KMG Grinder Direct Drive!

EdCaffreyMS

EdCaffreyMS

"The Montana Bladesmith"
It's not secret that I am a fan of the KMG grinders. I just received an email this morning, that Beaumont is now offering both a direct drive version of the Classic KMG grinder, AND a conversion kit to direct drive for existing KMG grinders!

https://beaumontmetalworks.com/product/kmg-direct-drive-upgrade/

https://beaumontmetalworks.com/product/variable-speed-kmg-dd/

FULL DISCLOSURE: I don't get a thing out of this. I just happen to believe that the KMG is the best band for the buck grinder on the market. It's certainly the most copied/plagiarized one! :)
 
I never understood why they hung onto that 3-pulley setup so long anyway. Direct drive is the ONLY way to go WITH a VFD of course. If budget isn't an option then the NEMA 4X enclosure, otherwise a cheap Chinese VFD that are so easy to setup. With filters over air inlets they last for many years. For $70 or so even if they only lasted 4 or 5 yrs would still be cheap.

The KMG has been a good basic grinder for many years. Let's face it, most other grinders got their starting design from the old KMG.
 
I bought a new KMG-TX as my first grinder a year ago. I could have gone with a cheaper grinder from someone else but I feel like I got the best grinder on the market and have no complaints about it. I wouldn't change if I had the option they made a lifelong customer out of me in 1 phone call.
 
Daniel Macina said:
Woah. They’re proud of that even for just the upgrade! At least they finally have a option though.
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I kinda thought the same thing. I changed my old KMG to direct drive a few years ago.... but I had all the materials in house, and the only thing I had to have done was the large hole for the motor.....my mill wasn't big enough to handle that job, but a friend did it for me..... and took a case of Diet Coke in payment! :)
Many times I have to remember that not everyone has all the tools/capabilities I have in my shops, but the change to direct drive is pretty simple and straight forward. For most that have an original KMG, the big cost is a new motor and controller (if they choose to go variable speed).
 
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I converted my grinder to direct drive when I upgraded to a VFD. It runs ten times smoother. Only way to go. Nice upgrade
 
What I really want from KMG is a conversion kit to make it go horizontal / vertical. A guy was making them several years ago and at the time I came across them $500 seemed like a lot of money for a want versus a need. I know that I can build this stuff cheaper than I can buy it, but I can make more money on knives in the time it would take to fab equipment. There's a lot of time that goes into sourcing parts, materials, and finally getting around to building it all.
 
Bruce McLeish said:
how about this?https://www.amazon.com/Resistant-Grilling-Fireproof-Designed-Barbecue-1/dp/B07PNHGPT6/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2J9H250VGPVCK&dchild=1&keywords=heat+proof+gloves&qid=1606425188&sprefix=heat+proof+gloves,aps,261&sr=8-8
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Funny story. My hands and fingers had all kinds of cuts and lacerations from a few days of grinding knives and getting bit by the edge of the belt more than anything. My wife saw my hands when I came in one night, and asked what in the world was going on. I said "I've been grindin' knives baby!" Well, apparently she was on the phone with my mom when she asked about my hands, and my mom thought she heard that I had been burning my fingers (not cutting them). So two days later a pair of gloves JUST like those showed up at my door step.

I normally wear L to XL gloves, and it takes a bit of effort to get these on. I will say that I have every bit of confidence that I could grab a hot piece of steel with them, though I'm not sure they quite have the dexterity I'd personally want for grinding with. I normally wouldn't wear gloves anyway, as they end up getting destroyed by my grinder, and when they get wet from dunking blades, they transfer the heat as bad (or worse) than if I didn't have any gloves on at all.
 
Two points worth mentioning on gloves. One, you can't feel heat building in a blade. If you grind hard, the time between "too warm, needs dipped" and "burnt edge" is not more than a few seconds. Second, and most importantly, gloves are grabby on belts. Yes, I tried it, yes it grabbed the finger tip and pulled it over the top of a blade and cut the end of the finger out. No blood though, gloves relegated to yard work.
 
John Wilson said:
What I really want from KMG is a conversion kit to make it go horizontal / vertical. A guy was making them several years ago and at the time I came across them $500 seemed like a lot of money for a want versus a need. I know that I can build this stuff cheaper than I can buy it, but I can make more money on knives in the time it would take to fab equipment. There's a lot of time that goes into sourcing parts, materials, and finally getting around to building it all.
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Dont know if it would work but Ameribrade makes a kit to go Vertical to Horizontal for $150. You would have to have a direct drive system though? Just a thought!!
 
Gliden07 said:
Dont know if it would work but Ameribrade makes a kit to go Vertical to Horizontal for $150. You would have to have a direct drive system though? Just a thought!!
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i may look into that, thanks! I saw one really cool adaptation for a kmg which puts the motor up on top of the drive shaft so that the motor pulley is directly above the shaft pulley. that solves the motor placement issue for flipping the kmg on its side.
 
Drew Riley said:
Funny story. My hands and fingers had all kinds of cuts and lacerations from a few days of grinding knives and getting bit by the edge of the belt more than anything. My wife saw my hands when I came in one night, and asked what in the world was going on. I said "I've been grindin' knives baby!" Well, apparently she was on the phone with my mom when she asked about my hands, and my mom thought she heard that I had been burning my fingers (not cutting them). So two days later a pair of gloves JUST like those showed up at my door step.

I normally wear L to XL gloves, and it takes a bit of effort to get these on. I will say that I have every bit of confidence that I could grab a hot piece of steel with them, though I'm not sure they quite have the dexterity I'd personally want for grinding with. I normally wouldn't wear gloves anyway, as they end up getting destroyed by my grinder, and when they get wet from dunking blades, they transfer the heat as bad (or worse) than if I didn't have any gloves on at all.
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There used to be a maker on here who was a regular. He went by Rhino Knives. He sold “Rhino Skins” which were basically the fingers from neoprene gloves. I bought a set. They worked great to be honest. You could feel the heat but it was very diminished and the skins being wet didn’t entirely negate their thermal insulation properties like it does on a wet welding glove. But about the time i chewed them up enough to warrant a new set I was a much better grinder and didn’t really need them anymore.
 
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