Belt grinder from stuff laying around

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I started the project about a year ago after reading about similar machines that knife makers use. The ready made ones were nice but too expensive so I began a design of my own that met my needs for fabrication on my car project. The only things I had to buy were the rubber coated wheels: the 10" wheel was from Grizzly $60 and the 4" wheels came from Sun-Ray at $30 each. I had a 1 1/2 hp 1725 rpm motor in the corner off of something that I can't remember. It an ODP not a TEFC but I have a small belt sander that I made in high school metal shop 40 years ago that has an ODP motor on it and is still going strong so my grand children may have to change it out someday when the dust finally wears it out. All the steel was left over from other projects except for about $5 woth that I picked up scrap at $0.45 / lb.The design evolved throughout the construction as most of mine do. I originally planned on having the motor direct drive the large wheel which would give a 4500 fpm belt speed. I found this guy at Pop's Knife Supplies (very helpful and a nice guy BTW) who told me about ceramic abrasive and how much better it cuts and wears than the aluminum oxide belts but you need to run them at 6000 fpm or they glaze over. He also told me that if I run finer grits I need to run them slower to prevent over heating. So I moved the motor underneath and replaced it with pillow blocks and a shaft that would allow ratio changes with different pulleys. A second advantage is that it gave much better access when grinding in the horizontal on the large wheel. I wanted to be able to rotate the head so I could grind against the large or small wheel and be able to turn it vertical to grind against the 18" long flat platen (I can also use the platen in the horizontal mode as well). I can loosen a nut and pull the head away from the stand and then rotate it on a 2" round tube and push it back and index it at any 90 degree position (Hard to explain - look at the picture). The work rest can be set at any angle and will work in either the horizontal or vertical position.The belt tracking adjusters for the small wheels can adjust the wheels in any plane and I can get the belt to track without crowning any of the wheels if I'm grinding against the large wheel or the platen. If I grind on the slack belt and put side pressure on the belt I can move it off center so I may have to crown the tension wheel.The black tube on the stand swings up and acts as a lever to be able to move the machine around. I put a separate plug on the motor so I could remove it without having to undo the wires from the switch. The machine works well and really removes metal quickly. Even with 1 1/2 hp I can slow the belt if I apply pressure to the workpiece so a larger motor may be in the future possible a 3 phase with a VFD for speed control, price has to be right though, I'm a cheap SOBCut an MGB and widened 11" C4 Corvette suspension and LT1 Chevrolet power & 6 spd. Pictures here:Part 1http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,7581Part 2http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,22422
Reply:Here are some more picsCut an MGB and widened 11" C4 Corvette suspension and LT1 Chevrolet power & 6 spd. Pictures here:Part 1http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,7581Part 2http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,22422
Reply:I'm impressed, I've always needed one of these. It's a shame you didn't do a step by step build w/photos on here so I could steal it! Seriously, plans with a parts list and vendors would probably sell.Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.                                         -Cree Indian ProverbSA 200 LincolnVictor Torches
Reply:That is one sweet project. I think I will keep this in mind as I would prefer to build one over buying one.Thanks for sharingMiller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:Originally Posted by gizzardgutzI'm impressed, I've always needed one of these. It's a shame you didn't do a step by step build w/photos on here so I could steal it! Seriously, plans with a parts list and vendors would probably sell.
Reply:Thanks for the added info!Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.                                         -Cree Indian ProverbSA 200 LincolnVictor Torches
Reply:To kool!A butterfly without wings, is just an ugly bug
Reply:http://www.millerwelds.com/challenge/This should be submitted!
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat Bastardhttp://www.millerwelds.com/challenge/This should be submitted!