Nova 2×72 Aluminum Belt Grinder
Fiber-laser-cut 6061 with the full dual-axis tracking head. The one I point most makers at.
Starts at$1,395
Sterling, Illinois
Built in Sterling, Illinois by one machinist
I am Rich Linville. Every Torus CNC 2x72 belt grinder is drawn, built and test-run by me at 1741 Industrial Drive, then boxed and shipped out of the same building.
Who builds it
Twenty-five years of chips on the floor
I have been in CNC machining and design for more than 25 years. Torus CNC is what happened when I finally built the grinder I wanted for my own knifemaking.
The one-man shop
No big team here. It is me.
I draw the part, write the program, run the mill, deburr the edges, assemble the machine and set it in the box. That is the whole org chart.
It means I know why every hole is where it is. It also means the person answering your email is the person who built your grinder.
- 6061 aluminum chassis, machined here in Sterling
- 304 stainless and Grade 8 hardware where the load goes
- Tracked, tensioned and run before it is boxed
Materials and machines
Good stock, cut on my own HAAS
Grinders take a beating: side load on the platen, heat off the belt, and a shop floor that is never as clean as the photos. I machine parts to survive that, not to photograph well.
No castings, no bent brackets, no mystery hardware out of a bin. If a part is not right, it goes back in the vise or into the scrap bucket.
Every product that leaves my shop is something I am proud to put my name on.
In their words
What it is like to deal with me
Three Google reviews about the part of the job that is not machining: answering questions, keeping in touch, following up. Copied as written, with my replies.
- 5 out of 5 stars
Rich Provides the absolute best customer service. If you email or call him, he is the guy you will talk to. He will take care of you and make sure you have the products you want and need for your craft. He genuinely cares about the work he is producing and wants it to be of the highest quality...
Read the whole review by Will HutchinsonShow the short version of Will Hutchinson’s review
I am a full time knifemaker and have worked for another knifemaker full time for years before i went on my own. I have used quite a few different grinders on the market and I believe these to be of the highest value on the market. They are smooth, stable, and punch way above their weight class. The ratcheting tensioning system rules and I will never go back to a spring tensioning system...
Rich Provides the absolute best customer service. If you email or call him, he is the guy you will talk to. He will take care of you and make sure you have the products you want and need for your craft. He genuinely cares about the work he is producing and wants it to be of the highest quality...
If you are an aspiring knifemaker or a seasoned pro looking to upgrade, build a relationship with Rich and his products. you wont be disappointed and it will pay dividends throughout your journey....
Rich replied
Will Hutchinson - 5 out of 5 stars
But honestly, what made this purchase special was dealing with Rich. He was incredible - answered all my questions before I bought it, made sure I got the right setup, and followed up several times after it arrived to check how everything was running. You just don't get that kind of service anymore.…
Read the whole review by Eric TorrieShow the short version of Eric Torrie’s review
Got this belt grinder for our farm shop and it's been awesome. The machining quality really impressed me - everything fits tight and feels solid, you can tell they put real care into making it.
Setup took maybe 20 minutes tops and it was ready to roll. Runs super smooth and quiet with basically no vibration. Even though it's aluminum, there's zero flex or rattling - feels rock solid even when you're really putting it to work.
Love the tracking system and the ratchet belt tensioning - makes changing belts quick and painless. All the controls just make sense.
But honestly, what made this purchase special was dealing with Rich. He was incredible - answered all my questions before I bought it, made sure I got the right setup, and followed up several times after it arrived to check how everything was running. You just don't get that kind of service anymore.
First belt grinder we've owned and I'm really happy with it. Thing's built to last and performs great. Would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a solid grinder for your shop.
Keep up the fantastic work Rich!
Rich replied
Eric Torrie - 5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the M90 about three weeks ago and finally got some time to put it to use. Throughout the buying process, Rich stayed in touch, answering questions and providing updates. The grinder even arrived a little sooner than expected; well packed and ready for use right out of the box.…
Read the whole review by David WileyShow the short version of David Wiley’s review
I purchased the M90 about three weeks ago and finally got some time to put it to use. Throughout the buying process, Rich stayed in touch, answering questions and providing updates. The grinder even arrived a little sooner than expected; well packed and ready for use right out of the box.
