What contact wheel sizes for a do-it-all No Weld Grinder

[Geoffrey]

I recently picked up my 1.5hp motor and I am ready to order all my parts from USAKnifeMaker this week, or as soon as the idler wheels and a few other small items are back in stock.

I want to make a pretty simple NWG, one arm with the small wheel attachment and one arm with some form of a rotary platen allowing me to grind on a ceramic plate, slack belt, and two different size contact wheels.

I need guidance on wheel size and hardness.

I know I want a 2" wheel but I am not sure on the second wheel. I don't plan to do any hollow grinding, but I will be restoring axes and modifying tomahawks, shaping/contouring handles, etc. So I am looking at a 3", 4" or 5" I think.

As to hardness I want to force the object being ground to comply with what I am working towards so I don't think I want too much give, but I would also like to be able to shape and contour my micarta handles with one of the contact wheels.

The cost savings on going to Poly over Rubber is pretty substantial. I am only a hobby maker/modifier. Has anyone here got experience with both wheel materials, could you share your opinion?

I suspect I am over thinking this a lot, but I really want to try to buy exactly what I need the first time.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[rhinoknives]

Don't buy the poly.
Only cry once! get the Hard durometer Rubber wheel. They will make the metal go away quick as long as you have good belts. You can also use a slack belt for some give while contouring.

You can do Steel & Micarta on the Rubber & Slack belt just fine. The Steel on the other hand will chew up the poly wheels quick.

I have a 5" Rubber Drive wheel from my Hardcore Products Grinder, That is over 15 years old and I have profiled over 2000 knives on and still works fine. You will be lucky to get a year out of those Poly wheels.

Laurence

www.westsidesharpening.com/