Stationary Belt sander/grinder

[Planet X]

What do you all have or want to have and why? Thanks.

I guess I'm looking for likes/dislikes about other tools that are handy to have for making stuff out've metal-besides the welding part of the process. Example I had never heard of 'Square wheeled' grinders before, but a fellow metal dabbler over at the Chaski boards gave me the heads up about those interesting suckers.

[Wyoming]

Dynafile for the small stuff
Delta 1 X 42 plus disk sander combination
Delta 8" grinder
Rockwell 8" Slow speed grinder
Die Filer...old and name tag gave up the ghost before I got it.
Mac Die grinders
3/4 hp buffer
Two Milwaukee 7" right angle grinders
DeWalt 7" right angle grinder

What I would like to add is a copy of a Unigrinder si I could cut down on some of the other grinders and still have everything I needed in one machine.

[Franz]

Why buy when you can build?

http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/sander.html

By the way, lawnmower idler pullys work very well for sanding belts, and if you're really building for speed, caster wheels with rubber tires make excellent drivers if you don't have a lathe to make your own.
Most of the grinders on the market were originally designed and built in somebody's garage, and some manufacturer adopted the design with minor modifications. Making a belt grinder isn't rocket science, and you really aren't building a production machine that will run 3 shifts 5 days a week.

[Wyoming]

Franz, I've got the contact wheel, several likely heavy duty caster wheels with bearings and a pallet cart wheel with steel center hub and plastic rim that has what looks like a rear axle bolt pattern already. Need to go down to the scrapyard and match the bolt pattern or turn one on the lathe to the right size. I will agree that it isn't rocket science by any means. If you want a decent grinder to suit your needs building one is about the best and cheapest means to go. The Unigrinder looks so nice because I purchased a lifetime's supply of large 2" sanding belts off eBay some time back that would work well with the design. That and the fact that I would like a buffer that sticks way out in front of God and everybody so I don't have to do contortions when using it.

[Franz]

The place people go wrong building belt grinders is forgetting to crown the drive wheel when they build them.
Rubber tired drivers don't need to be crowne, but plastic and metal drivers do need about a 2 degree crown for proper tracking.

[originalsix]

Franz - base for sander

That is an excellent site. I was wondering why you couldn't build that base out of steel? I am now seriously considering building a sander myself. I have 1 1/2" idlers off the combine that are brand new and several motors that would work. Thanks for the tip on the site.

[Bob Sigmon]

The link that Franz listed is the site of the best belt grinder on the market. Rob Frink is absolutely the best to work with. You can also buy parts from him if you want to build your own.

I have his horizontal grinder and his KMG-1 is next on the list and my current 2X72 will be my backup.



Bob Sigmon

[Franz]

Re: Franz - base for sander

Originally posted by originalsix
That is an excellent site. I was wondering why you couldn't build that base out of steel? I am now seriously considering building a sander myself. I have 1 1/2" idlers off the combine that are brand new and several motors that would work. Thanks for the tip on the site.

When I found that page I wondered the same thing. I figure when he wrote it he was going after the woodworking market, or it was just easier for him to prototype the thing from plywood. With some minor adjustments, there is no reason to not build that design out of steel. I've built a couple belt frinders long before the internet, and without plans, they are fairly simple to build and fun to adjust for tracking, All yo need to remember is the belt tracks to the high side of the wheel.

[bishopaul]

i had looked at beaumont plans too but decided that i wanted to be able to run 6x48 belts (quick clean-up on 4" sq tube). i felt the added width really added to the complexity of the machine: rollers need to be supported on both ends etc. i never really found a good source for wide rollers and finally bought a jet 96 grinder/sander.

removed all of the dust collection stuff and plastic guards and have had good results from it. 3/4 hp have never really been able to bog down. cost me about $288 without stand (built one better).

sucker is heavy cast base...took two people to finesse out of box. good grinder for the $. use a rubber conditioning stick and get good belt life. 6" belt will handle alot...

i think a belt/disc is a must. saves so much time in cleanup.

also got:

dewalt & milw 4.5" angle grinder
milw "bandfile" (small belt)
milw die grinder

plan to build my own drum... that's a job i think i can handle.