Quality grinders aren’t cheap, and if you’re in the market for a 2x72, you’ve probably researched all the main contenders. Despite being lesser known than some, the M90’s fit and finish are top-notch, and the grinder represents an exceptional value.
Rich was a pleasure to do business with, and I have absolutely no regrets purchasing the M90. Highly recommended. Five well-deserved stars.
Rich replied
David Wiley
How I got here
From a drill press to my own HAAS
None of it was a straight line. Here is the short version.
1996
Dad's shop buys its first HAAS
My first job was for my dad and his business partners, right here in Sterling. I spent most of the day at a drill press. Then a HAAS VF1 landed on the floor, and the precision and the power hooked me for good.After the sale
Certificates in CNC and CAD
Dad eventually sold the business to a third party. I had to be prepared for whatever came next, in case the new owner outsourced the work, so I went back to community college and earned certificates in CNC and CAD.2019
One HAAS MiniMill
I wanted a grinder for my own metalworking and knifemaking, and the price tags were steep, way out of my range, so I decided to design one myself. Buying the MiniMill was the first big step toward the self-employment I had always wanted.2020
Torus CNC opens
I set up shop and started building grinders one at a time on a machined aluminum tilting chassis. I have not looked back since.2023
The VF-2 arrives
I traded the MiniMill for a HAAS VF-2, a full vertical machining centre. Bigger envelope, more rigidity, longer parts in one setup.Today
1741 Industrial Drive
A full product line, 350-plus customers served since 2020, and a 5.0 combined Google and Etsy rating from 49 buyer reviews. Still one guy.
Proof
The numbers, and where to check them
The Google reviews quoted on this site are copied word for word. Every one of them, and every Etsy review, lives under my name where you can read it yourself.
- Years in CNC
- 25+
- Customers served
- 350+
- Google and Etsy rating
- 5.0 — Read the Google reviews (opens in a new tab)
- Buyer reviews
- 49
Inside the shop
Cut it, build it, run it, box it
One building, four jobs: a HAAS, a bench with a torque wrench on it, a test stand with a belt running, and a box with your name on the label.
Cut on my own HAAS
I draw the part, write the program, run the mill and deburr the edges, and an end mill can only leave an inside corner as tight as its own radius.
Chassis plates, straight off the machine. 
One setup, a whole batch of parts. 
Still spending part of the week at a drill press.
What I build to
Durability, precision, and getting your work done
Simple philosophy: build them strong, build them right, and make sure they help you work better. Every chassis is machined and assembled in the USA, in one building in Sterling, Illinois.
Built to take a beating
6061 aluminum and 304 stainless where the load goes, with hardware sized for side load on the platen rather than for the listing photo.Flat, square and tracking
Parts come off the HAAS to a drawing, not a guess. A platen that is actually flat and a belt you can track in seconds save time on every blade.Set up the way you work
Tooling arms, small wheels, work rests, contact wheels, slack belt platens. Start with what you need and add later; it is the same 1.5-inch arm every time.
What I make
Three grinder designs, two generations
Every Torus uses the same machined billet-aluminum dual-axis tracking head. All three tilt and accept standard 1.5-inch tooling arms. Pick the frame, then pick the motor.
Limited release · 3 remainTorus Nebula 2x72 - Corvus Edition
The Nebula 2x72 - Corvus Edition. An exclusive Gunmetal Grey / silver vein powdercoat finish, created for makers who appreciate craftsmanship, performance, and purposeful design.
These are the last Nebula chassis available until the next release. Once this run sells out, availability pauses until the next run is ready.
Next release: 10 more chassis expected Nov 17–Nov 24 (3–4 weeks from Oct 27).
Starts at$1,495
Torus 2×72 Classic Aluminum Belt Grinder
The compact 9x9-inch aluminum tilting frame. At $1,095, the lowest-priced grinder I offer.
Starts at$1,095
Talk to the builder
Tell me what you are building
Email or text me what you make and what is already in your shop. I will point you at the right grinder, arm and wheel, even if that means telling you not to buy something yet.