Conversion 4 surface grinder
- Thread starter macfly
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EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
I converted my surface grinder a number of years ago...I personally like it MUCH better than using the stones. Some will argue that the stones are more accurate, but mine will hold a .0005 tolerance with finer grit belts. The other added benefit is economy...I use the same belts that my grinders use....so I don't have to spend money on stones.
I also like the fact that with a 50 grit belt I can take .010-.012" at a pass, where as with a stone it's more like .001-.003".
Here's some pics of my conversion:
I also like the fact that with a 50 grit belt I can take .010-.012" at a pass, where as with a stone it's more like .001-.003".
Here's some pics of my conversion:
EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
Wayne,
I'll copy and paste it over to the Tutorial section
I'll copy and paste it over to the Tutorial section
Hi Ed,
Thank you for the pic's Im with wayne that would be a good one to paste on the tutorial section. I found a very nice harig 6x12 that i picked up finally hauled it home to my shop. I would like to put a vs controller on it how is your machine set up. Also where did you purchase your 100 durometer contact wheel?
Thanks
Mike
Thank you for the pic's Im with wayne that would be a good one to paste on the tutorial section. I found a very nice harig 6x12 that i picked up finally hauled it home to my shop. I would like to put a vs controller on it how is your machine set up. Also where did you purchase your 100 durometer contact wheel?
Thanks
Mike
EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
I would recommend against putting variable speed on a surface grinder...unless your gona change the motor to match the controller. Generally surface grinders are designed for light torque and high speed...if you put a VS controller on one without changing the motor too, you'll likely roast the motor.
I posted over on the tutorial forum......I recommend Sunray for the 100 durometer contact wheels.
I posted over on the tutorial forum......I recommend Sunray for the 100 durometer contact wheels.
David Broadwell
KNIFE MAKER
Ed,
Do you also recommend Sunray's contact wheels for knifemaking belt grinder?
David
EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
Hi David!
I do. I've been using the urethane wheels from Sunray for the last couple of years for building the "Caffrey" Platens for the KMG. I also had them build me a 10" serrated contact wheel (they will make whatever durometer you want, all the wheels I've had made are 70 durometer).
The urethane wheels from Sunray tend to be significantly less expensive than the rubber contact wheels that are currently being sold, and personally, I like the way the urethane performs better than the rubber wheels. That 10" serrated wheel that I had made was about $50 less than what I could find a 10" rubber contact wheel for.
The biggest thing you have to remember with Sunray is that you MUST know and give them ALL the specs for the wheel(s) you want made. A while back a fella on another forum was complaining because he had ordered a 12" contact wheel from Sunray, and it wasn't balanced to his liking when it arrived. He called me complaining, saying that "Sunray should have known I wanted it balanced!" When I asked him if he specified that it be balanced, he said "No! They (Sunray) should have known!" Sunray is a small company that makes short run orders for the military (usually rollers for tanks and such), and you will only get what you specify...nothing more, nothing less.
Everything is made to order, so be prepared to wait 3-6 weeks....but they are great people to deal with, and as long as you ask the questions, they will give you straight forward, honest answers. I deal with a gentleman named Shane, and have always been happy with the service I've received.
I do. I've been using the urethane wheels from Sunray for the last couple of years for building the "Caffrey" Platens for the KMG. I also had them build me a 10" serrated contact wheel (they will make whatever durometer you want, all the wheels I've had made are 70 durometer).
The urethane wheels from Sunray tend to be significantly less expensive than the rubber contact wheels that are currently being sold, and personally, I like the way the urethane performs better than the rubber wheels. That 10" serrated wheel that I had made was about $50 less than what I could find a 10" rubber contact wheel for.
The biggest thing you have to remember with Sunray is that you MUST know and give them ALL the specs for the wheel(s) you want made. A while back a fella on another forum was complaining because he had ordered a 12" contact wheel from Sunray, and it wasn't balanced to his liking when it arrived. He called me complaining, saying that "Sunray should have known I wanted it balanced!" When I asked him if he specified that it be balanced, he said "No! They (Sunray) should have known!" Sunray is a small company that makes short run orders for the military (usually rollers for tanks and such), and you will only get what you specify...nothing more, nothing less.
Everything is made to order, so be prepared to wait 3-6 weeks....but they are great people to deal with, and as long as you ask the questions, they will give you straight forward, honest answers. I deal with a gentleman named Shane, and have always been happy with the service I've received.
David Broadwell
KNIFE MAKER
Thanks, Ed. I got a general estimate from Sunray for a 10" wheel a month or two ago after someone posted their site on another thread. The price was so much less that a rubber wheel from a dealer for my Square Wheel that I wondered if it wasn't too good to be true! I don't know if it came with bearings and such, but I have those from my original 8" wheel.
I don't know if the yellow color is for urethane only, but below is my replacement 8" wheel. It's a Rietvelt wheel, and it's so much better than the original!
