Sear 2”x42” belt sander
- Thread starter Sgp918
- Start date
James Terrio
Well-Known Member
Weird, another member messaged me this morning asking the same thing! I'll attach a pic of mine. All I really did was remove the guards and cut away part of the top guard for better access. I don't use the work table it comes with but that's entirely up to you.
By all means, get a glass platen liner from Tracy's retail outfit, I can't tell you how much better this works than the non-flat, quick-to-wear-out mild steel platen the 2x42 comes with. You just JB-Weld the platen liner onto the existing platen and adjust the platen back so it doesn't rub against the belt, it's easy. I lightly radiused the edges of the platen liner before mounting it, also easy. It grinds just like steel.
It's a far cry from a pro 2x72 grinder for sure, but for $100 or so (including ordering the platen liner) it will definitely get you going. I use mine a lot and have more than gotten my money's worth out of it. Beware, she's FAST and I don't like the disk sander part very much. Check Ebay (seller name: barbcat, possibly others) and other online suppliers for belts... the Craftsman brand ones at Sears suck and are actually more expensive. Have fun!
By all means, get a glass platen liner from Tracy's retail outfit, I can't tell you how much better this works than the non-flat, quick-to-wear-out mild steel platen the 2x42 comes with. You just JB-Weld the platen liner onto the existing platen and adjust the platen back so it doesn't rub against the belt, it's easy. I lightly radiused the edges of the platen liner before mounting it, also easy. It grinds just like steel.
It's a far cry from a pro 2x72 grinder for sure, but for $100 or so (including ordering the platen liner) it will definitely get you going. I use mine a lot and have more than gotten my money's worth out of it. Beware, she's FAST and I don't like the disk sander part very much. Check Ebay (seller name: barbcat, possibly others) and other online suppliers for belts... the Craftsman brand ones at Sears suck and are actually more expensive. Have fun!
Attachments
Last edited:
Travis Fry
Well-Known Member
I second everything James says. I used a tile wetsaw to cut a 2in wide strip of regular ceramic bathroomtile and glued it to the platen. It works great and was free. I also cut away part of the bottom of the guard to allow scotchbrite belts to pass but didn't do the top like him. I may have to try that... Both trugrit and supergrit have a wide selection of high quality belts. It ain't the best, but you can still make great knives with it.
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
hm...what about a nylon pad (think nylon washer material) instead of glass or tile?
Wouldn't the nylon be slick,and aid in reducing friction heat?
Also,you could shape the nylon for concave/hollow grinding?
I have a lil' 1" X 42" belt/disc unit that I've been lent,and told will work for small blades...
Wouldn't the nylon be slick,and aid in reducing friction heat?
Also,you could shape the nylon for concave/hollow grinding?
I have a lil' 1" X 42" belt/disc unit that I've been lent,and told will work for small blades...
Last edited:
James Terrio
Well-Known Member
I guess it depends how hard the nylon is, Ironwolf. The biggest problem* with the cheap steel platen is, it gets grooves and low spots worn in it, especially when profiling. This makes it really difficult to get a clean grind and only gets worse untill you finally quit beating your head against the wall and put a new liner on it. You could also just harden a piece of good blade steel and use that for a platen liner.
I've heard of people using 1" grinders, especially for shaping handles.
*also, it's not really flat to begin with, and is wider than 2" so you can't work up to the edge of the belt.
Travis, I like using the top idler as contact wheel for inside curves like the bottom of the handle and stuff. Be gentle though, it's just aluminum. The top guard was easy to cut away with a fiber cut-off wheel in a dremel. It's not pretty but it works
I've heard of people using 1" grinders, especially for shaping handles.
*also, it's not really flat to begin with, and is wider than 2" so you can't work up to the edge of the belt.
Travis, I like using the top idler as contact wheel for inside curves like the bottom of the handle and stuff. Be gentle though, it's just aluminum. The top guard was easy to cut away with a fiber cut-off wheel in a dremel. It's not pretty but it works
Last edited:
Travis Fry
Well-Known Member
James
I've been using to bottom contact wheel for hogging out tangs prior to tapering them, and I think the top one would be better for that. I haven't removed the cover because I'm concerned about extra flying sparks. What's your experience in that arena?
I've been using to bottom contact wheel for hogging out tangs prior to tapering them, and I think the top one would be better for that. I haven't removed the cover because I'm concerned about extra flying sparks. What's your experience in that arena?
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
James,I saw an article not long ago by Wayne Goddard,and he showed one of his "Under $50" grinders:he fashioned a removable platen 'insert' that mimics the curvature of a 10" (if I recall correctly) wheel for doing hollow grinds.
I figured that some nylon material is fairly tough,and slick,so might make a good alternative.
I figured that some nylon material is fairly tough,and slick,so might make a good alternative.
