Interesting New Grizzly Grinder - 3x79" belts

[JeridJohnson]

A friend sent this to me.. Seems Grizzly has a new grinder..

http://grizzly.com/products/G0489



Description
Our newest sander is made specially for metalworkers and is designed to give you versatility and performance. It uses 79" long sanding belts that resist heating up even with a surface speed of 4100 FPM. Change the angle of the sanding head to suit the job at hand. Work with a rubber contact wheel with the supplied work rest or do contour work on the aluminum wheel at the other end. Covers are supplied with the machine to expose only the part of the sander you want to use. The spark trap picks up the grindings at one end of the machine and the other end is supplied with a 5" flange so you can connect your approved collection device.

Features:
4 HP, 220V, 3 phase motor
8" rubber contact wheel
Quick release belt
3" x 20 1/2" graphite backed platen
3" x 79" belt size
Work stop for use with the platen
Work rest for use with the contact wheel
Overall size: 47 1/4"H(head raised) x 22"W x 38 1/8"D
Approximate shipping weight: 210 lbs.

[Geno]

Looks like a work horse, but most shops don't have 3 phase electrical capacity.
I think the 3" wide belts may be handy, but 79" seams odd. I'm wondering about a limited availability of grits and types of belts,ie, a trizact to fit a 3X79 inch machine.
The machine looks solid enough for heavy work, much like a Burr King.
Maybe someone will try it and give us a report on it.
Thanks for keeping us posted.
Be blessed.

[JeridJohnson]

I was wondering the same thing about belt availability Gene.

While doing a little research I ran across this machine which looks almost identical but much more expensive.. http://vansantent.com/belt_grinders.htm It looks like they sell belts too but no indication as to the abrasive type..

[Ray Rogers]

Interesting machine, very nice price. Add a VFD to it and you might really have something. Still, with the odd belt size, no apparent area for slack belt work, apparently no way to use a larger contact wheel, no way to use a small wheel attachment, it wouldn't be the most versatile grinder you could get for knife making, It basically seems about as capable where knife making is concerned as the standard Grizzly Knife Maker's Grinder. It is probably made better but it also costs twice as much and has somewhat less functionality for what we do.



They call it an industrial metal workers grinder. My opinion is, that's who should be using it, not knife makers ....

[Bryce]

I agree with ray

But it looks like it would be a great grinder for fabrication you could lead into pretty much anything imaginable without slowing it down and the price is right on for something like that with a 4hp motor

Its also made in china and doesnt look as solid as a kmg

[sdcb27]

Its still a grizzly

[Burke]

if a guy was into big looooong blades ?????

[Peldor]

I was looking at this one



http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1015

anyone have any feedback on that?

[JeridJohnson]

Peldor,
That is the machine I use. Its good as a starter grinder... heck.. Ive been using mine for over 3 years.. I will eventually get a variable speed KMG or something. For the price, I have no complaints about that grizley knife grinder..

[Ray Rogers]

Peldor,

Probably half the knife makers in the country have one of those grinders. Even after you graduate to a KMG or Bader you'll still find uses for the Grizzly. Use the Search button to find literally hundreds of threads where that grinder has been discussed exhaustively ...