Will a 16" contact wheel work on a KMG? What happens to the tracking?

N

Nathan The Machinist

Well-Known Member
The wheel would need to be spaced up a little, and the geometry between the top of the contact wheel, the tracking wheel and the drive wheel would be almost straight. So I'm wondering what will happen to the tracking? Has anyone here ever used a 16" wheel on their KMG? I'm contemplating making one.
 
I think that after a certain diameter, you're just about as well off with a flat platen... hahah.

I'm making a few assumptions and thinking out loud a little bit, but I think that some of the tracking and drive wheel's "tracking" roles will be offset by the large amount of contact that a 16" diameter wheel is going to have with the belt. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, you're probably going to have a 1/3rd or more of the belt in contact with the 16" wheel while running. While I don't think your tracking wheel is going to do as much (if anything at all) for stability in tracking, if your wheel is perfectly in line and balanced, you might stand a chance.

Maybe you could put a little crown in the contact wheel?
 
OR, if you just looking for a hollow grind with a very shallow curve, you could make a "bowed" platen with the same radius as a 16" wheel...
 
My main contact wheel is 10". I need something larger.

I already have radius platens in 36" and 48". Unfortunately, when you get much smaller than 36" you start needing a contact wheel because the heat generated by wrapping the belt around a tighter radius.
 
Beaumont Metal Works (company that makes the KMG) has a sub forum at Knife Dogs. They may answer your question, or call them directly. They were very helpful to me and I was only buying a few parts for a GIB. I'm sure that they would be glad to help you.
 
Nathan ive heard of a few guys using a 12 inch wheel but really if your hollow grinding couldnt you adapt a jig to make up the difference for the angles. Like sticks said ask the guys at beaumont they will know. Kellyw
 
I've made these radius platens in 12", 16" and 20". You can't tell much difference between the 16" and 20" in the grind. They work quite well. They're 4 1/2" segments of the radius and you'll only use the middle third usually. Heat build-up is minimal if you position your belt to just glide over the face (where the center mark and two arrows are) untill you press the blade into it. I cut and tapped them to fit one back platen with two 1/4-20 bolts.



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Rudy
 
I have a 14" wheel and use it more and more lately. A 16" wheel may have a tracking issue as the 14" is about at the limit of contact with the tracking wheel. The 14" uses a dual set of pillow blocks with a 1" diameter (guessing) shaft on the tool arm vs. press fit bearings in the hub. I would think if you just mount the dual pillow blocks on the bottom of the tool arm vs on top like the Beaumont design, you should be be good. That will drop the wheel at least 2 inches. The lower belt path will almost certainly rub against the KMG base plate depending on which design you have. It will probably eat into your bench a bit also. Grind it down there to accommodate the belt path and you should be OK.
 
I definitely would give Rob at Beaumont a holler. I have emailed questions to him after he replied to a thread on another knife forum site,when I was building my KMG clone. He supplied answers about technical measurements that no one else could. It takes a man that is a good person to answer questions about something that you are copying from him and he knows he is not going to make a dime off of. He's good folks and would definitely be willing to share if he knows the answer.
 
BossDog said:
I have a 14" wheel and use it more and more lately. A 16" wheel may have a tracking issue as the 14" is about at the limit of contact with the tracking wheel. The 14" uses a dual set of pillow blocks with a 1" diameter (guessing) shaft on the tool arm vs. press fit bearings in the hub. I would think if you just mount the dual pillow blocks on the bottom of the tool arm vs on top like the Beaumont design, you should be be good. That will drop the wheel at least 2 inches. The lower belt path will almost certainly rub against the KMG base plate depending on which design you have. It will probably eat into your bench a bit also. Grind it down there to accommodate the belt path and you should be OK.
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Yeah, the tracking was my concern. I was thinking about raising the tracking wheel, or actually just tweaking the spring mount and pivoting the whole mess around backwards. What I don't know is if it will work or not. I was hoping someone had already done this, but I'm about ready to give it a go. Worse come to worse I can lower the wheel and use a longer belt for clearance (I guess)...
 
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