I have three belt grinders at present. My twenty year old Bader I; a KMG; and a modified Baldor that runs with water coolant. All on variable speed.

For an every day; all day grinder; I would have to say the KMG is the best. Belt changeing and tensioning, TRACKING, and acc. attatchment is fast and solid.

Standard and modified work rests; leather platen, rotatating platen, and things I've built that I have forgotten what for for them.

You can never have too many grinders. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

I have an el cheapo 4x36 and a grizzly 2x72. I have to say that many grinders that I have seen were highly over engineered.

I use a KMG for much of the blade & heavy work due to it's stout, vibration free construction but have kept my old Grizzly. I prefer the slack part of the belt in a verticle configuration for handle work & sharpening.

One addition that I like is pyroceram on the platen. It provides a very flat, smooth surface. The one drawback is that it is non-conductive and can produce more static electricity on low humidity days.

Gary

I also have the KMG with the Variable speed VFD. 4 tooling bars for quick changes. Flat platen / Small wheel/ Slack belt/ and 10" conatact wheel. As others have stated this is a nice solid grider / zero vibration and easy to change belts/ tooling arms. Last spring I changed out the drive shaft to a longer one. Then installed one on Rod Neilsons Magnetic Disc grinder adaptors. Then installed the reversing switch in the VFD. Now I have all in one unit. Works like a charm and not near as many $$$$

Mr. Bingenheimer-

I'd sure like to see your disc grinder attachment if you have any pictures. Did you lengthen the arm from the drive wheel side, or the opposite side where the belt for the motor attaches? I hope I'm thinking of it correctly....? Seems like it would be a great use of one machine/motor/vfd for multiple uses. I just got a KMG frame, have a motor, am going to build a flat platen (Ed Caffrey's design), and plan on purchasing a vfd.

From a guy setting up his first grinder, thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts and experience.

Jeremy

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I also have the KMG with the Variable speed VFD. 4 tooling bars for quick changes. Flat platen / Small wheel/ Slack belt/ and 10" conatact wheel. As others have stated this is a nice solid grider / zero vibration and easy to change belts/ tooling arms. Last spring I changed out the drive shaft to a longer one. Then installed one on Rod Neilsons Magnetic Disc grinder adaptors. Then installed the reversing switch in the VFD. Now I have all in one unit. Works like a charm and not near as many $$$$

Ditto on wanting to see photos of your set up. I don't have a grinder yet (I don't feel like I've earned it), but have an interest in getting a KMG at some point--the disc grinder add on sounds like an inexpensive (but major) bonus...would be nice to have it all-in-one.

Jeremy,

Please stop with the Mr Bingenheimer stuff. Please call me by my first name or "Bing". You are on the right track in your description. I purchased the 3/4" precision ground 1045 full keyed shaft from Enco online. Had to cut it from 18" to 15" long. Then I had the Machine shop where I work step the end for the disc hub down to 5/8" x 1.5". I did not want to bore the hub out as they are balanced. I have 3 changeable disc 2 with the 1 deg bevel& 1 flat. I fing that to be the most useful in my shop for now. I have found that my hand finish time is way less know. One more note. I had to install the reverse switch myself.

Good luck with your build.

Bing

Sorry about the name thing, Bing...something about my mom while I was growing up and being "respectful" <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />. Anyway, thanks for the pictures, it all makes sense now. I like at least having that option down the road should I want it. I heard you might make it to the Boise show this year? If so, hopefully I'll get the chance to meet you.

Jeremy

I have a KMG with a variable speed drive and an old Bader with changeable speed pulleys. I seldom use the Bader, but I am planning to turn it into a more useful machine.

I really like the KMG. As others have mentioned, it is a solid and smooth running grinder. I have a round wheel attachment, with several sizes of wheels. A small wheel attachment, again with several wheels. The rotary attachment and the flat platen attachment. I have several flat platens, each on their own mounting brackets, that I use for different applications.

