I use both my surface grinder and my mini-mill on every knife I build. It's not a "one or the other" scenario. You'll use them both.

More tools!!!!!!!!!

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I use both my surface grinder and my mini-mill on every knife I build. It's not a "one or the other" scenario. You'll use them both.

More tools!!!!!!!!!

Karl, I like the way you think. Can I just get that last bit on some official letterhead in case it comes up for review with the budget committee? 😆

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Karl, I like the way you think. Can I just get that last bit on some official letterhead in case it comes up for review with the budget committee? ������

Getting these things approved by the corporate office can be tricky. I bought the mini mill first and developed a way to surface grind using either a 6x48 from Harbor Freight or my 2x72, or a combination of both. The 6x48 proved to be quite good at surfacing larger blades (6 inches and up) the 2x72 made good work of the smaller ones. In retrospect, I probably would have gone about it the other way, but at the time it seemed like the way to go.

Take a 6x48, a bar magnet, and some 36, 60, and 100 grit belts and you can do a pretty good job of surfacing, if you have a steady hand. (I used to get nice parallel ricassos with a .005" or less variation)

On the other hand, you can also do a heck of a good job fitting guard stock and spacers with a drill press, jeweler's saw, and some good files. The 6x48 will come in very handy for squaring handle material, the files will become an every-knife tool set. Until I got the surface grinder, I worked getting spacers and scales really flat and parallel. It was all by hand on a granite slab.

Like Karl, I use the mill and surface grinder on every knife, but probably rely on my surface grinder more than the mill. The fact is, I use the 6x48 a lot as well. I also have a KMG grinder and bought the surface grinder attachment from Wuertz Machine works. It takes up a lot less room than a full blown surface grinder. It takes less than 5 minutes to set up.

I would add the surface grinder to your shop if I were you.

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(I used to get nice parallel ricassos with a .005" or less variation)

I think you should add another zero. For 15 years of knife making I used a large magnet, a slow speed 120 grit on vertical grinder ceramic platen and could get the tolerance <.001".

Ok guys, your compelling arguments convinced me to pull the trigger on the one I was considering. Karl’s well reasoned argument of “ More tools!!!!!!!!!” was especially compelling. Now I get to learn how to use it so feel free to share any tips that might be especially relevant to for a bladesmith. Thanks for your input! - Jake

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Karl, I like the way you think. Can I just get that last bit on some official letterhead in case it comes up for review with the budget committee? 😆

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Getting these things approved by the corporate office can be tricky.

Remember, it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission. Just sayin'.

One thing I've learned is to always use the grinding wheel cranked in the "up" direction.

Say you want to come down .003" to remove more material.

First - crank down .005". Then crank back up .002".

That way, being in the lift position, it won't tend to creep down to settle.

I hope that makes sense.

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One thing I've learned is to always use the grinding wheel cranked in the "up" direction.

Say you want to come down .003" to remove more material.

First - crank down .005". Then crank back up .002".

That way, being in the lift position, it won't tend to creep down to settle.

I hope that makes sense.

That does make sense. Thank you!

I totally agree with Karl on using the machine with it in the "crank up" direction..... that's basically the "slop" that is in any machine....the amount just varies. It seems odd doing that at first, but once you make it a habit, any other way seems odd! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

I have the same SG, and it's been going strong for 20+ years. Here's a BIG thing to check.... the motor windings. Some of those machines came with copper, and other with aluminum motor windings.

Unfortunately, mine came with aluminum, which I had no idea of, until the motor went out after about 6 months. It cost me another $250, but I had a local motor shop rewind it in copper....WOW!! What a night and day difference in the performance.

The other thing that I would recommend to any surface grinder owner using it for knifemaking.... is to convert the machine to run 2x72" belts. With the correct hardness of contact wheel/working wheel (I have seen some people use aluminum or steel "contact" wheels) it is just as accurate as a stone wheel, but much more versatile and convenient.

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I totally agree with Karl on using the machine with it in the "crank up" direction..... that's basically the "slop" that is in any machine....the amount just varies. It seems odd doing that at first, but once you make it a habit, any other way seems odd! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

I have the same SG, and it's been going strong for 20+ years. Here's a BIG thing to check.... the motor windings. Some of those machines came with copper, and other with aluminum motor windings.

Unfortunately, mine came with aluminum, which I had no idea of, until the motor went out after about 6 months. It cost me another $250, but I had a local motor shop rewind it in copper....WOW!! What a night and day difference in the performance.

The other thing that I would recommend to any surface grinder owner using it for knifemaking.... is to convert the machine to run 2x72" belts. With the correct hardness of contact wheel/working wheel (I have seen some people use aluminum or steel "contact" wheels) it is just as accurate as a stone wheel, but much more versatile and convenient.

Thank you for the tips! I didn't know to check out the motor windings, but fortunately I got it for such a good deal that even if the motor ends up needing replaced or reworked, it will still be a good investment. It looks to have had very little use so far. I think the 2x72 conversion is intriguing. This one also came with a good supply of unused stones, so I'll have a go with those to start out. Did you convert your surface grinder to belt machine? If you did and have a photo, I'd be interested to see it since it sounds like we have the same machine. Thanks!!

-Jake

Hi Jake!

I didn't know about the windings either....until a sharp crack, and a puff of smoke that day! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> I too used the stones on mine for a while, and got really frustrated with never being about to remove more than a tiny fraction of a thousandth with each pass. I was resistant to converting mine to a run belts in the beginning, but afterward I wished I'd done it sooner. It's hare to explain just how much more versitle it made the machine. I can use any 2 x 72" belt on it..... which means I can hog off material with a 50 grit..... or put a super fine finish on with a 1000 grit.

I can't get pics downsized enough to work on the forums, so try this link and let me know if you can get to the pics.... https://ibb.co/album/mbkrLX If you can't get to those pics, let me know....and I will email them to you.

The link worked great! Thank you, that's really helpful. Doesn't look like a complicated modification and I really like the ability to switch it out and use a stone again if the need ever arose. I'll have to add that to my to-do list. Thanks for all the help!

-Jake