2"x72" belt grinder

h-dom · Mar 17, 2022

Pilgrim22 said:
Linky no worky

Try now

Pilgrim22 · Mar 19, 2022

northwest said:
As if I haven't had enough on this week I picked up the parts for another project this evening, a 2" x 72" Belt Grinder. I have yet to decide on which motor I am going to use but it is going to be 2 horsepower three phase run from an inverter. The bit I am stuck on now are the wheels and where to source them from, or make my own. The Laser cut kit of parts:

View attachment 335030

There are enough bits for two machines here, my pal is building one at the same time so it will work out a little cheaper for us, we hope.
Would welcome suggestions as to sourcing the drive and idler wheels though.

How much did the steel / laser cutting cost ?

northwest · Mar 19, 2022

Pilgrim22 said:
How much did the steel / laser cutting cost ?

'bout £200 for 2x sets.

—Tom— · Mar 19, 2022

Ali express is good for wheels if you don’t mind waiting

Otherwise trmaker in turkey does them - a guy called Mark who goes by 118blades is a distributor in uk.

Motor wise you’ll want 1hp per inch of belt minimum, I have 2hp on my 2x72 and sometimes wish I had 3. Definitely go vfd as well, particularly if you’re ever going to grind hardened steel

Screwdriver · Mar 19, 2022

Soon as I get my act together, I’m building one of these:

Jer Schmidt, free (Sketchup) plans for everything.

brightspark · Mar 19, 2022

2 inch belts arent much use for anything 4 and 6 inch are much better over a big flat plate

Screwdriver · Mar 19, 2022

brightspark said:
2 inch belts arent much use for anything 4 and 6 inch are much better over a big flat plate

Not for knifemaking they aren’t, can’t grind smaller internal radiuses or work with the range of attachments you can get for 2 inch belts. Bigger belts are great for big flat plates if that’s your thing.

Nothing to stop anyone making a dual size version though….

Morrisman · Mar 19, 2022

brightspark said:
2 inch belts arent much use for anything 4 and 6 inch are much better over a big flat plate

That depends what you're grinding. We had a 2" in a machine shop I worked in and it was brilliant for no end of jobs. Obviously if you need to grind away a 3" width of stock you'll need a wider belt than 2".

brightspark · Mar 20, 2022

use mine for wood as well as metal

—Tom— · Mar 20, 2022

2” width means you can apply the pressure needed for ceramic belts to cut well, up at 4” or so you’d need to be leaning pretty hard

Screwdriver · Mar 20, 2022

—Tom— said:
2” width means you can apply the pressure needed for ceramic belts to cut well, up at 4” or so you’d need to be leaning pretty hard

Good point. My linishing machine is 6" and the force required for larger surfaces is considerable, plus of course heat build up can be catastrophic for blade grinding.

ukracer · Mar 20, 2022

brightspark said:
2 inch belts arent much use for anything 4 and 6 inch are much better over a big flat plate

This is my problem. I have one and can't seem to get the inertia to build a plate for it as it's only 2 inch and not much good.

SwissTony · Mar 28, 2022

I got my grinder from here rather than build my own. They appear to make the crowned tracking wheels and standard rollers. https://downlandengineeringservices.com/belt_grinders/

ukracer · Mar 28, 2022

SwissTony said:
I got my grinder from here rather than build my own. They appear to make the crowned tracking wheels and standard rollers. https://downlandengineeringservices.com/belt_grinders/

I bet that wasn't cheap. I have 2ninch wide belt roller and thought it was too small really. But it seems that's the most popular size.

vbottles · Mar 28, 2022

May not be cheap. But made in UK at small scale. Useful to people who don't have skills or others lacking time. I think the 2" belt is a cheap default for what is available from belt supplier's. If you want bigger look at cost of belts available and choose width and length that is cheapest for you. In US they love 2" × 72" while in uke 54mm x 2000mm comes out as similar cost wise for belt availability.
Personally I when I made mine 10+ years ago I designed it to take 1830mm minimum and 2500mm as a maximum. To give some choices for available belts.
Andrew

slim_boy_fat · Mar 30, 2022

ukracer said:
can't seem to get the inertia

You already have that, it's enthusiasm you're lacking. Join the club....

Dev · Mar 30, 2022

There’s a few designs on grabcad that look decent. I like these 2, the one using 20 and 25mm box in particular.

ukracer · Mar 30, 2022

slim_boy_fat said:
You already have that, it's enthusiasm you're lacking. Join the club....

I did not mean to type inertia. maybe my phone chose it.
My main problem is time.. AND I AM RETIRED.

what ever you do dont retire..its damn hard work.

slim_boy_fat · Mar 30, 2022

ukracer said:
I did not mean to type inertia. maybe my phone chose it.
My main problem is time.. AND I AM RETIRED.

what ever you do dont retire..its damn hard work.

Too late I'm afraid, I've already crossed that Rubicon :whistle:

. I was really enjoying it, learning new skills, many from here. Covid with it's 'shielding' and masks etc plus adverse weather much of the time seems to have robbed me of some of my 'get up and go' and a touch of lassitude set it - the less you do the less you want to do.