Hello everyone !!
I have been making knives for approximately 18 months and produced 28 knives all on my
20 yr old Sears 1x30" 1/3hp sander. Like most new knife makers, we are on a VERY limited budget
and not all of us can afford that awesome KMG 2x72. For the last 4 months, I have been researching
on how to make my own 2x72. Watched many videos and read more forums that I care to
admit to. In many cases, I have seen these made from treadmills. Has everything you need;
bigger motor, bearings, variable speed, etc.
I have talked to many sources lately and have warned me about using a treadmill setup for my
2x72. The motors, bearings, and belts are all different. I was also told that since it was an
open motor, shaving and debris would ruin the motor quickly. OK, I believe all of that.
But because of all the research that I have done on this treadmill setup, I decided until I could
afford to build that 2x72, that I would soup up my 1x30 and make a variable speed unit so I
could slow everything down from my normal 3450rpms. (a finger and steel burning maching)
Everything I found and read was strictly about the 72 and not many modifications about 1x30.
Here is a WIP that I did to hopefully help the new makers out there, on a budget, make something
until they can move up to the bigger machines.
Here is my current setup that I have been using for all my knife making including handles:
I then went to craigslist and watch it for about a month looking for the best deal and the
biggest motor. This guy just wanted it out of his garage. He wanted $125 for a month and
no takers. I called him up and offered him $30 to haul it away. He accepted.
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Next thing I had to do is undo the tracking and pull out the long bearing units that the mat
ran on. Found out that the pulley system was totally different than I expected. Wasn't a flat
belt or a V. Opps... now what...hmmm. I tried to disassemble the bearing unit to get the pulley
off but somehow it was fixed to the long bearing bar. I waited awhile and disassembled the 1x30:
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I wasn't able to get the bearing unit off so I decided just how to get the pulley assemble off.
I was locked into the bearing and epoxied in. After some choice words, I was able to get it off.
It just left me with an 8 thread round rubber piece with a 2.5" hole in it. How was I going to
but that on a 13/32" shaft. I came up with this. I made a wood circle to act like the bearing
unit. I also added 2 pieces of aluminum rods into both to make sure that neither would spin
under pressure. All of it was epoxied together.
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After cleaning all that up and making sure it was true, I attached it to my grinder. I then pulled
the motor out and the control boards to see how I would line everything back up.
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