need your help on DIY 2x72

hey you guys! I didnt know where to post with this particular question but I am wondering if you guys have any advice for me. I am building a 2x72 with a single phase motor so I am going to use step pulleys, however I want it as compact as possible. I am wondering if you guys had any good ideas to make a bench top style sander with a pulley system. Originally I was going to make a standing sander, but I prefer a bench top so I cant really use the motors weight for tension on the pulley belt. I also want to make it quick and easy to change the belt speed, any ideas on how I can tension the belt AND make it convenient to movie it around? Thanks guys!
 
You can still use the motor's weight for tension while on a bench, just put the motor on a hinge. As for being compact, if you want to save some space, try mounting the motor under the grinder, underneath the bench top, and just run the v-belt through the bench top onto the drive shaft. The hinged motor can still be done this way as well.
 
hey you guys! I didnt know where to post with this particular question but I am wondering if you guys have any advice for me. I am building a 2x72 with a single phase motor so I am going to use step pulleys, however I want it as compact as possible. I am wondering if you guys had any good ideas to make a bench top style sander with a pulley system. Originally I was going to make a standing sander, but I prefer a bench top so I cant really use the motors weight for tension on the pulley belt. I also want to make it quick and easy to change the belt speed, any ideas on how I can tension the belt AND make it convenient to movie it around? Thanks guys!

So here is the problem I see with what you are saying! The weight of the grinder and the motor makes an item that is not readily moved. I remember a DYI grinder some one made that stood on its own stand. something similar to this one! I goat this pic by Googling KMG clone!

368881d1210192545-plans-building-your-own-belt-sander-img_3284-medium-.jpg


I suppose this set-up above, could be set up so the motor is on a pivot and uses the motors weight to tension it.

Personally I think I would rethink the idea. Make the grinder mobile by putting it on it own cart.There is a reason for the large base plate on a KMG and that is the mass helps to smooth out any vibration. My KMG clone has a 3/8" thick, steel base plate. I remember picking it up while building and once it was mostly assembled it was not something I wanted to tote around. Let alone the 40 or 50 lbs. or more, the motor adds. I personally have a bad back and limited work-space so had to make mine mobile! Thus the cart I affectionately named the "War Wagon" after the old John Wayne movie!!

Grindercart001.jpg


Here are some close-ups of the motor! The motor is set on a pivot and the weight of the motor handles the tension. The motor I has is strong enough that I had to install a counter balance spring. When the start-up capacitor kicks in, the motor would jump upward enough I feared the belt might jump!
The handle is to make it easier to lift the weight of the motor, as I mentioned it is heavy! The chain is there for the same reason, the motor got away from me when I was changing to a different pulley. The chain keeps the motor from crashing into the cart if it does get away! The spring is to keep the motor from jumping high enough to throw the belt at start-up!

GrinderCart010.jpg


Here is a view of the belt for the grinder going thru the cart/table-top it sits on!

GrinderCart009.jpg


The War Wagon has been ever evolving and has changed since these pics were taken! The cart solved a number of problems for space and mobility! It allows for my forge, and grinder to both be easily mobile and take up as little space as possible.
 
I as wondering I anyone has tried a Reeves Vari Speed pulley system, it would eliminate the need for a electronic speed controller and are made from fractional to 15 hp drives and are infinitely adjustable.
 
Thank you all for your replies! They really help! sometimes we just need an outside opinion to get the good ole gears rolling! thank you C craft and AR Custom knives
 

I had something similar for my old shop smith, and have seen it on a couple of other machines. It's a cool concept, but by the time it's all put together with a method to spread the halves apart/together, you're not going to be saving any space, though you would certainly get a wider range of speeds if you could set something up.

THAT said.... brand new, these vari drive pulley systems are pretty pricey last I checked, and you could find a decent VFD for what just one of these pulley's would likely cost.
 
Here is the one I made. I welded a no weld grinder

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Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk
 
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