I hope this fits in the W.I.P category since it is a knife making related machine. I wanted to add a disc grinder to my shop. I built my own belt grinder a few years ago and that was a fun project. A disc grinder looked a lot simpler so I started gathering parts. I looked at what was offered to buy as complete units and used bits and pieces of designs from different models. The Nielson disc system is an awesome idea so I incorporated that into my machine. I also used a few features of the Beaumont grinder as well. I worked on this project off and on for the last few months, but I documented the build along the way. So here goes! The material I used was 6061 Aluminum and 1018 cold roll.
Let’s start with the base. It is .500” thick aluminum.
Here are a few shots of squaring up the base plate.
![z 1080.jpg z 1080.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33538-abc9bdb56bd2e9fcc5edb6becc8080d3.jpg)
![z 1079.jpg z 1079.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33539-34b25510f27b5aaf970b83fcce2d4dbb.jpg)
Now the edges are square and the plate is sized. It is time to drill and tap some holes.
![z 1041.jpg z 1041.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33540-1a86941235f7222819e10e98eab2fbf3.jpg)
![z 1039.jpg z 1039.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33541-1b90251e5b178fa62d80d19869522448.jpg)
I didn’t take any pictures of the machining, but this is the riser block that the motor sits on.
![z 1040.jpg z 1040.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33542-42187af606ecd23f830cc0301b8aeadf.jpg)
Next will be the clamp arm posts that will hold the work rest. They are 2” square 1018 cold roll. I machined them in pairs so they are identical and everything will stay square.
![z 1071.jpg z 1071.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33543-8eb41e75d77b8e8e81c30985b811b421.jpg)
![z 1069.jpg z 1069.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33544-dfe57bd9ea5671f53648af9190c48a34.jpg)
![z 1066.jpg z 1066.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33545-f827b9388532282d42d85662286e4ad9.jpg)
I decided to surface grind the clamp arm posts. These will be black oxide coated.
![z 1045.jpg z 1045.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33546-7ae3cbbf0730a0e69176f50fd4e951d7.jpg)
Let’s start with the base. It is .500” thick aluminum.
Here are a few shots of squaring up the base plate.
![z 1080.jpg z 1080.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33538-abc9bdb56bd2e9fcc5edb6becc8080d3.jpg)
![z 1079.jpg z 1079.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33539-34b25510f27b5aaf970b83fcce2d4dbb.jpg)
Now the edges are square and the plate is sized. It is time to drill and tap some holes.
![z 1041.jpg z 1041.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33540-1a86941235f7222819e10e98eab2fbf3.jpg)
![z 1039.jpg z 1039.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33541-1b90251e5b178fa62d80d19869522448.jpg)
I didn’t take any pictures of the machining, but this is the riser block that the motor sits on.
![z 1040.jpg z 1040.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33542-42187af606ecd23f830cc0301b8aeadf.jpg)
Next will be the clamp arm posts that will hold the work rest. They are 2” square 1018 cold roll. I machined them in pairs so they are identical and everything will stay square.
![z 1071.jpg z 1071.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33543-8eb41e75d77b8e8e81c30985b811b421.jpg)
![z 1069.jpg z 1069.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33544-dfe57bd9ea5671f53648af9190c48a34.jpg)
![z 1066.jpg z 1066.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33545-f827b9388532282d42d85662286e4ad9.jpg)
I decided to surface grind the clamp arm posts. These will be black oxide coated.
![z 1045.jpg z 1045.jpg](https://knifedogs.com/data/attachments/33/33546-7ae3cbbf0730a0e69176f50fd4e951d7.jpg)
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