I modify my machines to do very precise work and also build attachments for them to do specific operations. The thing that I really like about the KMG design is that it is made from dimensional material, so it is easy to modify and make additional attachments for. Below is a link to the Jigs and Fixtures page on my web site. You can see some of the attachments that I have built on this page.

Culver Jigs and Fixtures

One thing that I advise be done with any belt grinder is to replace, or modify the flat platen that comes with the machine. Almost all machines come with a flat platen that is made from hot rolled steel. Hot rolled steel has a rough, mill scale surface. Any unevenness in your flat platen will be ground into your blades. Also, the edges of hot rolled steel do not have the same radius. So if you grind your plunge lines on a platen with different edge radius', your plunge lines will not have the same radius. I have never used one, but a ceramic cover for the platen is a good idea. I make a separate platen out of surface ground steel to use for blade grinding. The edges have been rolled to the same radius. This platen is used ONLY for grinding blades. Any other grinding that I do (hogging scale off damascus billets, etc.) is done with the original hot rolled steel platen. Any steel platen will develop a wear divot from the belts. When my platens start to wear, I throw them on my surface grinder and clean them up. I only have to resurface my platens about once every six months. If you don't have a surface grinder in your shop, you can take your platen to a local machine shop and have them ground for very little expense.

I strongly advise that when purchasing a new grinder, you spend the extra money for the variable speed drive. I realize that on a tight budget, this is hard to do and any grinder is better than no grinder. If you must buy a grinder with change speed pulleys, put a VFD on your list of next things to purchase for your shop. Having used a grinder without a VFD (my old Bader) I can tell you that you will not want to take the time to change the speed on your grinder and you will wind up grinding things at a speed that is not optimal for the work you are doing. Too, the ability to have unlimited speed control is far better than just three belt speeds.

I have the KMG. I chose it mainly because it seemed like a solid machine for a reasonable price and I already had a motor. Many of them seem like you have to get a motor with them. After using it for about a year and a half I am still very happy with it. The half inch steel construction is rock solid and I easily see it outlasting me. My original plan was to build one, but when I finished pricing out the steel and factoring in my time it just didn't make sense. I am happy I didn't because there is no way I could have made one as nice. My biggest regret is not having a variable speed drive, but money is tight, and when I purchased the motor for it I didn't yet understand that you could run a 3ph with a VFD on 1ph power. Somewhere down the line I guess. Currently I only have the platen that comes with it, but my next serious purchase will be the small wheel attachment. I would also like to set the platen up with 2" and 4" contact wheels for a little more versatility but the small wheel fixture will come first. -Justin

Allow me to kick this thread up a notch or two <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> I was browsing the patent office looking for a specific tool and lookie what I came across. Note the dates on these to please.

this is page 1 and page 2.

That looks awesome!

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Jeremy,

Please stop with the Mr Bingenheimer stuff. Please call me by my first name or "Bing". You are on the right track in your description. I purchased the 3/4" precision ground 1045 full keyed shaft from Enco online. Had to cut it from 18" to 15" long. Then I had the Machine shop where I work step the end for the disc hub down to 5/8" x 1.5". I did not want to bore the hub out as they are balanced. I have 3 changeable disc 2 with the 1 deg bevel& 1 flat. I fing that to be the most useful in my shop for now. I have found that my hand finish time is way less know. One more note. I had to install the reverse switch myself.

Good luck with your build.

Bing

I sold my KMG and got a TW-90. I originally was hoping to have at least two dedicated sanders but shop space determined I could keep only one. Both are great machines. But the TW-90 was going to have a surface grinding attachment so I sold the KMG. The surface grinding attachment works really well, especially if you are tapering tangs or doing integrals. For someone with a small workspace having one machine that works as 3 machines is great for space.

