Running grinder in reverse problem

Justin Presson

Justin Presson

Well-Known Member
I got the reverse switch hooked up in my vfd and it works great but my problem is everything is good running forward the belt tracks fine but when I flip the switch to run in reverse the belt almost tracks off the platen?
Any ideas, I have had zero time to mess with it but plan to after work today.
Any help is appreciated.

JP
 
I've had that problem with certain belts, others not so much. Did you try it with a brand new belt? I wonder if they kind of take a set after running in one direction for a while.
 
I agree with Anthony. I have a hand held 4x24 belt sander I use to use when doing carpentry work and I learned if I pulled a belt off to mark the direction of rotation because the belts would take a set and when reversed they were a bugger to get it too track!!! So I would assume running a belt in reverse with a reversible motor would cause the same problem!!
 
Its not that the belts are taking a set, its that the tracking wheel isn't centered so it has to be moved to the same degree of angle but in the opposite direction (right or left) when you run it in reverse. The only way it would be able to track in both directions would be for the tracking wheel to be dead nuts centered at its apex. I hope that makes sense.
 
So Darrin are you saying I can make it work or do I just have to screw the tracking wheel out or in to compensate?
So is this an issue everyone has or do I just need to spend some time tweaking my grinder?
 
Is your drive wheel domed? I had this issue on my build, fixed it with tension wheel alignment. Even with the tension wheel cocked if I had big belt tension the grinder would track perfect in forward, then in reverse would almost run off.
 
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Justin, you should be able to screw your tracking wheel about the same amount off center/peak but in the other direction and grind away. For example, if it tracks right in forward with the tracking wheel canted 5 degrees to the left you'll have to cant it about 5 degrees to the right for it to track in reverse. Make sense?
 
I have found that belt grinders don't track well when run in reverse. I believe that the issue is that when the tracking wheel is the last wheel in the circuit it is already past the area that it should be effecting. When I tried it I could, after multiple adjustments I could get it to track, sort of. I did see a KMG that tracked well in either direction so maybe it is Darrin suggested that the wheel must be mounted perfectly.
 
Once it is adjusted, my Bader runs rock solid in either direction. I just have to screw the tracking knob about 3-4 full revolutions to get it lined out.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I think I probably need to adjust my drive wheel a little since I took it off to put on the new motor and just make sure all my wheels are line up because right now I have to crank my tracking wheel all the way down to get it to come back to the platen and it still hangs over a bit.
 
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