Would you give us a video of yours in action?
Metal project: The 2 x 72 belt grinder begins...
- Thread starter bobs409
- Start date
Is that why I cannot find any working reviews on your model BobI still have to test mine. I didn't want to get it dusty for the photo shoot.
Might want to wax it too??? Wax on, ,wax off!!!!
If you were to make anotherone or more what would you sell these for???? Stand not needed. Buy the big wheel to speed up production!!!! Lol.
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Damn Bob Harbor Freight eat your heart out along with the pride of building it yourself.2 x 72 inch Revolution Belt Grinder (aka The Metal Muncher!)
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It's Big, it's BLUE and it has an appetite for ferrous metal! It's the Metal Muncher! (sorry, I had to) lol
Thought I'd never get this done! I've been working on this since March 1st and putting in some long days to get here! It's been a ton of fun but a heck of a lot of hard work too! It's also the most expensive project I've ever built but considering commercial belt grinders of this quality run $2,500 - $3,000 that does take some of the sting away. (Sorry, I have not added everything up yet)
This is the "Revolution" 2 x 72 Belt Grinder that Brian House has designed. His website: http://housework.us/ I purchased the plans from him (he can also be found on youtube) and while I kept mostly to his specs, I did make a few tweaks here and there.
Like most things in my life, I like to do as much myself as possible. I opted to make my own wheels instead of buying them. I already had the 2 & 3 inch round aluminum stock and the bearings so a quick search on ebay turned up the 7 inch slab I needed for the drive wheel. Let me tell ya, working with a 7 inch chunk in a 6 x 4 bandsaw and a 7 x 16 metal lathe does present some difficulties but I eventually won the battle.To do it over, I would just buy the drive wheel already made, it was the most challenging. I didn't save any money on that one but I guess I got some good experience and bragging rights anyway.
I made all my own knobs. The material I had already and this way I got to create my own design. All made from 6061 aluminum stock.
I did go with the 2HP Ironhorse motor that Brian suggested but found a VFD that was about $100 cheaper than the one he used. I'm really happy with the WEG VFD that I chose, it's crazy customizable!
To keep the VFD which is the most valuable part out of the dust, I mounted it under the shelf to the rear. I made a seperate control panel and all controls are up top at fingers reach. It has Forward & Reverse as well as speed control.
This unit works both verticle and horizontal and is STRONG!!! It's also very heavy but that's a good thing in belt grinders. lol
The cart (not part of the plans) I designed myself and I kept it as small as possible due to space limitations. (I need a bigger garage!!)
It's made of 2 inch & 1.5 inch 16ga tube and has heavy duty rubber front casters and solid 10 inch rubber rear tires.
Since I needed a place to store my small shop vac anyway, this was the perfect place for it! I will most likely add some type of dust control to the belt grinder so I'm half way there already. I designed this so I can very easily pull the vacuum out for jobs around the garage and cleaning my cars.
Specifications:
Verticle / Horizontal sanding positions
Forward / Reverse / Adjustable speed
VFD: Weg CFW-300
Motor: Ironhorse 2HP AC Induction 220 volt 3 phase motor 3600rpm, 5/8 keyed shaft
Switch panel: I designed and fabricated the control box myself and used some switches I had on hand and a few I bought on ebay for this project.
7" x 2-3/4" inch aluminum drive wheel with a 1 degree crown.
3" x 2-3/4" inch aluminum tracking wheel with a 1 degree crown.
2" x 2-1/2" inch aluminum platen wheels.
Bearings: R8ZZ
Hardware: Grade 8
Graphics: I designed and created all the vinyl graphics myself using a Cricut cutting machine.
Colors: Deep Gloss Blue Rustoleum, Metallic Black Rustoleum, Hammered Silver Rustoleum and Flat Aluminum.
Weight: HEAVY!
Future plans:
Adding a 10-12 inch rubber wheel that can be used instead of the flat platen.
Some form of dust collection (although this will only be used outside my garage)
A water tank to dip parts when they get too hot to hold.
A surface grinder attachment that I will build myself in the near future.
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Put it to the test. WOW! Sure glad I did that outside, fine metal particles/dust were flying off it. (downward off the platen, covered the concrete) I ground down some heavy welds on some scrap pieces of steel and it did really well. I didn't try pushing REAL hard as I didn't want to shear off the abrasives on a new belt. Tried each grit and even the finest had great cutting ability.
Only ran it about 1/2 speed. Not sure if I will ever need to go full speed. All out and it's FLYING with that 7 inch drive wheel! Might be good if polishing something with a scotch brite type belt though.
So, it performed exactly as I had hoped. No flying belts either. Tracked perfectly. 
