[TheForge] Kalamazoo Grinder

[Paul]

On 4/26/2010 6:09 PM, bistline at md.metrocast.net wrote:
> After several years of putting a 4in grinder in the vise I've decided it might be a bit safer&  more efficent to have a belt grinder.  I have my eye on the 2FSM 2x48 grinder.  Anyone used or have one? Opinions on the machine?
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I decided to build one after a looking over the field. I have a KMG 
clone (2X72).
see:
http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/grinder.html

Found some plans online, and purchased the rolly parts from Beaumont 
Metal Works.
Mine is driven with a 3 HP 3 phase motor which is powered by a VFD. The 
VFD allows for a soft start and variable speed which is very convenient.
     I have a 6"contact wheel 
[http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/contact-wheels.html],
a twin roller slack belt drive with the tool rest 
[http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/kmg-sba.html]
and a 1" small wheel attachment 
[http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/kmg-swa.html] and I would like to 
purchase more of the small wheels as money allows.
     There are about 120 holes to layout and drill, and about 30 or so 
that are 1/4-20 blind tapped. I highly recommend a hand tapping 
machine... it only took one broken tap in  a blind hole before I ordered 
one.  If I didn't have all the spare time I most likely would have just 
bought it.
     I added an air cylinder to use for the belt tensioner and mounted 
the motor below the table and added another pillow block to support the 
drive shaft. I use it a lot, and I am quite happy with how it turned out.
     All of the metal was purchased from Speedy Metals cut to length... 
not as pricey as you might think, and saved a pile of time. Build time 
was about 32 hours including the mods and the table as near as I can 
remember. The mind numbing job of drilling and tapping the holes is only 
to be approached for a few hours at a time least you go crazy... I could 
have welded parts of the assembly, but elected to bolt the main tube 
together. It is a 1.5" square hole formed by four pieces of .5" flat 
stock forming a tube 12" deep, and to avoid warping and binding I bolted 
it together. I did not want to custom fit the 1.5" square arms that 
carry the grinding wheels if the recess was warped a little.
     I have  about $650 into the grinder less the motor, pneumatic 
parts, VFD and what ever steel that I could scrounge... I would do it 
again in a heart beat.
Paul,

WB9HCO
My Grandfather WAS a blacksmith...
and it didn't do me one damn bit of good.
All opinions are the personal beliefs of the author, and are based on decades of experience... so use your best judgement, I'm just a lowly crafstman.
  "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstein
"Life is hard...it's harder if you're stupid" John Wayne - Sands of Iwo Jima