good luck with the grinder build!

 

-d