Portuguese Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) I just got the aforementioned grinder. Is there anyone making aftermarket parts or adapters that would bring this grinder up to date with is younger brother the BIII? Any and all help is much appreciated and thank you in advance for your time. In addition what is the type of frame motor that Bader uses? Sérgio "Portugee" blacksmith wannabe Black Mutt Forge Altamonte Springs, Fl Edited February 14, 2017 by Portuguese Add content Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Why not contact the manufacturer...Stephen Bader Company. http://www.stephenbader.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portuguese Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 Thanks J I have reached out to them and they've been very forthcoming with information. I'm just a glutton for information and was looking for aftermarket tooling availability as I couldn't find much information on this specific grinder on the web. Bader seems to be a remarkably upstanding company but their website is really subpar. Hopefully someone has information for me. thank you all Sérgio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Most of the folks I know have built their own aftermarket additions to suit their own methods of work. Not a big market I would guess to support a lot of such stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portuguese Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) Fair enough. it would be great to see what other people have done with that grinder but like I said, I haven't had much luck with research on the web. hopefully my investment wasn't a foolhardy one. thank you Edited February 14, 2017 by Portuguese Content Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Well I've owned one for about 20 years now and never considered it a foolhardy investment. I got both the 10" contact wheels for doing blade grinds with a very shallow hollow grind and the 1/2" contact wheel for doing fullers. Both were offered by the manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portuguese Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 You have the BIII right? I got the previous model the Bench Model BM-2, it doesn't take square arms, it takes 3/4" round arms, the arms aren't adjustable front to back, they mount on a swivel plate that pivots by using a screw mounted to the front of the frame and that's how tracking of the belt is handled. Motor is single speed 2hp wired 110. Since I have 208 in my shop I'm considering rewiring or if I find the type of mount switch to a vfd configuration even though I'm electricity challenged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I bought mine around 1991; don't recall what the called it back then I thought it was a BM2; it's in my shop 200 miles away so I can't check. I though the BMIII was a more recent model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portuguese Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 I don't know the years. The main difference I see are the tracking mechanics and the square tool arm vs round tool arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 why rewire to 208? you will be fine at 110 as long as it isn't sharing the circuit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portuguese Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 51 minutes ago, Steve Sells said: why rewre to 208? you will be fine at 110 as long as it isn't sharing the circuit I just assumed that the higher voltage would be friendlier on the motor but like I said I'm elictrically challenged. So there's no advantage to switching voltage? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I have a b2 and know a couple of smiths withe them. Theuy have advantages and didagvantaged over the newer model. the round mounting means you can get a littel inventive with the tracking but lacks thye indexing that a swuare arm does. They are great tools and with the od bearing change will last indefinatly. I have boufght a few things from Bader over the years and their service is second to none. even when dealing with them from the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edennis Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I bought one from an old knife maker who was working in the 70's and 80's. It's great except I really dislike the round end on the tool arms. It means every time I need to change a tool I have to grab the arm with a wrench and tweak it while it's running. Bader sells an "adapter arm" that allows for BIII tools to be used on the B2. It works great. What is the "od bearing change" you are referring to? I'm curious. Same experience here with customer service. They answer any question I ask and I receive shipments from the within 1 or 2 business days. And the still sell parts for the B2 even though they no longer manufacture the machine! That's the best part of all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 We took a chisel and when we had the arm set up just right made an indexing mark on the arm and holder. Align that and you are within using range. It's your tool you are allowed to modify it to make it better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edennis Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 haha, true, true. I'll give it a try. It's just so sensitive, and the problem is that the when I tighten down the hex screw it shifts the arm slightly, so where I align the arm before tightening the screw, and after, are different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 On 27/07/2017 at 8:50 PM, edennis said: I bought one from an old knife maker who was working in the 70's and 80's. It's great except I really dislike the round end on the tool arms. It means every time I need to change a tool I have to grab the arm with a wrench and tweak it while it's running. Bader sells an "adapter arm" that allows for BIII tools to be used on the B2. It works great. What is the "od bearing change" you are referring to? I'm curious. Same experience here with customer service. They answer any question I ask and I receive shipments from the within 1 or 2 business days. And the still sell parts for the B2 even though they no longer manufacture the machine! That's the best part of all! pretty much the only maintenance I have had to do on any of my grinders is change bearings on contact wheels , motors. the only other thing I can think of is reflattening or replacing plattens. bearings often last a decade or so of hard work somtimes longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdclock Posted December 19, 2017 Share Posted December 19, 2017 A little late to the party, but....... I've drilled out the tool bar holder (what Bader calls the "Heel") to accept a 3/16" pin that aligns the tool bar after each change of attachments. Before drilling the round end of the tool bar, first remove and drill the holder/heel; re-install the holder/heel; then insert the tool bar, get it squared up and running smoothly; then remove the contact wheel, or platen , but leave the too bar in place; remove the two bolts holding the tool bar holder/heel in place and bring it to a drill press (with the tool bar still in place) and drill out the tool bar. Repeat for each tool bar. One other change made a big difference in tracking. Bader sells an upsized spring (if you have one of the earlier, whimpier versions). I agree with others, in spite of the less than optimal tracking system and tool bar set up, it's a very solid, well built machine. Bader uses machined axles, as opposed to off the shelf bolts, and very high quality bearings. Saludos J JDWARE KNIVES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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