James Terrio
Well-Known Member
Travis I haven't noticed any problems with sparks. Sometimes a couple come around the top when you're really hogging, but no biggie. Most of them go straight down. Go for it! I wear a face-shield or safety glasses anyway, so honestly I never even thought about it till you asked. Get you a box fan and a couple furnace filters for right behind the grinder, that helps too. Or of course a proper dust collection system would be better but I'm cheap/broke
Ironwolf, I understand what you mean. Go for it! Something like you're describing could be replaced cheap and easy if it does get worn. Using it for bevels shouldn't wear it as fast as profiling does. You could even make a set, one flat, one convex and one concave, and do most of your profiling on the upper wheel.
You're right that low-friction is a good thing, for sure.
Ironwolf, I understand what you mean. Go for it! Something like you're describing could be replaced cheap and easy if it does get worn. Using it for bevels shouldn't wear it as fast as profiling does. You could even make a set, one flat, one convex and one concave, and do most of your profiling on the upper wheel.
You're right that low-friction is a good thing, for sure.
Last edited:
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
For doing convex grinds,wouldn't just a slack belt work better?
I'm visualizing a convex plate,and think the belt would simply ride on the high points of the back plate with maybe just a slight convex resulting.
(I've never used a belt grinder other than my Delta belt/disc sander for wood,
so I'm just going on what I've read about grinding blades).
What do you recommend for (1" X 42") belts?
I have some big old circular concrete cutting blades (high carbon steel) I'm going to cut big strips from,and start practising on...
I'm visualizing a convex plate,and think the belt would simply ride on the high points of the back plate with maybe just a slight convex resulting.
(I've never used a belt grinder other than my Delta belt/disc sander for wood,
so I'm just going on what I've read about grinding blades).
What do you recommend for (1" X 42") belts?
I have some big old circular concrete cutting blades (high carbon steel) I'm going to cut big strips from,and start practising on...
M
Mr. Bad Example
Guest
The glass on the platen seems to work well--wicked amount of static, though--ouch! I've wired an old computer power cable up as a ground strap to help. There is is some slack belt above the platen, if you need it. The disc part of the grinder seems to work OK for flattening wood. For under a "C" note, I'm pretty happy with it. My HF 1x30 is now only used for sharpening and with the leather belt.
James Terrio
Well-Known Member
The slack portion of the belt on the 2x42 does work well for making convex grinds. It's a little tricky because this grinder doesn't have fine adjustment for belt tension. You can kinda fiddle with being closer to the platen or upper idler to adjust how convex the grind will be, that's what I do.
I think a shaped platen would be more consistent; could be wrong, never tried it. I don't mind doing things kinda by feel and "calibrated eyeball"
I never owned or used a 1x42 but there seems to be a good variety of belts for them at places like tru-grit and supergrit.
Are the concrete-cutting blades a solid piece of steel, or cheaper steel with carbide tips on the teeth? If they're the same steel all the way thru, there's a fairly good chance you can make good blades from them. If they're carbide or diamond tipped, the main part of the saw blade is likely milder steel that won't hold an edge. Other guys may have some tips on determining what steel it is based on the manufacturer, etc. It's a topic that comes up pretty regularly.
Mr. Bad Example, I haven't noticed any static probs on mine, but it's the humid season here so maybe I'm just lucky. I'll watch out for that when winter comes (very dry up here in wintertime). Thanks for the heads-up!
I think a shaped platen would be more consistent; could be wrong, never tried it. I don't mind doing things kinda by feel and "calibrated eyeball"
I never owned or used a 1x42 but there seems to be a good variety of belts for them at places like tru-grit and supergrit.
Are the concrete-cutting blades a solid piece of steel, or cheaper steel with carbide tips on the teeth? If they're the same steel all the way thru, there's a fairly good chance you can make good blades from them. If they're carbide or diamond tipped, the main part of the saw blade is likely milder steel that won't hold an edge. Other guys may have some tips on determining what steel it is based on the manufacturer, etc. It's a topic that comes up pretty regularly.
Mr. Bad Example, I haven't noticed any static probs on mine, but it's the humid season here so maybe I'm just lucky. I'll watch out for that when winter comes (very dry up here in wintertime). Thanks for the heads-up!
Last edited:
Fletch Helical
Well-Known Member
If you go to the grocery store and buy a spray bottle of static guard and just hit the inside of the belt with it before you grind you'll eliminate a lot of that. Also I've found that using Fred's bubble jig you can get a really cool arc from the clamp to the metal part of the platen as you're grinding
. I've never got shocked since I started using it because the static will shoot between the clamp and the platen on my passes.James you can run a 1x42 belt on the Sears one.
M
Mr. Bad Example
Guest
If you go to the grocery store and buy a spray bottle of static guard and just hit the inside of the belt with it before you grind you'll eliminate a lot of that. Also I've found that using Fred's bubble jig you can get a really cool arc from the clamp to the metal part of the platen as you're grinding
That would probably work as well. I attached the ground wire of a computer power cord to a screw on the metal guard and plugged it in to my surge protector (broke off the hot and neutral terminals, leaving only the ground pin, just to be safe).