KMG motors?

I'm with you Kevin. If I was gonna make a living making knives I probably would go with the steel but according to his sales pitch (again sales pitch!! ) the Aluminium they use is real tuff, he gives shear strength etc.. on his site. Also they use steel threaded inserts for the tool arm. He did say for an additional charge they would make the side plate out of steel but you would have to contact them.
 
Gliden07 said:
I'm with you Kevin. If I was gonna make a living making knives I probably would go with the steel but according to his sales pitch (again sales pitch!! ) the Aluminium they use is real tuff, he gives shear strength etc.. on his site. Also they use steel threaded inserts for the tool arm. He did say for an additional charge they would make the side plate out of steel but you would have to contact them.
Click to expand...
It does look like an awesome machine ... no doubt. The price is right up there with the best too. Not quite but it's still ain't that cheap lol.
 
Kevin Zito said:
I'm looking for something in the ballpark of a couple hundred. Did I mention that lol?
Click to expand...

If you find that keep me posted!! I'd buy one too!! Maybe we could get a deal on them if we buy more!! P.S. I contacted Reader it was 90ish to ship so no wheels no motor 600 bucks!
 
Gliden07 said:
I'm with you Kevin. If I was gonna make a living making knives I probably would go with the steel but according to his sales pitch (again sales pitch!! ) the Aluminium they use is real tuff, he gives shear strength etc.. on his site. Also they use steel threaded inserts for the tool arm. He did say for an additional charge they would make the side plate out of steel but you would have to contact them.
Click to expand...
Shear strength has nothing to do with vibration. This is just my opinion, I would not buy an aluminum grinder. I work with steel and aluminum and steel all day. There is no comparison when it comes to rigidity.
 
Gliden07 said:
I know this system is Aluminium I don't know if this would be an issue?
Click to expand...

I designed and built my own 2x72 using nearly exclusively 6061 aluminum (mostly 1/2" plate), and I've noticed zero issues. Granted, I did use steel inserts and bushings on any potential wear points (I believe Reeder does as well), but other than that, I'm not sure why there's any hesitation over using aluminum. It's also nice not having to worry about rust.
 
Ty Adams said:
Have you looked at the Oregon Blade Maker on eBay?
Click to expand...
This is awesome! It brings up something that I've been wanting to ask? Are all bearings on the machines, motors, wheels,... etc on baders, tw90's, kmgs, ,... etc the same? Can one purchase "super quality" bearings? Or, are all bearings pretty much the same? I know the different types of bearings and the different applications. But I guess I'm asking if it's possible to say upgrade the bearing in my HF 4 by 36?
 
Kevin Zito said:
This is awesome! It brings up something that I've been wanting to ask? Are all bearings on the machines, motors, wheels,... etc on baders, tw90's, kmgs, ,... etc the same? Can one purchase "super quality" bearings? Or, are all bearings pretty much the same? I know the different types of bearings and the different applications. But I guess I'm asking if it's possible to say upgrade the bearing in my HF 4 by 36?
Click to expand...

Short answer: It depends.

Between the different manufacturers, depending on the wheel type, the bearings may be around the same size, though some are different. As for quality, a lot of them are lower cost chinese bearings, which isn't to say they're poor quality necessarily, but you can technically find higher grade bearings. Whether you will gain any perceivable benefit is questionable, in my opinion, especially when you consider the price increase for something like a higher grade USA made bearings.

I recall one guy asking one of the wheel makers (may have actually been OBM, or VWjackstraw) if they would put USA made bearings in the wheels, instead of the chinese bearings they typically use, and I think it nearly doubled the cost of the wheel, if I'm remembering correctly.

As for your HF 4x36, if the bearings are worn out, or have developed some slop or noise, you should be able to find make or size on the race (or sheild) and replace them with an equivalent.

Now, is it worth upgrading from say, an ABEC 3 or 5 bearing to a 7 or 9 for something that only spins at 3600 RPM or less? Probably not. Would something like a ceramic bearing give any improvement over steel? In my opinion, not really. YMMV.
 
ARCustomKnives said:
Short answer: It depends.

Between the different manufacturers, depending on the wheel type, the bearings may be around the same size, though some are different. As for quality, a lot of them are lower cost chinese bearings, which isn't to say they're poor quality necessarily, but you can technically find higher grade bearings. Whether you will gain any perceivable benefit is questionable, in my opinion, especially when you consider the price increase for something like a higher grade USA made bearings.

