Question for Grizzly owners

I have to admit I have a grizzly I have not hollow ground yet all of mine have been flat grind but this was the grinder that I could afford. So far for me it has done a good job, my knives are not super quality though. I will eventually buy me a varible speed, I do believe that after you start making knives it will become an asset. But to get started I was told get something and get started
 
As your skills improve,..and you decide you DO plan to continue this as a hobby or even aspire to sell on a regular basis, ...THEN begin to spend the bucks and invest in a bigger, better set of equipment.
Traces NWG is not only a lesser cost alternative to the KMG, it pays for itself in other ways,..some as simple as sharpening the mower blades, shovel, ax, hoe, garden tools, etc on the slack belt setup,..things which were drudgery with a file before.
Get together with someone as local as you can find, who makes knives the way YOU want to learn to, and do the basic internship - coffee and or lunch, get to know them some,.. and when you get in their shop,..take pix of the setups and tool ideas you like and hadnt thought of.
Buy a 3 ring binder or 3,and go through every forum 'How To" section and print out the things you find interesting - now you have a library of knifemaking whenever you choose to read it.
ASK QUESTIONS on this site ,dont be embarrassed to say you dont know,or cant figure it out.
Doesnt matter if it seems silly to you to ask ,.. we ALL started off at the same place- we didnt know until we did it,or someone told us how.
Hope you enjoy the new hobby, and good luck to you.
**And as always MASK UP!!, good comfortable mask w/filters (not that cotton painters mask) should be your first purchase- that wheezing sound at 60yrs old isnt cool.
 
here's my grinder..they are not that hard to build.I would build one or buy the frame kit from tracy. before i bought a grizzly.
g1_003600_x_451.jpg
 
Jeff Pearce said:
here's my grinder..they are not that hard to build.I would build one or buy the frame kit from tracy. before i bought a grizzly.
g1_003600_x_451.jpg
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Thats it Jeff, rub it in a little harder:D

I will build me an NWG soon brother...I hopecool 1

Love your grinder bud2thumbs

C
 
I picked up a Griz grinder as part of a can't-say-no too-good-to-be-true deal at IG's a couple summers back. I've been glad to have it. It's setup at my high school metal shop at the moment.

I met a fella at IG's that told me how he seperated out the motor on his Griz and made it variable speed with steps. He used a pair arbor bearings and a shaft for each side. He can drive either side independently or concurrently at various speeds depending on which pulleys he belts (or doesn't). It sounded pretty cool. He also cut the edge of the base (under the contact wheel) and rewelded it at 90 degrees downward over the edge of his bench. This way he was able to move the grinder to hang past the edge of his bench and get the grindings crap to land in a tray beneath that he mounted on a shelf so he could also dip his blade into it to cool as he ground.

How's that for retro fitting?! He sure made a silk purse out of a pigs ear (or how ever that saying goes)!
 
That sounds like a good rig buddy. I am probably still going to pick one up down the road for the hell of it. I am sure a used one will pop up for next to nothing and I can always use the buffer, plus a good looking green machine at that....lol

I finally bought me a Coote, should be here Thurs. Just need my motor and a couple 3 steps from T and I am grindin2thumbs No more 2x42" insanity, although she still kept me grinding though!

Farmer Phil said:
I picked up a Griz grinder as part of a can't-say-no too-good-to-be-true deal at IG's a couple summers back. I've been glad to have it. It's setup at my high school metal shop at the moment.

I met a fella at IG's that told me how he seperated out the motor on his Griz and made it variable speed with steps. He used a pair arbor bearings and a shaft for each side. He can drive either side independently or concurrently at various speeds depending on which pulleys he belts (or doesn't). It sounded pretty cool. He also cut the edge of the base (under the contact wheel) and rewelded it at 90 degrees downward over the edge of his bench. This way he was able to move the grinder to hang past the edge of his bench and get the grindings crap to land in a tray beneath that he mounted on a shelf so he could also dip his blade into it to cool as he ground.

