If I have about $1500 to spend and were going to buy a belt ginder what would everyone's choices be? I am looking hard at the KMG with the step pulleys and the 2hp 220 single phase motor? Comments are greatly appreciated.

What are your needs and intentions for this belt grinder?  Someone doing production furniture making might have different needs than a hobby bladesmith...

Look at my web-site, then if you want call me and I will try to help.

Hobby knife making and blacksmithing

I have that same KMG, it's stout. I got the base add on as well and think its a good idea, makes it tough to move but that's a good thing. American made, they answer the phone, good accessories. It's a lot of tool for the money.

I built a KMG clone with my father and it's been a real boon around the homestead.  Wood, plastic, iron...  you can do rough sanding with a 36-grit belt or move up to fine polishing with a simple switch out.  I tell folks all the time that I just don't understand how people can get by without a 2x72 in the shop!

 

While I'm rather pleased with the grinder, it does have some shortcomings in the design.  We built ours just before the TW90 came out, and I would love to have something like it over the KMG!

 

I get by with a slack-belt, small wheel attachment and an 8" contact wheel.  A work rest would be much appreciated, but I haven't figured out how I want to go about making one.  A flat platten is definitely something you should consider a must-have for the grinder.

 

The TW90 has some really solid engineering behind it and is a bit more versatile than the KMG, in my opinion.  

KMG is nice, you can also get a grinder in the box, wilton, eerf, bader BIII, etc. Lots of grinders out there. I have the KMG, but wish I saved more for the TW90.

 

HOWEVER the TW90 is more than double the price of a KMG.

 

A 2x72 grinder is super handy, makes quick work of just about all the many little things I do. Bolts too long? grind it down in 5 seconds.