Craftsman 2x42 to 2x72 Conversion

I have had a little interest from people about converting the craftsman 2x42 grinder into a 2x72. I figured id post up a little how too.

To start things off i cut the top section of the frame and tracking wheel away from the rest. Where the cut is made is not really critical just make sure that the built in nut to screw the top half of the cover on is left on this peice. It will be a securing point to make it rigid again.


With the tracking wheel cut away from the rest of the frame measurements can be taken for the side brace. A third hand is very helpful during this. Take a 2x72 belt and put it on the machine and hold the tracking wheel up to where the belt is taunt. I pulled down on the tension handle keeping the belt tight and measured center to center on the nuts that held on the side cover. Take the measurements and drill two holes out in a peice of angle. I used 1" angle.


After the holes are drilled install this brace to the base frame and the tracking wheel. I added another bracket to the rear of the frame to help keep it rigid. A hole was drilled at the top of the bottom half of the frame. Another peice of angle is bolted onto this hole. The anchor point for this bracket for the tracking wheel is the leg that is already on the frame. The leg un screws and then just drill a hole and crew the leg back in.


After this bracket is installed the conversion is basically done. Put on a belt and see how it tracks.


On a side note of the conversion I drilled holes in the brackets that allow me to return the grinder to run the 42" belt.

I hope this was easy to follow and i hope it helps. Its a good alternative ecspecially if you already have the unit. If anybody has any questions or suggestions on how to make it better fire away.

Thanks
Jay

Thanks for posting this! I was thinking that you added a contact wheel or something like that, but this is much simpler.

I like that. Thanks for posting!

Way interesting.
What kind of dog is that?
Dozier

Cool grinder..

Thanks guys.
wdtorque she is a english mastiff and she just turned 1!!!

She is a cutie. Her head is bigger'n those punkins!
Nice. Dozier

Is that a 1/3 hp motor or the older 2/3 hp model?

The motor is actually a 1/2hp bench grinder I had laying around. I use the 1/3 craftsman motor strictly for the disc grinder.

Thanks for the reply Jay. Folks were asking on another forum if the 1/3hp motor was strong enough to run 72" belts.

No problem bud. I've run it with 1/3 hp and it did fine I just had the other one there is the only reason I switched them

Hmm... I like it... Not that you need my approval, I am just letting you know that I might be using your idea.

Well I'm glad you like it!!! I think I'm gonna get a 8" contact wheel and make it a three wheel machine. I've been toying around with the idea of getting a smaller drive wheel and slowing down the machine too.

I was thinking about that too... (How the drive wheel regulates the speed) What size wheel is the original? And how much slower would you want it to run?


I may do something similar using aa 2/3hp bench grinder that I have, but am not using...

The original wheel is 5". And looking and the $50 knife shops surface feet per min. Table this setup runs at approximately 4500 SFM. If I down size to a 3" wheel it will slow it down to around 2650 SFM.

jaysmith10 said:

The motor is actually a 1/2hp bench grinder I had laying around. I use the 1/3 craftsman motor strictly for the disc grinder.

Click to expand...

How did you get the contact wheel off the 1/3 motor. I am trying to convert my craftsman to use in the surface grinder conversion to belts.

Thanks

John

JMJones said:

How did you get the contact wheel off the 1/3 motor. I am trying to convert my craftsman to use in the surface grinder conversion to belts.

Thanks

John

Click to expand...

John sorry I missed this... The drive wheel is just held on with a nut and the tracking wheel is held on with a snap ring. Hope that answers your question.

I was thinking of this thread again earlier today, simply because I wish I had a longer platen. One of these days I'll get around to converting mine

hey guys just saw a very good conversion of a 2x42 craftsman on u tube that would combine with this one great but dont now how to cut and past but if you google craftsman 2x42 it comes up on first page of search I'm thinking of combing the two builds cuz i have a bigger motor and want a 2x72

franklin said:

hey guys just saw a very good conversion of a 2x42 craftsman on u tube that would combine with this one great but dont now how to cut and past but if you google craftsman 2x42 it comes up on first page of search I'm thinking of combing the two builds cuz i have a bigger motor and want a 2x72

Click to expand...

I googled this and I'm impressed this is definately the way to go. I might have to give it a try for sure.