From the shop
I write down the setups, abrasive choices, tracking adjustments and maintenance checks I use at the grinder.
Articles 73–84 of 127
Archive page 7
Filed by what you are doing at the machine — grinding, sharpening, heat treat, maintenance, or running the business side of a shop.
If your grinder buzzes through the bench, the drive wheel is the first suspect. Here is what throws a wheel out of balance, how to check it, and why a machined aluminum drive wheel runs smoother.
A 2×72 belt too dull for steel is still tough cloth with a working grip. Here are the ways I put worn belts back to work around the shop, from strap clamps to tool holders to edge guards.
Every 50 hours my grinder gets the same checkup: blow it out, spin every wheel, check tension and tracking, tighten what moved, listen to the motor. Here is the list, in order, and what each step catches.
Offset pulleys are cheap and simple. A VFD gives you every speed between stall and full tilt from a knob. Here is how the two compare on cost, torque, noise and convenience, and which one I put on my grinders.
Heat tint on a stainless kitchen knife means you overheated the edge and probably softened it. Here is how I grind thin stainless on the 2×72 without color: fresh ceramics, lower belt speed, light passes, a dip every pass.
Heat is the enemy of every blade on a belt. Here is where it comes from, how belt speed, pressure, grit and platen material change it, and the habits that keep a blade cool enough to protect its temper.
An axe bit is wide, thick and heavy, and a contact wheel is the tool that hollows it evenly. Here is how I hollow grind axes on the 2×72: wheel diameter, holding the angle across the bit, and heat.
Belt direction decides where the sparks, grit and heat go: down toward a bucket, or up toward your face. Here is how I set belt direction on the 2×72, what it changes in feel, and how to arrange dust collection.
Ten knives one at a time takes ten setups. Ten knives batched by operation takes three. Here is how I run small production batches on the 2×72: one belt for every blank, fixtures, heat control and quality checks.
A satin finish hides scratches, resists fingerprints and looks right on a working knife. Here is how I run Scotch-Brite belts on the 2×72 to get an even satin every time: grade, speed, pressure and direction.
The S-curve is what makes a chef knife rock and slice instead of chop. Here is how I grind it on the slack belt of the 2×72: which belt, how much slack, the heel-to-tip technique, and what flattens the curve.
Nickel steels like 15N20 and nickel-rich damascus grind hot and gummy and glaze belts fast. Here is which belts and grits I run on the 2×72 for nickel alloys, the belt speed that keeps them cutting, and finishing.
Built to order
I answer my own email. Tell me the work you do and which grinder you are considering.
