charadeur

I have not considered a DC motor but wouldn't a treadmill motor run pretty slow compared to the high rpms needed for a belt grinder?

Thanks arftist. I don't have any big pieces of aluminum so I will price them out with the bearings and see if I will save enough to give it a try. My gut says it will be worth it if the wheels turn out good. William, I have a 3/4 I will test with but once I know it is working I will get a 1.5. I am hoping to find a rebuilt one but I think new they are around $200. Right now I have it all built except the table and the wheels. I did some welding. You can build it without welding but some of it just seemed silly to use bolts when welding was faster and easier. In the bladesmilth forum a lot of guys have built them and been very happy. Every post I saw that completed it said it was as good as their expensive grinders. Did you see his youtube video? Very impressive. Cost wise I have about $50 into it and had to buy most all the steel from my favorite scrap place that sells drops. I figure $200 for the motor and either $100 or $300 for wheels and misc stuff depending on if I can make the wheels or not. So all in all a great grinder for $400 to $600. A lot better than the $1200+ similar grinders are selling for. And you can build more attachments as you need them. I am just starting out with a flat platen and going from there as the need arises.

Thanks for that info. I did notice that the drive wheel and tracking wheel had a crown. I know this is a really newbie question but how do you cut a crown like that? I know how to do a taper do you just taper both sides? It seems like that would leave a ridge in the center that would not be good.

I am making one of the no weld belt grinders form USAKnifmaker.com. I have it about ready except for the aluminum idler and drive wheels. The plans say to buy them but I have a lathe and can't see a good reason why I should not try to make them. Has anyone else done this? If so can you share some details? Maybe I should just buy them but as you can imagine the cost will be near $200.

Battle Creek just about a hour and a half from the motor city. You will have no problems finding an inexpensive house here. Also U-Haul is giving great deals to bring their trailers into Michigan as the dealers have a hard time keeping them available.

Thanks so much. I ended up buying a couple of burners because I could not find a detailed instructions like yours. I will file this away as I have enough refractory left over for a smaller forge which is probably what I should have built in the first place.

I'm no pro but if you are going to make a rifle you will need one of these. That would be really cool to be able to make a Kentucky long rifle or a Hawkins rifle.

Thanks, I'm in Battle Creek. I think it is about two and a half hours or so from here. I've been up there a few times on the motorcycle. Beautiful area.

I have been reading the forum for some time and thought I should post to make the notice go away that I should introduce myself. I am currently building my first forge. I would like to take a class as I learn best by being showed how vs. just reading. However classes cost money and I do live in Michigan. I want to make ornamental stuff as well as a few knifes. Maybe forge the sword of destiny that saves mankind from the evil Skeletor or something. I'm a realist and a few candle holders and flint strikers would be cool too. A buddy of mine had a piece of rail road track he cut off for me so I will start using that. The forge I am building is based on this plan. I do have several books but will probably require more help than that.