Only ran it about 1/2 speed. Not sure if I will ever need to go full speed. All out and it's FLYING with that 7 inch drive wheel! Might be good if polishing something with a scotch brite type belt though.
So, it performed exactly as I had hoped. No flying belts either.
Tracked perfectly.
Seems winter came back? Snow showers, COLD and very windy! I'm back on the belt grinder!
Ordered a 12 inch contact wheel, rubber sleeves and bearings for a small wheel attachment I'll be building. I'm currently building a radius jig for it that is coming out really cool. Just doing my part in the social distancing thing...
Ordered a 12 inch contact wheel, rubber sleeves and bearings for a small wheel attachment I'll be building. I'm currently building a radius jig for it that is coming out really cool. Just doing my part in the social distancing thing...
First addition from my wish list is done! 
Just added a large 12 inch serrated rubber contact wheel attachment to the grinder. This is mounted on it's own pull out arm so no tools needed to swap it in place of the flat platen or other accessory.
This is what would be used mostly for rough in / heavy work as it doesn't create the friction/heat that the flat platen does. For anything that needs a completely flat surface, I can make a pass using the platen attachment after hitting it with this wheel. This of course is also good at grinding curves into surfaces. (mostly used in knife making)
Because of the tilting table, I can also grind beveled edges easily.
Just a note about performance: I got to use this to round over some corners on 1/4" steel plate for another accessory I'm working on and this literally HOGGED the metal away just like in the video I posted earlier! You can just push a piece of 1/4" metal in and watch it go away like a pencil in a sharper! Does not take a lot of pressure either. It's no wonder they could cut a curve like they did! Even using my finest grit belt (maybe around 80 grit?) it too just eats the material away! I have to get some finer grit belts. You actually have to use a light touch or lose the metal.
Just added a large 12 inch serrated rubber contact wheel attachment to the grinder. This is mounted on it's own pull out arm so no tools needed to swap it in place of the flat platen or other accessory.
This is what would be used mostly for rough in / heavy work as it doesn't create the friction/heat that the flat platen does. For anything that needs a completely flat surface, I can make a pass using the platen attachment after hitting it with this wheel. This of course is also good at grinding curves into surfaces. (mostly used in knife making)
Because of the tilting table, I can also grind beveled edges easily.
Just a note about performance: I got to use this to round over some corners on 1/4" steel plate for another accessory I'm working on and this literally HOGGED the metal away just like in the video I posted earlier! You can just push a piece of 1/4" metal in and watch it go away like a pencil in a sharper! Does not take a lot of pressure either. It's no wonder they could cut a curve like they did! Even using my finest grit belt (maybe around 80 grit?) it too just eats the material away! I have to get some finer grit belts. You actually have to use a light touch or lose the metal.
Radius Forming Jig:
I just finished up this radius forming jig attachment for the belt grinder. If the part your working on has a hole, this will allow you to form a radius around it. Jig simply drops into the existing table arm allowing adjustment in/out and up/down. Can work with both the contact wheel shown or the flat platen.
I have created an assortment of pins ranging from 1/8" to 1 inch but others can be made as needed. They are all stored on an aluminum rack for safe keeping.
Table inward movement is done by use of the handle that rotates the table in and out. An adjustment knob can set the depth of this which is good for making repeatable parts.
Just install the correct size pin, place part over it and rotate left and right while slowly bringing the part into the wheel. It literally takes seconds to produce a beautiful formed radius.
In addition, the table tilts so forming a beveled radius is just as easy!
I just finished up this radius forming jig attachment for the belt grinder. If the part your working on has a hole, this will allow you to form a radius around it. Jig simply drops into the existing table arm allowing adjustment in/out and up/down. Can work with both the contact wheel shown or the flat platen.
I have created an assortment of pins ranging from 1/8" to 1 inch but others can be made as needed. They are all stored on an aluminum rack for safe keeping.
Table inward movement is done by use of the handle that rotates the table in and out. An adjustment knob can set the depth of this which is good for making repeatable parts.
Just install the correct size pin, place part over it and rotate left and right while slowly bringing the part into the wheel. It literally takes seconds to produce a beautiful formed radius.
In addition, the table tilts so forming a beveled radius is just as easy!
Forgot to mention, the radius jig also makes circles!
I did one in 1/4" plate and 2 at the same time in 14 gauge. Had to keep dipping in water to cool them.
I also added this nifty handle to push the tensioner down. Just push down and take the belt right off! I love how easy it is to change belts.
Here's the mess it can make.
I did one in 1/4" plate and 2 at the same time in 14 gauge. Had to keep dipping in water to cool them.
I also added this nifty handle to push the tensioner down. Just push down and take the belt right off! I love how easy it is to change belts.
Here's the mess it can make.