I recall one guy asking one of the wheel makers (may have actually been OBM, or VWjackstraw) if they would put USA made bearings in the wheels, instead of the chinese bearings they typically use, and I think it nearly doubled the cost of the wheel, if I'm remembering correctly.

As for your HF 4x36, if the bearings are worn out, or have developed some slop or noise, you should be able to find make or size on the race (or sheild) and replace them with an equivalent.

Now, is it worth upgrading from say, an ABEC 3 or 5 bearing to a 7 or 9 for something that only spins at 3600 RPM or less? Probably not. Would something like a ceramic bearing give any improvement over steel? In my opinion, not really. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Cool. Thanks, Drew! Hmm so I guess it's more about precision, balance and bracing than it is about bearings.
 
Kevin Zito said:
I'm looking for something in the ballpark of a couple hundred. Did I mention that lol?
Click to expand...

If you want $200 you are shot before, you get the box wet, from running around the box; trying to figure how to think outside of it!!!

If you are handy or able to fabricate you can keep it the neighbor hood of that! The plans are on the net, and I think I still have a set I printed out or may have them archived! You can by your steel in bulk. You can watch for deals by Googling everything you need to build one. Another thing I have found out is that if there is something on Ebay and you can't really find your way to pay their price, contact them and give them a price you are willing to pay. It has worked out for me on items like, Inswool for my forge, carbide strips for my file guides, and yes even with the 2 HP motor that I put on my KMG clone.

I have yet to see any grinder. Except for the one a friend and fellow maker has in Ala. just over the state line from me!! He could turn it on and running thru his VFD you never knew the thing was on till it finally hit Mach 1! Of course I haven't been in anyone else's shop but Ken H's!!!

When I started mine I did not have a bandsaw but it sure would have been nice! I fell in love with the KMG but could not afford. Now I will tell there is a reason that it is the price it is! One it is out of the box ready to go. And two, those big CNC machines he has sitting around. Well that is the reason the percison is there. The CNC'S make it easy to make the percison you need to develop a good machine!

However if you are building custom knives you probably have the ability to build the percision into your own machine!

I bought the same motor that KMG was offering for about $50.00 less than what they wanted! It took some serious looking and then as I said I had to ask the seller to come down! That is another point, be sure to order the motor that has the shaft size for the drive pulley you are using or vic/versa!! Also you need to think about power. 110 V or 220V, are you going direct drive, belt drive and/or Variable speed. You need to have that all figured out before you try and buy a motor. Or sometimes you are lucky and you fall into a motor and have to work in reverse!! LOL Take a look at these motor and the options are what drives the price!! Wow motors have gone up!!!

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...Lesson+farm+duty+2+hp+electric+motor&_sacat=0

These following two motors would be worth looking at. The first is slightly higher RPM than most use but, it would probably work. Why these two, first of all they are both 2hp, both are TEFC, both are being sold by an electric motor company or wholesaler. They want a profit and profit is often in how fast they can turn them over. Tell them you are a small business just getting up and running and would be greatly appreciated if they could do it for $50.00 less than what their posted price is. They can't eat you and the worst they can do is say no!!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2hp-1800-RP...723085&hash=item3a87482d0f:g:kiUAAOxyzi9SgQpt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2hp-1725rpm...500867?hash=item2822151d03:g:30UAAOSw0fhXj6-8

The bearings I used were the same bearing speced for the KMG and I took my time to build it. But just like a knife you a making if it is not coming out right. You have to be willing to stop and backup to the point where things started going bad! I think if I remember right I had about $350.00 in my build. Most of that was motor and pulleys belt bearings and a few other odd and ends!

When I got it fabricated, the belt would track but to get the belt to align with the drive pulley, the tracking pulley and the platen or 10" grizzly wheel, (forgot that cost me about $40.00 to have the wheel drilled for bearing pockets and have bearings pressed into the pocket) the problem I realized was a hole that held the tension arm had walked off when I drilled it. That goes back to keeping everything percise. I don' believe you could build one without at least a drill press!!
After correcting that problem I never looked back! I made all of my own accessories and I always feel like it is a work in progress, as I realize I want to do something that I haven't been able to do on it I make another attachment!!

Everyone of the names of grinders mentioned have characteristics that given the chance to build another I would incorporate in another one if I were going to build a new one!!
 
