Essential Machinery for those just starting.

L

liquidfusion

Member
Did a brief search and didnt come up with anything. For those of us just getting started, what would you recommend as an essential list of machinery /tools to step off on the right foot. Is a band saw needed or will a scroll saw work in its place ? Has anyone started on a budget where you used a lower price point belt sander like a Kalamazoo? Did it work well for what you needed or not?

Thanks in advance...

Bruce
 
I'll defer to Josh Dabney's excellent thread for any detail. I made my first knives with a canola oil quench and home oven temper, a $150 Delta 1x42" belt sander for a convex edge grind, hack saw, 4" wheel import angle grinder and a $44 on sale Harbor Freight drill press. There was a great deal of hand sanding with the first ones but they were passable. Right now, with what I've learned I could make some very fine oil quenching steel blades using only those tools again and more elbow grease to get my finish up to the same level of my current work. I would say it's mostly experience, the tooling allows for more speed, hollow grinding, and stainless steels with more precise and repeatable heat treatment, but you need very little to make passable and even sellable knives.
 
Thanks for the replies. That thread was outstanding. Im still tryin to navigate my way through the sheer amount of info here on the forums... I have experience with mills and lathes as it pertains to building rifles. Dont know much about the heat treating process, but Im here to learn... As far as space, i have plenty of that, and have cleaned out about 500sq ft in the shop I use for custom paint, signs, and decals to set up bench space. As far as budget restrictions, my initial budget is $4000.00 to get me going...

Bruce
 
Bruce,
Buy a top quality 2 72" Grinder with a variable speed motor and at least a 1 1/2 motor.

I have used a been extremely happy with a Hardcore Products grinder with with these motor and controller spec's for over 13 years. Mine is milled aluminum. They now have a cast aluminum version that I would buy now. http://www.trugrit.com/

I would pass on the Kalamazoo and others in this price range, I think they are made in china now.


I own two other machines and since I don't wish to say anything negative about them here I will just say, Only Cry Once! Buy a top quality grinding machine and then build around it. The other's worked, but by the time you do all of the up grades you really need you will be close enough in costs that you are better off buying a top grade machine that you can use out of the box with out any compromises.

Ever if you wish to forge your blades, You still will be grinding for final shape and finishing & handle sculpting.

The jig saw will hold you for now buy your knife handle cut into scales.
If you really want to equip the whole shop for that four grand. A good less expensive grinder that I started with and still have is a 2 x 72" by Norman Coote.
http://www.cootebeltgrinder.com/

You can put together a Hollow and flat grinding machine for around $1000.00
with variable speed etc.

That's my 2 cents on getting started in knife making.

Enjoy the fun! If you worked on the wood & metal of rifles you should be making great knives soon.


Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
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With a $4000 budget get a good grinder and if you are wanting to use anything other than 1080/1084 and do your own heat treating get a heat treating oven. That leaves you with around $1000 left for belts, steel, handle material, and other misc. things.
 
hi,
my shop is extreme low budget, 4x36 belt sander from Sears, small bandsaw and drill press from lowes, shop stuff(vises, clamps, ect) from ebay and thrift stores. I would look at the Wilmont Lil buddy 2x72 belt sander. http://knifedogs.com/showthread.php?27832-New-and-improved-little-buddy-grinder The sander is made here in NC by a forum member. 4k is not a small budget, wish I had half that much to equip with. Unless you already have them, get a good large and small bench vise, a drill press vise, and an assortment of spring and C clamps.
scott
 
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Well you certainly came to the right place. We,ll be happy to help you get started and beyond.
It sounds like you are in good shape for space, initial startup funds and enthusiasm. I love my Burr King grinders but the KMG is a better flat grind and hollow grind grinder. It's also easy to switch out for other operations and Rob is great to work with. If I would have known him way back when I bought the Burr King I Would have one of his grinders. He sells many accessories for it also. You will need a good metal cutting band saw and a good drill press with slow speeds for drilling metal. I suggest 4x36" belt/disc grinder too.
Well that about took care of your $4000 but you can make knives now.
 
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Thanks for all the replies and info... Its greatly appreciated.

LOL, now back to soaking up whats in the tutorials...

Bruce
 
I would choose a Coote grinder over a Kalamazoo because it's more flexable. You might want to look at a KMG or KMG clone if you are doing stock removal. Even with a good grinder files are will be needed. I would recommend single cut @@@@@@@ mill files, half round files and needle files. A drill press is pretty handy too. If you can swing it, get a good floor model. If you want to do your own heat treating and think that you would want to eventually work with stainless steels or air quenching tool steels then you will need a kiln with a regulated heat control.

Of course, if you have the experience to build or at least assemble some of your equipment you can save yourself some real bucks. Make sure that you understand the safe operation of each tool because some of the tools, especially power tools and heat sources, can be very dangerous if used wrong. We've had some nasty accidents, including someone who almost killed himself using a forge in an unventilated shed, posted to these boards.

Doug
 
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