Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Dust collector for grinding?
From: Robert Bastow <Tubal_cain@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Feb 1999 04:05:52 GMT

They work fine..but you want a dedicated system..all those red hot steel
grindings will mix all too well with the wood dust in your system..for a VERY
short while!!

Can you say "DUST EXPLOSION!!"

What I, and a lot of other knife grinders do, when using a 2HP 2"x72" belt
grinder, is to place a five gallon pail half filled with water in path of the
"jet stream"  Add a little bi-carb to the water to inhibit rust (which can be
instantaneous when quenching fresh ground high carbon steel)..Plus a dash of
washing up liquid, which lowers surface tension, lets the steel bits sink and
prevents a surface accumulation of dust, rust and oily slime.  YECH!!

Oh, and by the way..we do it in a place set aside from other machinery, we wear
heavy, heatproof gloves, a full leather apron, boot protectors face shield,
buttoned up shirt neck , sleeves down, hat on..AND A FULL FILTER RESPIRATOR!! 
Grab a push stick and BEAR DOWN till it flames!!  8^)

Who needs a dust extractor??   ;^)

Robert "Power Grinder" Bastow

By the way, if anyone doubts that grinding is anything but a CUTTING operation,
should grab a handful of "Dust" from my pail...It comes out like coarse steel
wool and I have been known to use it as such!  These big belt grinders will take
an eighth of an inch off the end of a two inch square bar, FASTER and almost as
ACCURATELY, as any milling machine!

Greg Dermer wrote:

> Has anybody tried using woodworking dust collectors for collecting
> pedestal/surface/tool/abrasive belt grinder output?
> 
> Anybody made up anything from scratch for this purpose?
> 
> Seems to me the characteristics of grinder grit are considerably different
> than woodworking dust (heavier for one thing) so I wonder how well the
> woodworking collectors work for this purpose.
> 
> -- Greg

From: Robert Bastow <"teenut"@ hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: 1x42 sander
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 16:59:05 GMT

I have a 2 x 72" Burr King with Knifemakers attachment that is probably the most
used machine in my shop..amazing what you can do with one!!

The price of the Burr King has gone up out of the roof..Close to 2 grand
now..you won't be seeing mine on the s/h market till I'm dead!

However there are other machines that are cheaper and, some say, better.

The Bader Mk II would be my choice if I were to buy another one.  But these
machines are so easy to make that I wouldn't bother.  Several of the
Knifemaker's suppliers will sell you a kit to make your own for half the price
of a store bought'n one.

Ore for half the price again..you can buy the essential bits like contact
wheels, bearings etc., and build your own.

I figure I could buld a better machine than my Burr King for $200 to
$300..depending on how much scrounging I was prepared to do.

1 1/2 to 2 HP is a must to get full benefit..these suckers can shift metal
faster than a milling machine!  Variable speed drive opens up a whole new
world!  Low speed polishing etc.

Why 2 x 72 ?

Any thing you can do on a smaller machine..you can do on the big ones.  I split
belts down as narrow as 1/4" for some purposes.

The 2 x 72 belts come in a HUGE variety..and are outright cheaper to buy than
smaller ones  (I pay about $3.50 a belt for Klingspore and 3M quality when I buy
in bulk at a Knife Show)

Yes you do need access to the contact wheel surface for some operations..mainly
Hogging off metal (belt runs cooler) or for hollow grinding..which, in blade
making, surprisingly, is a LOT easier to do well than flat grinding!!   Hollow
ground blades are a bit passe' nowadays..the sign of an expert is an
immaculately hand finished, flat ground, blade!

Try Texas Knifemaker's Supplies, Jantz Supply in OK, Sheffield Knifemaker's
Supply, Al the Knifemaker's Friend etc.  Pick up a copy of Knives Illustrated or
Blade Magazine for current addresses and articles on using and building these
machines.

teenut



"Fitch R. Williams" wrote:
>
> David Gissen <gisnar@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> >Do you know of anyone who makes a good quality 1x42 belt sander?
>
> I have the same question.  I know the Burr King is great, probably the
> Hardinge of belt sanders, but its also over a grand new, I've never seen
> one for sale used, and I'm not going to spend that much for a home shop
> belt sander.  I do want one that takes the standard 1 x 42 belt - have an
> off size Delta disc sander that I have a heck of a time finding discs for.
> That sort of leaves out the little ones in Home Depot, etc.
>
> Wilton makes one for about $250.00.  Any body seen, touched, used that one?
> It has a disc I don't need.  Another company makes one that apparently they
> attach to a normal motor and sell.
>
> I always worry about the alignment of the belt and being able to use it
> with out the belt flying off all the time.
>
> Is access to the "contact" wheel important on these belt sanders?
>
> Fitch
> In So. Cal.