Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: bjansen on May 01, 2018, 01:25:23 PM
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I spent some time putting together a grinder build along. I have built 9 grinders over the past 5 years and I have revised my plans a bit each time – I think I now have what I think is the perfect grinder. I put together this build along so that others who may want a nice grinder could see that they can be built fairly easily with tools you likely already have. All in, anyone with a drill press, sander and some hand tools can build a top of the line variable speed 2x72” grinder for about $1,000 and a person can build one much cheaper if some of the metal/parts/motor, etc. are already in the garage. I also drew up plans and a detailed parts list for this grinder – I am happy to share them and I can email them to you if you drop me a PM.
Starting with the raw materials cut to size. You can buy the items cut to rough size, or cut it yourself.
(https://i.imgur.com/Y34sr7nl.jpg)
Cleaning up all the edges – I used my mill with a roughing end mill to do this, but you do not need a big mill to accomplish this step.
(https://i.imgur.com/pH54koOl.jpg)
You can use files, a random orbital sander or belt sander to get this done. Take your time on this part to have a nice finished product. Pictured below is the first belt grinder I made – I made this grinder entirely with woodworking tools and a drill press. I cleaned up and polished all the edges with a combination of files and a random orbital sander, followed by a buffer. It turned out very well – just took a bit more time.
(https://i.imgur.com/M1eFVtOl.jpg)
Time to start the build – first starting with the tracking assembly. You will see many of the steps to follow are simply marking a hole, drilling a hole, using the drilled hole to mark another hole and tapping the second hole, then repeat. Take one at a time and your build will be precise.
(https://i.imgur.com/kpwMMkdl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ou44IVBl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PdVoRj2l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VLNoIsil.jpg)
You may need to countersink the material a bit to allow for the shoulder bolt to have proper depth in your tracking pivot piece. Shown below is what I did.
(https://i.imgur.com/vn09RGVl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g9RANKXl.jpg)
Once your tracking assembly is bolted together, then mount it to the tracking arm. Here I drilled all 4 holes and then transferred those to the tracking assembly.
(https://i.imgur.com/ibofGabl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dHTF5JNl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yTXIMoWl.jpg)
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One hole and bolt at a time will guarantee a good fit up. As I mentioned, most of this grinder build is simply transferring holes, drilling & tapping…then repeat.
Tapping the ½-13 hole for the tracking wheel bolt and then transferring that to the tracking arm to determine the exact location to drill for the 5/16” tracking adjustment screw. I will drill/tap the arm for a 5/16” threaded steel insert.
(https://i.imgur.com/EWWcXS8l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FiT2EC9l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Tb8KnoHl.jpg)
Mounting the handle
(https://i.imgur.com/MXFXvM0l.jpg)
The completed arm unit
(https://i.imgur.com/XbbYidxl.jpg)
On to the arm mounting uprights. Drill, tap and countersink for the 3/8” shoulder bolt. Then cut your spacers to length, with .125 worth of washers and a 1” wide tracking arm – I cut my spacers to 1.125
(https://i.imgur.com/n00iAhbl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cq7Xju7l.jpg)
On to the body – mark and drill your holes for the left side. Notice, I also drilled and tapped the left side for threaded steel inserts for my tooling arm locking handles.
(https://i.imgur.com/N2MdTdBl.jpg)
Then transfer those holes to the right side (one by one….or at least one by one until you get 3 or 4 holes, then you can knock the rest out all together)
(https://i.imgur.com/UNVyumXl.jpg)
Next is the hard part – or at least a time consuming part depending on what kind of tools you have. You will need to make clearance for the face of the motor that extends beyond the c face. This is not much material to take off and can be easily done with a mill. If you do not have a mill, there are a couple options:
1. You can use your drill press – just mark out all the material you need to remove, drill and then use a chisel to bust out the webbing.
2. You can use a 4.5” hole saw and just drill the whole 4.5” section out. The diameter of this inset portion on a 56c and 145TC face are 4.5”
You could also probably just skip this step and bolt the motor up as is – you would only lose a couple hundred thousands of shaft length on the other side of the plate by not removing this material for a flush face mount. The ring on most of the motors I have seen is flat and would mate just fine with a flat surface.
(https://i.imgur.com/vdvzhgOl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/j5EM5oHl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/M2Ked9rl.jpg?1)
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On to drilling the spacers. I start with the top, line it up with the left side plate, mark the hole and drill it. If you drill these holes one at a time, you will be successful and it will be a clean assembly. After you mark and drill the first hole put the spacer back in place, use a screw to locate the first hole and then mark and drill the second hole……then reassemble put screws in both holes and then mark and drill hole no. 3.
(https://i.imgur.com/binvX3Ul.jpg)
I will then put 2 pieces of tape on both sides of a 1.5” tooling arm and use that as a proper spacer when I mark the next piece.
(https://i.imgur.com/QEBe8V4l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/76WXRARl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eLsTWv3l.jpg)
Here is a tip: when you are drilling your spacers, mark them on the top to identify the top and the order they go on.
(https://i.imgur.com/q0otgE7l.jpg)
Next, lets mount the base. Drill some perimeter holes to bolt the unit down to a bench, then lets work on mounting the base to the unit. I keep the base flush with the front and about 2 -2.5” of overhang on the belt side. I use 4 screws to mount this. I simply mark some rough locations for 4 holes, then mark the first (drill and tap), then repeat until I have all 4.
(https://i.imgur.com/0aACDsel.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qvPMCHul.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ah5aFksl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rE4SMTql.jpg)
Now final assembly. Use threadlock. Notice the .020 spacers between the left side and the tooling arm spacers.
(https://i.imgur.com/tDQOGmUl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eLsTWv3l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6hNtEDcl.jpg)
Sand the motor shaft and use this stuff to be able to get the drive wheel off in the future, if needed.
(https://i.imgur.com/lJEMuQ3l.jpg)
I usually mount the gas strut and the brackets once it is all together. Aim to keep the tracking arm just above level when the spring is fully extended – under load, with belt tension we are aiming for a level tracking arm which will provide the best tracking.
(https://i.imgur.com/VXW2ZHFl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/L5h9Ncpl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/otQe1Sgl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HopCWzOl.jpg)
Here are a few other examples of the finished project.
(https://i.imgur.com/GhTYpApl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jdOT3CCl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ohyn8xfl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sg6R0kDl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/10aOfMNl.jpg)
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Thats pretty sweet, thanks for taking the time to share all the info and pics!
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Nice build! Thanks for your effort in documenting it! I've bookmarked the page for ideas for a future build! 😃
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Brad, I sent you a PM, I think!!!! I am interested in your plans, especially the motor and speed controller...
Thanks,
Benjy
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Brad, your skills are unbelievable! Good job buddy!
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Brad, I envy your skill set.
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(https://i.imgur.com/DWB5x0K.jpg)
Many thanks for the plans! This was a fun build for sure. It is a great grinder and will sharpen a mower blade in a blink of an eye. If I can do it, anyone can.
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Nice clean build !!
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Wow, Very Nice! Great Job!