My Cheap Craftsman Belt Grinder

BrandonM

BrandonM

Well-Known Member
I wanted to share what I use for a belt grinder. It's a Craftsman 2X42. I made a few simple mods to enhance it's greatness. I didn't have the money to buy a nice grinder, and still don't, but I didn't want to wait on making knives either. I know I'm not the first to use the Craftsman. I just wanted to share my experience with it.


I had to cut one side of the work table off to make changing belts quick and easy, otherwise you have to remove the table to change a belt.


I used 4 magnets I had laying around and a scrap piece of angle iron to make a magnetic holding device to clean my flats up with. This actually works really well, and cost me nothing.


I epoxied on a $1.50 piece of tile for a backer to my platen. This is throwing my grinds off. I'll have to practice with it to regain my control and feel.


What's that you say? You need variable speed you say? Agreed! This Macgyver maneuver gives me 3 total speeds. I use this for sharpening with a clamp on the trigger. I had the drill and didn't use the 6" disk grinder that came with the Craftsman. Where there's a will there's a way.
 
Don't let a lack of funds keep you from making knives. A KMG or similar would be great to start with if you can swing it. If not IMPROVISE!

Here is an example of my most recent work done on this sad little Craftsman.

 
Nailed it. Nice mods - there's nothing else to say. You've got it down and with some further tools and experience you'll go as far as you want. I lopped the return off the right side of my KMG table for the same reason recently and it's guaranteed saved the time spent on the mod and then some in just a couple of weeks.
 
I have a craftsman I bought back in 2000, I'm going to replace it with a real grinder when it dies, but it refuses to die....(it is starting to sound odd, that time might be growing close). Mine is the older 3-wheeled version with a larger disc that I'm not sure I could live without, I use the disc a bunch. I ditched the work rest, don't know what has become of it... Made a better platen for it, need to make a new one and I might go with the ceramic idea this time.

It would be a better grinder if there was some way to slow it down a bit.
 
Way to go Brandon !!! The first blades I ground on a belt sander that was 3 X 16" that was held in a vise belt up. The switch was tied in an on position. I stopped and started the sander by pulling the plug from the wall or plugging it in. Frank
 
Pretty impressive, Brandon. I fully respect anyone who can improvise and turn out a great product. Well played, sir!
 
I am actually using a HF 1 x 30 right now and have been thinking about "upgrading" to the Craftsman. Trying to decide on that as a next step or waiting on a build when I have more funds (may do both). I'd like to find 1 of the older ones with the 1/2 hp motor, I have been a little leery of the 1/3 hp motor on the new ones.
 
Good job. The craftsman can make good knives just like any other grinder, you just have to get use to it.

Eddie - if you can wait and save for a more powerful grinder, thats what I would do. But like you saw, you can make knives with a craftsman...
 
Looks very good. The simple tool you made using other simple tools will do 99% of what the finest knife in the world will do. You are well within the envelope of diminishing return. Always refreshing to see the results of low tech and relatively high skill.
 
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