Ordered my Grizzly grinder today! Have a few?'s.

[Osprey Guy]

As Ray suggested, there is a HUGE amount of info and discussion available in these forums...and the subject of grinding blades is one of the most discussed of all topics. Try a search and you'll be amazed...

Another good source is at the top of the page under "Workshop"...Lots of really good tutorials in there.

Here's one of the tutorial "classics" from there.., which will get you started (When it comes to knifemaking, there are many ways to "skin a cat"...this is just one of those many methods):

http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop...er_hearn.shtml

Good luck! Have fun with that Grizzly...


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[Nalis]

DONT GRIND TO THE EDGE!!!!!!! BAD!!! REAL BAD!!! It dosent leave any metal to work with later on the finer grits. Did the same thing myself......3 or 4 times. Get a tool/scribe and draw a line or two down the cutting edge so you can see around 1/16 to 1/8 in. between the lines. GO SLOW at first. Pick up speed later.
Something I did also......dont grind all the way to a finnished/polished blade befor heat treating. Go to about a 220, then heat treat, THEN finnish grinding with finer grits. Heat treating leaves black, nasty , SCALE on a nice shiny blade to be. I was also told to grind on wood for practice....gumms up your belts tho. Look thru the post for mods for the Grizzly grinder to.....lots of good ideas. Have fun

[Darren Ellis]

After getting the machine set up and good belts in, the next improvement I'd recommend would be to put a ceramic platen liner over the stock metal platen, these can really make a difference in your flat grinds. Another worthwhile option for the Grizzly, if you desire to slow it down, is to get one of Rob Frink's Grizzly slow down wheels for it...it'll cut the belt speed in half which can be good for learning.

-Darren

[TexasJack]

Darren is too much of a gentleman to point out that he sells the ceramic platen liners! I have a Grizzly and I have noticed many knifemakers posting how much better their unit runs with the ceramic liner. So it's on my list of things to get. (At the moment, it has some competition.) I've also bought stuff from Darren Ellis and highly recommend him. (And if you check around a few threads you will find that's a pretty universal sentiment.)

The Grizzly is tough to beat in terms of the level of performance for low cost. It has it's drawbacks and limitations, and there are several threads around this site describing improvements some individuals have made. The boxes mine arrived in were completely trashed in shipment, yet that workhorse came out of the rubble with nary a scratch! It's easy to see why some who have purchased top of the line units will hang onto the the Grizz for side work.

[Exude]

Thanks for the advice guys. I got some more needed supplies to finish up my forge today and also got some vermiculite to anneal in. How much vermiculite is needed? Hopefully I will get the grizzly completed tomorrow, got the bolts to bolt it down with today. Thanks again and I will strongly consider the ceramic. What is on the flat platten now? It looks to me like a shingle..??

[SKIVIE]

Ive got my Vermiculite in a 5 Gal Bucket. Definatelly get a Ceramic Platen from Darren it does help and really helps on making nice plunge cuts compared to the Stock Platen....Besides, Once you buy something from Darren youll wish he sold a lot more stuff. He makes it real easy, ships fast and is one of the best guys youll ever meet. Makes a world of Difference to work with guys like that. Also, by instruction from Steve S, I made a Sando Platen that Is awesome. Something that you can make with just spare junk laying around the yard/house and will make grinding MUCH nicer. Youll find that when doing Flat/convex grinds and working on that hard platen it is difficult to get good grinds when your new at it. Not something that comes easy right off the bat. This platen will help you a ton. Consists of sheet metal, mouse pad, graphite belt and thats about it....just hooks on over your normal platen. If your interested let me know and I can assist you or im sure Steve S will. He was a big help to me.

The Stuff on the platen that looks like a shingle is Graphite to help the belt run better along the platen....When and if you buy ceramic platen youll want to remove it and that can be done with a putty knife of some sort.


Shane

BTW: Whats your name EXUDE ? Nice to know peoples names in here.

[TexasJack]

I don't know either, but you are right - it looks like a shingle.

Oh, if you are still setting up the Grizz - don't bother putting together the stupid rest that comes with it. (The designer's only experience must have been on an Erector set.) You'll wind up cursing it far more than you will use it.

[Exude]

I sure feel stupid asking about that grinding sharp question. I didn't realize there was 2 bevels but I looked a one of my knifes and then it hit me what you guys were talking about. Like I said I sure feel stupid.

I have seen that Sando Platen before and I sure will try to make one. When does the ceramic platen work better when compared to this? Just on plunge cuts? If I made the Sando Platen would I need the ceramic one. Thanks again for all the help and tips. By the way I'm Justin.

[SKIVIE]

Justin, Yes you will want the Ceramic for sure. You will find that the Ceramic will have less bump in it and will also make cleaner plunge cuts. The sando platen just hangs over the top of the Ceramic platen. It is easily removed.

Shane

[combs6136]

Well, the truck delivered my Grizzly fri.... and i opened it today.....good looking motor but no belt grinder........looked at the receipt that i signed and it said there should have been two boxes...........read before you sign.......i guess..........wish me luck on getting the rest...............carl

[Ray Rogers]

Hopefully the second box will show up quickly. If not, call Grizzly's customer service. I've always found them very responsive in situations like this .........

[combs6136]

Well, After 4 calls to Washington , grizzly finally agreed to send my belt grinder...They only sent me one box.....the one with the motor.........So i have to wait another week.............Is it worth the wait?...........carl

[Darren Ellis]

Originally Posted by combs6136

Well, After 4 calls to Washington , grizzly finally agreed to send my belt grinder...They only sent me one box.....the one with the motor.........So i have to wait another week.............Is it worth the wait?...........carl

I'm sure the anticipation is killing you!!! ...but yes indeed, it will be worth the wait! In the interim, you could start preparing the mounting platform. For my Griz and my two KMGs I glued up two pieces of MDF together, coated them with polyurethane for some water protection, and mounted the machine to this. The MDF is then mounted to the workbench...just makes it easier if I want to take it somewhere, just unscrew the MDF and pick everything up and carry it to the van.



-Darren

[TexasJack]

You know, as much business as we've given Grizzly this year, they really should thank this forum. (They probably don't know it exists!!) Wouldn't it be great to put together a list of things to fix on this unit? Maybe they'd pay attention and make some really cool changes.

Darren is right about setting up the MDF for a base. Likewise, be very careful in following Grizzly's directions - they are not always right.

[combs6136]

thanks for the comments.......i have some heavy plywood, but what is MDF?............carl