Go with the biggest motor you can get and variable speed if you can afford it.

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Go with the biggest motor you can get and variable speed if you can afford it.

Yep. ^

JJ Simon, on 05 January 2017 - 04:03 PM, said:

Go with the biggest motor you can get and variable speed if you can afford it.

Good advice.

J.J. nailed it, especially on the variable speed.

Brion

What size contact wheel? 12" or 14"? I will get the 220volt 2hp with variable speed.

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What size contact wheel? 12" or 14"? I will get the 220volt 2hp with variable speed.

10,12,14 doesn't matter too much unless you're specifically going for a certain radius for hollow grinds. I use the wheel a lot for hogging stuff, removing scale, tapering tangs, etc.

Also consider the Oregon Blademaker on ebay. That's definitely my next 2x72. I like to tinker and it's very suited to making your own fixtures for it. And the accessories for it are half what they are for name brand grinders.

I'm considering the Oregon Blademaker on ebay. Just something to think about over the pheer. If you're going to have to fit your own motor anyway, I think the Oregon is tough to beat for it's price and versatility.

I agree with everyone on the motor size thing! Years ago I started with 1hp motors, then later went to 2hp, and now I run 3hp motor on the grinders in my finish shop.

I'm rarely a hollow grinder, so I find much less use in larger diameter contact wheels. I do have an 8" & 10", but in my shop both are mostly relegated to profile work. For me it's more important to have a very good flat platen. I've always gotten far more usefulness out of the flat platen that I build versus the large diameter contact wheels. http://www.caffreyknives.net/grinder_platen.html

When you're choosing a grinder, look very closely and put much thought into whichever you're considering. In the past few years I've had a number of people approach me about "testing" their grinder(s).... most of these are the "new guys" in the grinder game, and I think their looking for a name to put behind their machine(s). I've tested a total of 4 different machines to date, and frankly would not recommend any of them. Here's the issues that I have found....

-These people are looking to get the most money for their machines, with the least amount of output in materials/time/labor. ALL of the machines I've tested were simply built too lightly. Chatter, vibration, flexing.... I encountered all of those. Something else that drives me nuts is that many seem to put "features" into a grinder that are pretty much worthless for anything other then eye appeal, and "cool factor". Be aware of those things, and buy a machine that is HEAVY DUTY... from the ground up. Personally, the "measuring stick" that I use when comparing grinders is the KMG. Compared to many grinders that are available these days, it's considered "spartan".....but it is built from heavy material, and is simply a "tank". The only "down side" of the KMG is that it's not being offered in a direct drive.(I've come to realize that a direct drive grinder is head and shoulders better then a belt driven design) After using my KMG for many years with the belt drive, last year I converted it to a direct drive, and it's now twice the grinder it was.

A couple of other things that I will throw out.... 1. Stay away from aluminum on a grinder. There are a number of grinders out there that tout having an aluminum tooling arm....but in the real world they are nothing but problems when compared to steel tooling arms. If aluminum is being used in the frame of the grinder, you will realize far more chatter and vibration....it's just the nature of that beast. (it's a weight issue). 2. DO NOT buy any grinder that uses a tooling arm less then 1 1/2". That might sound like a bold statement, but I've seen a number of the lighter 1 1/4" aluminum tooling arms that got dropped, and were tweaked to the point of having to be replaced.

In the end, YOU are the one who has to live with your choice....just make sure you take the time to fully consider the ins and outs of each machine you're considering. Don't let "Bells-n-Whistles" or "hype" sway you, because in the end, what everyone really wants in a grinder is a heavy duty, durable machine, with enough power to do any job they put to it.

Ed,

"The only "down side" of the KMG is that it's not being offered in a direct drive.(I've come to realize that a direct drive grinder is head and shoulders better then a belt driven design) After using my KMG for many years with the belt drive, last year I converted it to a direct drive, and it's now twice the grinder it was."

Why is a direct drive better than the belt drive? Lack of vibration?

Jeff

Why is a direct drive better than the belt drive? Lack of vibration?

In the case of the KMG, direct drive means 2 less pulleys, 1 less shaft, 1 less Vbelt, and 2 less bearings and a shaft between the motor and the belt. Less vibration, less slippage of drive components, and overall more power transmitted to the grinding belt. It also means fewer parts/pieces to maintain, repair, or replace. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

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What size contact wheel? 12" or 14"? I will get the 220volt 2hp with variable speed.

I like larger wheels for hollow grinding. The larger the wheel the taller your grind can be. (Although, you can grind higher than the radius allows and blend it a bit.) If you are trying to get a hollow grind to go all the way up to the spine the larger radius of a big wheel will help.

I just bought a Northridge grinder. I got the ratcheting belt tensioner on mine. This is my first real grinder. It runs really smooth. And no vibration. And it's direct drive. I already had the motor and VFD. I was gonna do a grinder build but by the time I got to figuring out parts cost. I opted to just by the Northridge. I was gonna go with the KMG. But decided to go this route. I'm no expert but I'm really happy with this grinder. I have a 2hp motor on mine. They have got several options for this grinder. They have a tilting base to make it a horizontal. I'm gonna get one this summer for it.

That's a nice looking machine Brian. I didn't see the ratcheting tensioner on their website. How does it work?

They don't have it up yet. I stopped in up there where they are made and met the owner. They are a great bunch of guys to deal with. They were just finishing them up when I bought my machine. They are one of the newer items. It works by depressing the lever to release the belt. And tightening you just lift the lever. When lifting it will tighten up with the ratchining device on the bottom. Its really technically advanced compared to the springs and gas shocks.