From the shop
I write down the setups, abrasive choices, tracking adjustments and maintenance checks I use at the grinder.
Articles 61–72 of 127
Archive page 6
Filed by what you are doing at the machine — grinding, sharpening, heat treat, maintenance, or running the business side of a shop.
Sharpening and demo grinding at a craft show sells knives, but only if the grinder gets there and stays put. Here is how I build a portable stand for a 2×72: materials, working height, tie-downs and the setup routine.
Profiling is where the belt earns its money, and grit is the whole decision. Here is which grit I profile with on the 2×72, why fresh 36 to 60 ceramic beats a tired 80, and when to step up.
Knifemakers are not the only ones who need a 2×72. Sculptors use the same machine to rough out forms, add texture and polish bronze and steel. Here is how to set a belt grinder up for art metalwork.
A full hollow razor is ground almost to nothing, and wheel diameter decides the curve. Here is why a 14-inch contact wheel is the razor maker’s choice, how to keep thin steel cool, and how to set the 2×72 up.
Thin cuts better, right up until the edge turns blue. Here is how I take a knife edge thin without burn-through: where to stop before heat treat, what changes at 220 grit, how I check thickness, how often I dip.
A strip of glass on the platen face runs cooler than steel, stays flat longer and lets the belt slide instead of drag. Here is what a glass-lined platen costs, what it changes, and when it is worth it.
Big tracking knobs make big moves. When the belt only needs to shift a hair, you need a finer adjustment. Here is how a fine-thread dial knob on the tracking axis nudges a 2×72 belt a few thousandths.
Hardened tool steel does not care how good your grinder is unless the belt, speed and fixture are right. Here is how I grind dies and punches on the 2×72: ceramic belts, slow speed, coolant, a rigid rest, measuring.
A 2×72 throws sparks, grit and the occasional belt shard straight at your face. Here is how I pick eye protection for belt grinding: impact ratings, glasses versus goggles versus a face shield, fog, and fit.
A dagger has four bevels and every one has to match. Here is how I grind symmetrical double-edged daggers on the 2×72: scribing a true centerline, setting the rest once, checking symmetry after every pass, and finishing both edges.
A san mai sword has a hard core between soft cladding, and one hot pass or one deep gouge shows forever. Here is how I grind long laminated blades on the 2×72: support, heat control, even bevels, and finish.
The tooling arm is the interface that makes a 2×72 modular. Here is why I built every Torus around a 1.5-inch square arm, how the arm-mounted attachments swap in seconds, and how to set up spare arms.
Built to order
I answer my own email. Tell me the work you do and which grinder you are considering.
