![]() If you decide to use this size of grinder, keep in mind that it is essential to use good ceramic based abrasives otherwise, the grinder won't perform to its full potential. Overall a 1x30 is a great low-cost option to get into knife making. The 30” long belt doesn’t provide you with much abrasive surface area either meaning you’ll have to change belts more and the motor doesn’t have the most power in the world. Some of the more expensive models include a 6" disc sander on the side, which can help with this though. The major downfall of the 1x30 is that the belt isn't wide enough to flatten off material effectively, which is a big job in any knife shop. The 1" wide belt is adequate for grinding bevels and profiling knives. They're nowhere near as versatile as the higher dollar machines, but for less than $60, they're a fantastic tool and a great place to start. ![]() We have put together a list of common grinder sizes, and why you would choose it.Ī 1x30 belt grinder is the cheapest belt grinder to start knife making with. When deciding what grinder is right for you, it's essential to consider your budget, as well as what work you will be doing. How much money should I spend on a Belt Grinder? It can add a good bit of expense, but we find them incredibly useful in our shop. The speed is controlled through a Variable Frequency Drive (vfd) hooked up to a three phase motor on the machine. Variable speed can be a wonderful addition to a grinder, allowing you to do the heaviest of steel hogging at full speeds and the finest of handle sanding and low speeds. Typical wood sanding often only requires 2500-3200sfpm so bear in mind that a woodwork oriented grinder will have a slower stock removal rate on steel. You can make do with less, but the stock removal rate will suffer.Ĭalculate the belt speed like this: sfpm = (π x drive wheel diameter) x motor rpm The 2x48” machines in our shop run at 4100 surface feet per minute (sfpm). It needs to move significantly faster than a wood-sander to grind optimally. The speed at which your belt travels is the third key component to grinding steel. When you reduce your belt length, you also reduce the demand on the motor which is why our 2x48” machines are supplied with a 1.5hp motor. But a 1x72”: grinder would grind great with only 1hp. A rule of thumb is you need 1 horsepower (hp) of motor power per 1” of belt width for a 72” long belt.įor example, a 2x72 grinder runs best with a motor of 2hp. Your motor has to keep up! The Larger the motor, the more powerful the grinder. To grind steel with abrasive belts, you need high belt speed and the ability to exert high pressure. For example, 1x30 grinder has a 1-inch wide belt that is 30 inches in circumference, a 2x72 has a 2-inch wide belt, that is 72 inches in circumference.Ī wider belt exerts more friction on the flat platen of a machine, needing more power and a longer belt allows for less time between belt changes but will also demand extra power.īelt size plays a massive role in the use of the grinder, as a general rule, the bigger the belt, the more useful it is for heavy stock removal. What to Know about Grinder Specs! Grinder Dimensionsīelt grinders are classified by the width and length of their belt size. In this article and in more to come, we will try our best to give you the right starting place for blacksmithing and knife making! It can be challenging and expensive to try and decide on what sort of tools, materials, and supplies are going to suit you best for the type of work you would like to pursue. A common problem when starting your journey into knife making is finding useful, reliable info all in one spot.
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