I also used to own a belt sander made by Johnny Hicks in Lubbock. Several stock removal makers in Texas had them back in the 80's. It had a 2"X132" belt with a 5 hp motor. If you watch the video on making folders by Weldon Whitley you can briefly see the same kind of grinder. I gave it to John Wylie to make room for and end mill. Here's a pic of that grinder.

If you’re doing a lot of hollow grinding or stock removal then that grinder was a beast, but with the better engineered 2"X72" grinders and belts the newer belt sanders are better and can outperform that beast on certain jobs.

I was in contact with Rob at Beaumont Metal Works in Columbus, Ohio today. Rob makes the KMG (Knife Makers Grinder) and I have a post from Rob below.

Hi Gentleman!

I thought I would share some of the original design goals and history of the KMG.

We have been making them for about 12 years now. It started from a thread online among many knifemakers. We talked about all of the aspects that would make a Great Grinder.

Based on what I learned for the input of dozens and dozens, I sat down and started designing. I had 3 main criteria or goals:

1.) Simple

2.) Versatile

3.) Robust

1.) I always felt that simplicity is always the best route. We've all heard the familiar "KISS" principal. The KMG was designed to be as basic and straight forward as possible. Not only in the design, but also in the selection of materials and components. I turned away from the opportunity of trying to design a multifunction machine tool for the shop. A tool that will do just about every thing....but not really able to do anything really well. The KMG was to be a 2X72" belt grinder....sitting in the shop, able to run all day long when needed. It doesn't flip or convert into something else. As simple as it gets....it is a 2x72 Grinder with some choices for standard attachments. I tried to carry this simplicity across the board on all of the attachments and options.

2.) Versatile. I wanted the KMG to be versatile, not only in the way you might use it, but in the way that you might set it up. Most of you are all much smarter and more clever than I am. So the machine had to have aspects that would allow you to adapt it to your specific needs. The end of the tooling arm was left in the simplest form, just having a few thread holes in which you can mount a variety of specialized fixtures and jigs. Intentionally, the motor is not an integral part of the machine. This provides set-up versatility in the sense that you can use about any motor...and you can mount it anywhere. All that is needed is to spin the drive shaft and the KMG is running. For many, this can be a big cost savings should you have an old motor already laying around. It also allows choices in the operational speed of the grinder by letting you use pulley ratios to set the drive shaft speed. Inspired by my old delta drill press with step pulleys on top, the KMG can run on a low cost constant speed motor with step pulleys to provide you with speed choices for the task at hand. The idea of the sliding tool arm was adopted from the new Bader BIII back 12 yrs ago. This only made sense for quick change overs between attachments. The Burr King Square wheel took too long to change attachments. With the sliding tool arm, you just slide one attachment out...pop the next one in...and you are back to work.

3.) Robust. After spending 10+ years in manufacturing for the automotive industry, I learned the importance of heavy duty, reliable machinery. Being a life long shop guy, I appreciate and take joy in using solid machines. I wanted the KMG to be one of those machines that you always enjoyed running. You enjoy it because it is smooth, powerful, quiet and has all of the qualities that allow you to produce your best work. This is only accomplished by building machines that are heavy and precise. Steel was chosen throughout the majority because it is heavy and stout. Everything is thick and robust...making the machine massive in weight and stiffness. I was proud to learn that the KMG without a motor weighed in heavier than the new Bader BIII with the motor. ( 12 years ago). Weight, mass and precision go into every machine. I think the machines that we shipped this year are better than the machines that we shipped last year...which were better than those of the year before.

I'm driven to continuously improve the quality and performance of these grinders. Some improvements have been from subtle design changes, others from the acquisition of new machinery used to produce them. As time goes by, the KMG will continue to improve...but will never, ever deviate from those 3 original concepts that forged it's success:

1.) Simple

2.) Versatile

3.) Robust

KMG is an acronym for Knife Maker's Grinder

A warm sincere THANK YOU to all of our wonderful customers!!

God Bless you all!!

-Rob Frink

[email protected]

http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com