Thanks for the info. I think I'll figure out exactly what I need and give Sunray a call.
David
PS. You suppose I could just get a tank roller and same some money since they already make them?
I don't know if the yellow color is for urethane only, but below is my replacement 8" wheel. It's a Rietvelt wheel, and it's so much better than the original!
Thanks for the info. I think I'll figure out exactly what I need and give Sunray a call.
David
PS. You suppose I could just get a tank roller and same some money since they already make them?
Attachments
EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
I doubt that would be a wise thing to do (asking for a tank roller). You'd probably get something that was 18+" wide!
Speaking of bearings...that is something else you have to specify. When I ordered my 10" wheel I had to specify that I wanted bearings in it, and had to specify the ID and the OD of the bearings. I opted for 1 1/2" OD X 3/4" ID bearings.
I gotta be clear on this....EVERYTHING with Sunray must be specified...if you take for granted that something is included...it won't be. I think that comes from working with the government contracts....the companies that work with government contracts have been conditioned to do ONLY what is specified in the contract(s), nothing more or nothing less.
So one more time, each an every aspect of the wheel you order must be specified.... diameter, width, materials, durometer, hub material, bearings, bearing ID and OD, smooth or serrated, and any other specification that you can think of. Because if you do not make a specification, they won't include it.
The other thing you have to think about is that they will not build a mount for mounting the contact wheel to your tooling arm....they just don't do that. It's gona be up to you to figure out how to attach it, and build any mounts you require.
Once I understood all that about dealing with Sunray, I've had nothing but good experiences. I was like you in that I thought the prices were too good to be true, but after using their wheels for the last couple of years, they are the real deal, and I think you get a lot better contact wheel for the money than anywhere else.
Speaking of bearings...that is something else you have to specify. When I ordered my 10" wheel I had to specify that I wanted bearings in it, and had to specify the ID and the OD of the bearings. I opted for 1 1/2" OD X 3/4" ID bearings.
I gotta be clear on this....EVERYTHING with Sunray must be specified...if you take for granted that something is included...it won't be. I think that comes from working with the government contracts....the companies that work with government contracts have been conditioned to do ONLY what is specified in the contract(s), nothing more or nothing less.
So one more time, each an every aspect of the wheel you order must be specified.... diameter, width, materials, durometer, hub material, bearings, bearing ID and OD, smooth or serrated, and any other specification that you can think of. Because if you do not make a specification, they won't include it.
The other thing you have to think about is that they will not build a mount for mounting the contact wheel to your tooling arm....they just don't do that. It's gona be up to you to figure out how to attach it, and build any mounts you require.
Once I understood all that about dealing with Sunray, I've had nothing but good experiences. I was like you in that I thought the prices were too good to be true, but after using their wheels for the last couple of years, they are the real deal, and I think you get a lot better contact wheel for the money than anywhere else.
David Broadwell
KNIFE MAKER
Yeah, I guess it's hard to get 18" wide abrasive belts!
I should be able to measure the hub of my original 8" wheel, then use the shaft and bearing mounts from it. That will keep the cost down and I don't have to worry about mounting the new wheel to my grinder.
Thanks for the info.
David
I should be able to measure the hub of my original 8" wheel, then use the shaft and bearing mounts from it. That will keep the cost down and I don't have to worry about mounting the new wheel to my grinder.
Thanks for the info.
David
Cliff Fendley
Well-Known Member
I've done some myself and did a complete picture tutorial on one I did for Gil Hibben.
You can see it here http://www.customknivesandguns.com/ckgforums/showthread.php?t=16259
I'll ask Mike Carter if he can somehow put that on my website so everyone can find it better.
You can see it here http://www.customknivesandguns.com/ckgforums/showthread.php?t=16259
I'll ask Mike Carter if he can somehow put that on my website so everyone can find it better.
Cliff Fendley
Well-Known Member
I can't say it's any better I just liked the idea of keeping things more compact and rigid, If you've got a big machine like the big one of Gil's I converted a two wheel setup will stick up pretty high. The pivot arm also allows super quick belt changes and the three wheels track very true. I forgot to say anything to Mike today, I'll email him about the tutorial.
Cliff Fendley
Well-Known Member
I copied my tutorial over on this forum in the tutorial section.
http://www.knifedogs.com/showthread.php?t=7815
http://www.knifedogs.com/showthread.php?t=7815
Cliff Fendley
Well-Known Member
Your welcome guys.
Yes that machine is MUCH bigger than a 612, even quite a bit bigger than my Boyer Shultz 618.
That is Gil Hibben's machine, he has two with the conversion, that is the big one and even though I'm around it all the time I can't remember what it is. His other is a Boyer Shultz 612. I converted the big one when Rambo IV came out because his 612 wouldn't do them. I was able to surface grind the first couple on my 618 but it would barely do them so Gil asked me to convert the big boy because he liked using the belt over the stone.
We have 6x2 wheels on the smaller machines and 8x2 on the big one.