Hi All! 

I'm considering getting a belt grinder for my little shop I have out in my garage, and was looking for suggestions, but we all know how the internet is, so I didn't end up getting anywhere. I'm primarily a knife maker and have been relying on a 4.5" angle grinder and want something that I can have a bit more precision with. I'm thinking a 2x42" is a good place to start? I'm not all that confident in my abilities to make one myself and have a budget <$500. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks! 

 

Toby 

I'd take a good look at belts before deciding on a grinder.  2X72 is the de facto standard, and there's better selection and likely better prices (keeping in mind that at 72" belt will last 70% longer than a 42", all other things being equal).  If you're doing much grinding, a couple of hundred dollars savings on a smaller grinder could disappear pretty quickly in abrasive costs.

Hi Mike, I have some space constraints, so combining that with price, I feel like 42" might work better for my needs. That said, I hadn't considered the additional abrasive costs, so I'll make sure to evaluate that more carefully. Thanks!

I built a two-wheel grinder similar to the one from Grizzly. It doesn’t have a very big footprint. But I don’t make knives, so can’t say much about the pluses and minuses for that kind of use.