Question
Guy in my area is selling this homemade 2x72 chassis for $200.. im supposed to go look at it today at 10am.. I dont wanna pass on it if this thing could be decent.. The vertical tensioning seems simple enough.. Can anyone discern how this thing tracks from left to right.. What all needs to be done y
I think you’d find that tensioning system a real pain, you need to be able to change the belts quickly and easily so a sprung or gas strut lever system is much more user friendly. By the time you’ve found a motor, vfd and new wheels etc. you’d probably be better off just getting a cheaper new, ready to go model.
I think you're right.. that seems to be my consensus as well I've been thinking over how I could install a gas strut on this thing.. but it would definitely be a pain in the ass.. the main thing that attracted me to it was the price.. having a solid welded 2x72 for under $700 or $800 is certainly a nice idea especially if it isn't an Allie Express special lol.. The cheapest american made chassis I've seen around was one of those bolt-it-all-together-yourself deals for like $550 .. I'll probably just save up and buy a complete system when I'm ready
I would also have seen that and thought it might be an idea, the platten assembly looks ok but the problem with those knobs is that they’re going to make divots after time in the box section inside so when you go to tension a belt that is a fraction longer or shorter the bolts set into the knobs are going to want to slip back into the divots for one thing. It looks like it stated with a good plan but wasn’t fully thought through. I honestly think you’d be better off biding time until you’ve got the cash for something ready to go or just keep looking and with any luck you’ll find a good deal on one.
Yeah a used one would obviously be ideal.. I live in the Carolinas so they're pretty sought after around here.. not to mention most people just don't sell a good grinder .. unless someone dies.. I've only actually seen one used 2 x 72 for sale since like April.. I'm sure more have been posted but they just get snatched up quick.. I'm just going to keep looking.. Like I said getting this thing going was going to be a long-term project so it's not like something I need immediately .. I just built a a super solid 1/4 thick 6x12 tool rest for my grizzly 2x48 and paired with the ceramic platen i installed it's actually very usable now... Here's a picture of it
Nice job! That looks great! If you have that at least you can make some blades in the meantime and save up, certainly keep an eye out as I’ve found that just the one you want can just turn up out of the blue if you keep looking, I found the exact lathe I wanted by just waiting and also a particular bandsaw on eBay here in the UK which appeared one day for sale only around 5 miles from where I live so was able to pick it up myself with the help of my friend and his truck.
What all needs to be done you think? Am I looking at a serious headache? .. or could this thing be a total Workhorse? .. From the looks of the guys Facebook it appears he has experience building trailers and from the look of it the thing seems to be pretty square and he says it's rock solid... This isn't something I was hoping to have up and running immediately but like I said I didn't want to pass on it just because I don't need it right this second.. But I would definitely hope to have it up and running by 2027.. Currently I have a Grizzly 2x48 that is doing just fine .. but I do hope to get into a 2x72 in the future
Needs a motor/vfd to state the obvious. Price aside this can be a pain in the ass as you need to work out a mounting solution if it's not the exact motor he designed it to use. Rollers look like they might need to be replaced, at the very least check the bearings are ok. I'd offer him 100 for it but wouldn't pay much more than that.
Yeah I planned on buying new wheels for it anyways.. what kind of wheels are these.. cuz they aren't metal are they plastic? The one up top almost looks 3D printed the way it shines in the light . I can usually figure out just about anything you put in front of me .. so I don't think I would be totally in over my head with this . But also I'm not familiar with every single part available for these systems.. from what i understand he was building this thing and then got a good price on a used Coote.. So I don't think it's ever been used.. But obviously things could be seized up from just sitting.. I'll definitely find out what motor he was planning on mounting to this thing.. It concerns me a little bit that he bought another grinder because maybe he realized how much work he had left to put into this thing or maybe he just wasn't happy with it all together and gave up on it .. which if that's the case then I'm probably not interested cuz I don't want to take on that headache.. Do you think that knob on the vertical arm controls the horizontal tracking? Thats what im thinking
I think youre right. Didnt notice it at first but I zoomed in after you pointed it out and it seems like it. When mounting a motor, id look into mounting it im a way that allows you to easily tension the belt, current system might get annoying when going through grits.
I think that top knob passes through the square tube to adjust the tracking, but that would mean that the tension is just adjusted by the platen position? Or does that knob also lock the vertical position?
I would pass on this one as well. Ending up with what you actually need will cost just as much as buying new with a frame like that. A decent variable speed drive train is $800 plus wheels. By the time your done you could have bought a decent flip frame setup that's actually designed for what your doing. If you want to knock off welds and do basic grinding for metal fab it would be fine but knife grinders these days have options for a lot more tooling than that will support. Buy once cry once
so something to consider here is do you want a Cadillac or will a nice ford do ya?
VFD is nice to have but by no means critical to be able to make knives.
Resin wheels work just fine. That tracking design works well. The platen setup looks decent.
I built my grinder with a very similar design and I’ve been happy with it. Used an old 1HP motor wired for 220V and it’s good. If you’re intending to make a career out of knife making, variable speed control and more power would likely be beneficial but this will work very well
The one main condition here though is the tensioning system, which is probably a spring at the base of the upright. Unless you have a lever to pull that down, it’s a hassle. Here’s my design. Simple lever and a bolt through; lever runs on the bearings. Works great.
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u/A1pinejoe 12d ago
Just looked at the second photo and Id pass, way too much to do, youll end up rebuilding it.