Which is the better setup for a chassis belt sander? I will be running the setup non direct drive for now using pulleys. Yes, I know VS is nicer as is direct drive, but I just didn't use many speeds when I had the VS. I was usually running 10-25% speed around 80% of the time (handle work and grinding hardened blades after HT), the other times I would go up to 50% speed for coarse hogging work (blanking out blades and roughing handles). I may upgrade down the road to VS and direct drive, but I need to upgrade from my current 2x36 franken handle grinder first. I am currently using a 1725 RPM motor stepped down to around half speed for handles and blade thinning/convexing duties and that speed is working pretty well for me. Most of what I do is handle making and kydex sheath/holster, but I am running a 1x30, 4x36 and 2x36, and it's a pain having different size belts and I would like to be able to make my own blades instead of relying on premade blanks.
I am thinking of the AmeriBrade FastBack with the 6" combo platen, replace the 2" alum. wheel on the Combo Platen with a 2" rubber wheel and a small wheel arm setup with a 3/4" steel small wheel and their tool rest. I don't do much hollow grinding, so getting the Combo Platen and small wheel setup would pretty much cover all I need to do. The reviews I have seen have been very good and people seem to really like the tracking setup, too. Total is around $700 with shipping (as long as I can swap out the aluminum platen wheel for a rubber contact wheel, there is only $2 difference between the 2).
The others are a 1.5" sq arm setup. Any difference between OBM/Diktator set up quality wise? Kadmarsk seems to be a step up from OBM/Diktator quality wise, but with a 3-4 month wait. Pricing them out with Chassis, Drive wheel, 6" contact wheel/arm, small wheel setup and 1 wheel and a flat platen with 2" rubber contact wheel runs around $1000 shipped.
I am thinking of the AmeriBrade FastBack with the 6" combo platen, replace the 2" alum. wheel on the Combo Platen with a 2" rubber wheel and a small wheel arm setup with a 3/4" steel small wheel and their tool rest. I don't do much hollow grinding, so getting the Combo Platen and small wheel setup would pretty much cover all I need to do. The reviews I have seen have been very good and people seem to really like the tracking setup, too. Total is around $700 with shipping (as long as I can swap out the aluminum platen wheel for a rubber contact wheel, there is only $2 difference between the 2).
The others are a 1.5" sq arm setup. Any difference between OBM/Diktator set up quality wise? Kadmarsk seems to be a step up from OBM/Diktator quality wise, but with a 3-4 month wait. Pricing them out with Chassis, Drive wheel, 6" contact wheel/arm, small wheel setup and 1 wheel and a flat platen with 2" rubber contact wheel runs around $1000 shipped.