Power Tools!

[Ray Rogers]

I'm not familiar with a grizzly saw that has that wide a range of speeds but, if it includes a 110 fpm speed, then most likely it is intended to be able to cut metal as well as wood since that speed is far slower than any saw of that size I have ever seen.

Another difference between wood and metal saws is that wood saws usually have rubber runners on their wheels that support the blade. Metatl saws have plain metal wheels. This is partly due to the much higher blade tension one would expect to see on a metal cutting saw.

Finally, I have a shop full of Griz equipment and most all of it can run on either 110 or 220. It's just a matter of how the motor is wired. It costs nothing to change the wiring on the motor except a few minutes of your time. The users manual for the saw will show you how to do the wiring. If you don't have the manual you may still be able to get one from Grizzly Customer Support. They have always been very helpful to me ...

[Alan L]

I used a 4x36 sander with 6" disk for a few years as my only power sanding device, and can honestly say if you find it faster than filing you're not using the right files. They do work for some flat grinding, but between the belt bump and the way the unsealed bearings do not react well to metal dust I have to classify them as "better than nothing, but not by a whole lot."

They're great for use on wood, though!

The saw sounds like a good score. And like Ray says, the 110-220 conversion is usually a matter of switching one wire. I did that to my KMG to run it on 110 because I didn't want to run new wiring.

[AcridSaint]

They were cheap files, I will admit. The 4x36 helped me out a lot on profiling and shaping my first knives as well. I agree that it's not great, especially since having worked on a real grinder, but I think it's a good tool to have around and I don't regret starting out with one at all. I guess I've been really fortunate with my sander because I haven't had any problems with the bearings yet.

That being said, I have started planning out a 2x72 homebuilt thanks to having been spoiled by a bader. I wish I could afford a square wheel, a BDIII or a KMG, but I can't. Fortunately I have a great experienced maker helping me with my homebuilt.

[Bob Warner]

The 4x36 was the first power tool I bought for knifemaking. Did not take me long to build a 2X72 and quite a qhile later to buy a KMG variable speed. Do what you have to to get b y but save for a 2X72 it will make you a lot happier. Keep the 4X36 for wood stuff. I think they are too fast, even for wood.

I use an angle grinder for almost all my cutting of non-forged blades. I cut to length and cut off the larger pieces with the angle grinder and then use the KMG to grind to the profile I want. The cutting is fast and since the pieces cut off are small there is no need to save them by being precise with your cuts on a bandsaw. I cut to about 1/8" from my line and grind from there.

I have a band saw and also a porta band and still end up using the angle grinder for 90% of the stuff I cut. I use the big bandsaw for big stuff in the shop and the portaband for big stuff outside. Angle grinder for EVERYTHING else.

I have three angle grinders, one with cutoff wheel, one with wire brush or large grit wheel and one with flap wheel. Best tool in the shop for the minor amount of money.

[B.Finnigan]

Grizzly has a PDF format manual online for all of their power equipment. I have saved all the manuals for every piece of shop equipmnet on a CD, that way they don't get lost (or dirty).

The last Chiltons manual I bought was on CD. I just print out the page(s) I need and take them out to the truck. When I am done they get thrown out.

[EdStreet]

I have a scroll saw, a bandsaw and a 4x36 belt sander that I use. By far the #1 used is the belt sander, the #2 is the bandsaw. The scroll saw rarely gets used. What it is used: I have these blades that's 'sanding free' that gives a mirror smooth cut that I use when I really want to do the conservative cutting. super fine cuts on a thin slice. If you do get a scrollsaw make sure it's variable speed so you can cut pinstock with it.

The local gunsmith has this small metal cutting bandsaw he puts in a vise and it's maybe 10 inches tall.

The bandsaw finds a lot of uses, esp with the resaw feature the scroll saw has no method to secure the object nor a guide.

Ed

[JediOkie]

Okay general question about belt sanders. Other than the ones specifically designed for knife grinding most of the ones I have seen have a large flat piece of metal the belt rides along, I belive it is the platen? I've notisced while sanding down a bloster that it will 'chitter' and bounce off of that. Is it possible to glue a piece of foam rubber or other soft procuct on to that to reduce this?

[Alan L]

That's one of the reasons a 4x36 doesn't do that great a job; the bouncing and jittering is because the belt doesn't go fast enough combined with the generally crappy quality of the joint in the belt. Slow coarse belt plus big bump every 36 inches of travel equals unhappy maker.

You can try gluing a strip of hard rubber to the platen, but that's not gonna cure it and it won't last very long.

My solution when I still used one of those things was to just apply the vulcan death grip to the part so it couldn't bounce. That didn't work very well, so I switched to angle grinders and files. Get a 14" long-angle lathe file and a 12-inch Nicholson Magicut file. Use flap disks in the angle grinder. You'll be MUCH happier.

[AcridSaint]

I never noticed the bump or jump nearly as much as it seems that I should.　　Ｉ do notice the bump on crappier belts. You should have enough room to stick a piece of glass under it which is what I was planning to do. You'll have a nicer flat surface and you can put a lot of pressure on it. Maybe I never noticed it because I had nothing better to compare it to.

Almost forgot, you'll want to round the corners so you don't get cut if you use glass.

[JediOkie]

I know this is the never ending thread, but has anyone used a variable speed, orbiting jigsaw? It has a setting for 'metal' and I found blades that are rated for 'hardened' steel up 1/4" thick. I know I need to invest in a metal bandsaw but I found this at a comprable price to an angle grinder and I am on a serious budget trying to save up to get a KMG. Plus I thought it might be a little more accurate than an angle grinder.

[bindlestitch]

I went the variable speed jigsaw route...result, not so good.
I was using 0-1 anealed steel and a metal cutting blade (the best I could find) on the lowest setting and it barely scratched the edge. I don't know if it's because you can't get good pressure using the jigsaw or exactly what it is but I sure didn't have any luck.
If you decide to go this route and have success I'd be interested in the technique used.
I'm not trying to discourage you from trying, it's just that when I tried it it didn't work out so hot.
God bless,
Stitch

[AcridSaint]

I think the problem with using a jigsaw is going to be the blade width. The only jigsaws I've used had super narrow blades, less than 1/4", probably nearer to 1/8". I cut some "annealed" 1/8" 1084 on a metal cutting bandsaw this weekend and it was tough. It requires a lot of pressure, enough that I'm pretty sure I'd break any jigsaw blades I've seen.

[Alan L]

Jigsaws are for wood. They do work well on thin steel sheet, but nothing thicker than about 14-gauge at the thickest.

A good hacksaw will serve you much better for rough cutting, and if you scribe your lines and be careful you can do wonders with an angle grinder. I've even fullered a spontoon hawk blade with one! Try THAT with a jigsaw.