Last edited:
Wow! C thanks for all the info. And you are too funny... I love to read your posts.To be clear though, I'm definitely gonna have to shell out $3000 or so, and I know this. I was messing around. HOWEVER, after looking around the site that Ty suggested, and reading your post, I definitely want to build one too! Honestly, I think it would fun!
 
Building is always an option! If you can fabricate a knife and do a good job of it, then you have the skills to build one. Problem with something like building a KMG clone or something similar, is the percison side of the build. That takes some tools and knowing how to use them. With out the percison, you just have a bunch of metal that you will cuss till you decide to get rid of it!!!
If you weld you always run the risk of something warping between the heat and the cooling. Much like a knife warping. If you have acess to a drill press. That is half of the battle. Tapping holes can be done by hand, as long as you pay strict attention to getting the tap started straight!!! I have started a tap in the drill press, (without power) mind you! You have to deal with the spring return of a drill press but, it does allow you to get a straight start on a tap. Once started, unchuck it and switch to the handle!
I started gathering parts and it was about six to eight months before I got everything to get going on the build! While I was waiting I was thinking the whole project through and I never stopped building knives. Some of the money from those knives went back into supplies and part went into parts for the build.
I used a 4 x 24 belt sander that I learned a long time ago how to lock on and roll it on its side or on its back, a right angle grinder and files. It really makes you appreciate the KMG clone when it got done. It was one of those moments like, "wow , how did I ever live without one of these"!
I do alot of welding and metal fabrication and the clone is my "go to machine" on that as well as knife making!!

I think one of the first things to consider wheter buying or building is my power supply. Its always better to have mo~power than to not have enough!! Good luck with what ever direction you decide to go.
 
C Craft said:
However if you are building custom knives you probably have the ability to build the percision into your own machine!
Click to expand...

That is such a valid statement.

Cliff - thanks for the nice comment on my homemade grinder and your visit. You do need to visit again, bring your wife and we'll throw some ribs on the grill.
 
Kevin Zito said:
Cool. Thanks, Drew! Hmm so I guess it's more about precision, balance and bracing than it is about bearings.
Click to expand...

That's a lot of it. Obviously a $1-2 Chinesium bearing isn't going to outlast a quality USA made bearing at 10x the cost, but if it's installed correctly (no side loading or binding, well balanced, etc..), it should have a relatively decent service life. Likewise, even a quality bearing isn't going to last if installed on a severely unbalanced wheel, or if there's significant side loading or binding.
 
Ken I had a good time that day!!

Buy the best quality you can afford. When I bought my 10" Grizzly contact wheel, and had it pocketed for bearings I used what another had specked in a post as the bearings they had used. After about 3 months I fired up the grinder one day and stood there a second before I began to grind and I reached over and shut it back off again.
Something was wrong the sound was wrong. After examination I noticed the bearing on one side of the wheel had evidently detonated! I could see where it had slung grease and it appeared some of the ball bearing were missing!!!:eek:
So I go down to the auto shop that I know is the best in town and went to the guy I know behind the counter and told him I need a press in bearing with 1/2" ID and what ever the outside of this mics out to be!
Now two things I need two of those and I want the best I can buy. He goes well.............these are about $70.00 bucks apiece. I cut him off and said I did not want the Gold ones.
Look bud if it were yours and you didn't want it to go again right away, which one would you pick.
He told these are just as tough, I have used a lot of them and never had one fail. That was a good enough recomendation for me. I don't remember what they cost but they weren't cheap, about a 1/3 of the Gold ones. :D
That second set of bearing are still in that 10" contact wheel and the box is where I know where it is, to reorder, if they go bad!!

Not to say that I do that all the time but I found over the years. You get what you pay for and although I may not be able to buy the best. I have done the research before I get to the point of purchase. So if I can't buy the best, I purchased the best I could afford!!

I grew up fabricating, my Dad had a small consruction company. So often if we needed a major tool and couldn't afford the purchase of one, he built it!!! I started working for him at the age of 14, so got to learn a lot from him.
 
I'm still liking the Reeder machine? Gonna be a while before I buy one though $1k ish is a lot of money for a serious piece of equipment for a hobby I just started! But I do want one!! LOL!!
 
Just remember Grasshopper, "all that glitters is not gold"!

Or what I told my children, "its not your wants that matter, it is your needs that matter"!! There is something to be said for starting out without a grinder, your mistakes are usually not near as bad, with a file and sandpaper as when the grinder is turning a 36 grit belt at high speed!! Don't ask how I know that one!!! :rolleyes::D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top