+- MetalworkingFun Forum (http://www.metalworkingfun.com)
+-- Forum: Machinery (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-10.html)
+--- Forum: Other Machinery (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-13.html)
+--- Thread: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? (/thread-3054.html)
Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - ScrapMetal - 01-28-2016
Back in July my little shop got broken in to and they made off with a brand new bench grinder, all my cutting tools, a "like new" mig wire-feed welder, and a lot of other misc. stuff. Now that I'm through the holiday season and have a couple of extra pesos in my pocket I am looking to get a replacement for the bench grinder.
What I would like to know, is a belt grinder more useful in a "hobby" metal working shop than a regular bench grinder? I don't think that I'm prepared to buy both at them moment and I really don't have the room for both if I was.
What is your take on this?
Thanks,
-Ron
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - wawoodman - 01-28-2016
That's a tough call. I have more than one of both kinds, and I'd be hard pressed to choose.
What would you use the grinder/sander for, most often?
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - Hawkeye - 01-29-2016
I have seen some with a 2" belt and a grinding wheel instead of a sanding disk.
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - Roadracer_Al - 01-29-2016
First off, thieves suck, and I'm sorry they took your tools.
How often do you grind HSS tools? If you're an insert-only shop, you might not miss the bench grinder.
If you use only HSS tools, I'd get the bench grinder first. Then use your tools to build a belt grinder, I'm sure Rob Wilson's build will be inspirational for all. :)
This ought to make you feel better:
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - Highpower - 01-29-2016
I vote for the belt grinder. You can do a whole lot more with it than you can with a bench grinder. I've got a 2" Kalamazoo that gets used more than anything else. A lot more clearance to work with for doing odd angles. And you can grind on aluminum, plastics, wood etc. Just a much more versatile machine IMO.
I do have a "carbide tool grinder" for lathe tools, but I still use the belt grinder for roughing out new HSS blanks. When I got the Kalamazoo I put a set of cardboard wheels on my pedestal grinder and use it as a dedicated knife sharpener.
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - TomG - 01-29-2016
It's apples and oranges. A bench grinder is best for tool and drill sharpening, but a belt grinder is better for fabrication. It just depends on what you do more of that would be the determining factor.
A bench grinder almost fits the "no more than one moving part" rule at Harbor Freight, so you may want to pick one up there, for $40. With the money you save, you may be able to get both.
Tom
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - DaveH - 01-29-2016
I would go for the belt grinder because I think it is more versatile. Since I got my belt grinder I haven't used any of my bench grinders.
DaveH
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - ScrapMetal - 01-29-2016
Thanks guys. (Al, the vid didn't work for me but I tried.)
Sorry I wasn't a bit more specific as to how it would be used. I use mostly HSS cutting tools so the primary use would be for making/sharpening those tools. I do tend to do a good bit of fabrication work and the bench grinder has been a bit "limiting". I have never used a belt grinder for metal working but it does seem that it would be a little more fab friendly. With that in mind, I think the general trend in these answers is leaning towards the belt grinder. I could always pick up a less expensive bench grinder if I really, really need one for something but I don't want to dink around with the stuff I see at HF for this as one moving part is one too many (JMHO been burned there before.)
What I am thinking of/looking at right now is one of the KMG belt grinders - Beaumont Metal Works, specifically the 3-speed KMG-10 (the variable speed seems like over-kill).
There are a number of plans out there to make one but by the time I source all the materials (no "salvage" to speak of here and I don't have enough or the right kind of scrap) I'm probably within spitting distance to the price of a pre-made one. The time I spend in the "shop" is at a premium so I don't really have the time it would take for me to make one and I need to have a grinder in place so that I can get back to working on my backlog of projects that NEED to get done.
And yes, I have alerted the wife to the fact that our credit card bill may come in smoking from the purchase. She's sympathetic to my loss so I only get a couple of gasps, rolled eyes, and clutching of the stomach.
Next I need to replace the welder but I'm trying to space the purchases out a bit to give my wife a little time to recover.I'm still probably going to stew about this for another day or two before I pull the trigger so if I'm making a huge mistake or there is a better option be sure to let me know.
Thanks guys,
-Ron
P.S. I'm still as pissed off as I was the day I found my shop broken into. There is a choice piece of hell for those that steal others' stuff.
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - DaveH - 01-29-2016
(01-29-2016, 04:46 PM)ScrapMetal Wrote: What I am thinking of/looking at right now is one of the KMG belt grinders - Beaumont Metal Works, specifically the 3-speed KMG-10 (the variable speed seems like over-kill).That is a good choice many of the knife makers feel that belt grinder is the "bees knees".
-Ron
P.S. I'm still as pissed off as I was the day I found my shop broken into. There is a choice piece of hell for those that steal others' stuff.
The variable speed can be a really good asset, to be able to turn the speed (say down) at the turn of a knob can be invaluable for fine finishing.
DaveH
RE: Need advice - belt grinder or bench grinder? - Highpower - 01-29-2016
(01-29-2016, 04:46 PM)ScrapMetal Wrote: What I am thinking of/looking at right now is one of the KMG belt grinders -
.... specifically the 3-speed KMG-10 (the variable speed seems like over-kill).
Yeah, I'd say you are looking WAY beyond Harbor freight there Ron.
