What grinder/ sander should i get?

I will agree with the 4x36 model, IMHO it is useless for anything except handle material.
 
Where in Ohio? I am going to be at Fred Rowe's in eastern central Ohio Saturday for a gathering. Check with Fred, he might give you an invite.
 
Pug, check the events board on Blade Forum for particulars. There will be a hammer-in in the Columbus area June 18-20 put on by Macabee Knives.

Doug Lester
 
The craftsman is maybee the best bang for the buck . If your a little more serious build your own and youll never regret it. If you dont like it youll never loose your money cuzz someone here would buy it.
 
here is what tracy says on his site....

Cost Projections Break Down:

Plans = $25

You will save $25 for the plans cost just by avoiding trial error that I went through building your own grinder.



Basic frame

Metal with connecting hardware for the frame and all attachments = $75

Misc ? knobs, bushings, etc = $25

Pillow Block Bearings 5/8? $12.50x2 = $25

Total Frame and all metal for attachments = $125 full plans build (no wheels)

Minimal build flat platen attachment only = $60

Note: Attachments include tool table rest, flat platen, slack belt, contact wheel arms. This is for new metal from the metal yard (scrap) yard. Most scrap yards will let you walk around and find metal they will charge you ?surplus? price which is less than a dollar a pound. Wheels for the platen and slack belt attachments are listed below. Save $15 by using bolts for knobs.





Wheels

8? contact wheel -$235 (smaller wheels cost less, bigger wheels cost more)

4ea 2?x2? idler wheels for a platen and slack belt attachment ($40ea) - $160

Power Drive Wheel 4? wheel 5/8? shaft bore w/keyway slot - $48

Tracking Wheel 3.5? x 2.5? with ?? bore with bearings - $53.00

Wheels total cost all attachments = $496

Wheels minimal with just a platen = $80

Note: These are high quality wheels from Beaumont Metals. Rob Frink allowed me to become a reseller for Beaumont Metals wheels. All wheels include the bearings. Initially this doesn?t sound like much but it is when you cost them out. Of course, you don?t have to build the entire grinder to begin with and the wheels are more than half the cost so you can really keep the price down if you just build a flat platen for $80 in wheels. If you find another source for wheels cheaper, let me know. I looked, I don?t think you will ? but I?m entitled to be wrong. I am also a dealer for Contact Rubber Corp and the retail of these contact wheels I have listed is less than my dealer cost from Contact Rubber Corp. To my knowledge, no one is selling idler, power drive or tracking wheels like these.



Power Train:

Motor 1.5hp - $160 new

$25 to $75 used.

Pulleys 3 step pair for $31

Power Twist Link Belt 2? $14

Switch, wire, connectors, tape, switch box - $15

Extension cord for a power cord - $10

Power Train with new motor = $230

Power Train used motor = $100

I bought a used rebuilt motor for $75 for one prototype by checking the local motor repair places. I made no effort beyond that. There are lot?s of motors out there and you should be able to find a used or pull for well under a hundred dollars. There is NO good reason to save $20 here to go with a single speed pulley setup when a 3 speed can be had using the triple pulley setup for $31.



Plans and full build, all the bells and whistles. Every thing new, all attachments and 3 speed pulley setup = $876

Plans and a minimal build, used motor, single attachment flat platen, tool table rest, frugal approach =$265 to $300
 
I use the Poly wheels that Tracy sells. Much cheaper than the rubber and I think just as good.
My modification uses only one 2" wheel and one 8" wheel, thereby saving more money for fewer wheels but still with all of the bells and whistles. See my Build A Belt Grinder thread under the For Sale Forum posted on January 20, 2010. Click on the Build a Belt Grinder Brochure.
 
Hey Pug , I just wanted to put my 2 cents in . I use the Craftsman 2x42 . For around $140 or less on sale or with a coupon , it can't be beat . I use Blaze belts from Tru-Grit , pricier than reg belts but since they last at least 10x as long , much cheaper in the long run . Plus they will sell you just a few to get you started . I had a Bader , but where I live now I needed to down-size . I've had this set-up for 2 years and it has served me well . With the belts being 2" it makes the jump to the bigger machines easier when you are ready . If you get the glass platen from Tracy , it should be a nice set up , capable of grinding excellent knives . It leaves you a little for steel , but remember you'll need other things as well - epoxy , pins , handle material etc. Good Luck whatever you chose , Bill
 
The best bang for your buck to have a functional grinder to make knives on imo is the Craftsman 2x42. You can also run 1" belts on it, although spend the 15 dollars or whatever and get the glass platen from USA Knifemakers and attach it as per the instructions on the site. Any of the small 1x42's like you're looking at have gotten nothing but complaints from anyone who has tried to make a knife on them, with the exception of maybe using it to profile or for handle material. Belts over 2" wide will likely give you a hard time trying to get a decent grind done with. Plenty of people have successfully made nice knives on the Craftsman, the 1x30's I have read about said they find them fairly useless to grind bevels with.

I understand your need to buy supplies but buying a grinder that you will ruin a bunch of steel on trying to get a decent grind loses you money in the long run, especially when you realize the grinder won't do what you want it to and you toss that or never use it again. If you really wanted to go the supplies route get a bunch of good files and a bunch of sandpaper and steel and make them all by hand. Save up more $ then go for the grinder. You will waste less steel doing it by hand than you will with a grinder. Grinders make bigger mistakes and they happen a lot faster.
 
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