How's that for retro fitting?! He sure made a silk purse out of a pigs ear (or how ever that saying goes)!
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Don't waste your time looking for a good deal on a Bader. Anyone who has one isn't selling it or if he is he knows what it is worth and wants that much.
The only way you are going to find a good deal on one is:
1. His wife got it in the divorce settlement and is selling it cheap just to make him cry, or,
2. He died and his wife is selling if for what he told her that he had paid for it.
 
2thumbs Will have to keep this in my fav quotes folders....hehe

Got your email pardner, might still drive down to see you down the road a bit. For now the Coote will be keeping me on track until then:D

Wayne Coe said:
Don't waste your time looking for a good deal on a Bader. Anyone who has one isn't selling it or if he is he knows what it is worth and wants that much.
The only way you are going to find a good deal on one is:
1. His wife got it in the divorce settlement and is selling it cheap just to make him cry, or,
2. He died and his wife is selling if for what he told her that he had paid for it.
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I love my grizzly. I was strapped for cash when I started. If I did it again. I would go with a Grizzly. In the year that since I have bought not once have I wished I had another machine. As for Hollow grounds. I love it. About be too fast? I like to remove metal and I don't want to waste time doing it. Don't get me wrong. I love be in shop But I don't want to spend all day grinding a blade. If it is cutting too fast reduce the grit. On hollow ground blade I find 80 Grit works best for me.
 
I have a Grizz that is a little over 17 years old, but I also have a KMG Vari speed, and soon hope to have a Rob Frink Vari speed disc.

For a plug and play grinder for the beginner the price is right. I have made over 200+ knives and knife shaped objects with the Griz. Is it my most used? NO the vari speed on the KMG just makes it soooooo much nicer. Do I use the Griz? YES it is my rough out grinder. I profile, and rough grind almost all my blades on it. I will say that I flat grind, so I cannot speak for hollow grinding on it.

For me its a level thing. Once my skill level grew where I could appreciate the difference, I had to have a KMG, and I have no regrets!

But for a first grinder, Its not bad.

Buy the best you can afford, and learn how to use it to its full potential.

I would highly recommend a ceramic platen liner for the Griz if you go that way!!

Hope this helps!

God Bless
Mike
 
Diamond G Knives said:
.....for a first grinder, Its not bad.

Buy the best you can afford, and learn how to use it to its full potential.

I would highly recommend a ceramic platen liner for the Griz if you go that way!!
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I agree with Mike on all of the above. I definitely learned how to stay focused when hollow grinding on the Griz. My buddy Spencer calls it, "grinding at mach 5 with your hair on fire.":eek:

I got my Grizzly at a good price. Were I faced with buying a new Griz at regular price or getting NWG, I would go with the NWG. I built one summer before last and being able to vary the speed is definitely a plus. Now that I have a KMG I'm in hog heaven. I use my Grizzly for hogging profiles. I'll be setting my NWG up to mostly use with my small wheel attachment, and the KMG for everything else.
 
Scored James,

Will send some pics your way tomorrow buddy.

Everyone else that has replied I appreciate your info on the Grizzly. I agree not a bad machine at all.....but I had to go with the Coote.

Thanks all,

Chris

jawilliams0425 said:
Well Chris did ya get it yet? Come on Pics please.
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Please post your opinions on the Coote. Ive heard of it, but never talked to anyone that uses one. Are they in the same price range as the Griz? You have to remember when I bought my Griz it was $325 including shipping to Arkansas!

I like to stay up on all levels of grinders. Have several "aspiring" knife makers in my area!

God Bless
Mike
 
I almost bought the Coote, but built a NWG and love it. The coote is more expensive than the Griz as you provide the motor. It can be set up with pulleys where the Griz cannot without a lot of modifications. I have griz also and still use it for some things.
 
Diamond G Knives said:
Please post your opinions on the Coote. Ive heard of it, but never talked to anyone that uses one. Are they in the same price range as the Griz? You have to remember when I bought my Griz it was $325 including shipping to Arkansas!

I like to stay up on all levels of grinders. Have several "aspiring" knife makers in my area!

God Bless
Mike
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hello Diamond


I really think you would be better served with the NWG plans...

Diamond

like that name

once worked with a stripper named diamond
 
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