Shops, tools, materials and tips

[Meridian_Mike]

You have quite a bit of shop space, Mike. I'm jealous!

LOL.... having more shop space just means you can pile more STUFF in it....

[Jerlin]

As I have indicated in some of my recent posts under other topics, I have started to do some knife repair on a few knives of mine and a couple of my son's knives. I do not plan to get into this in a big way, just repair the few knives I have. Also, I do not want to bear the cost of setting up a shop as some of you have done. I have a good selection of hand tools and some power tools, but one thing I do not have is a belt sander.
I came across a Central Machinery 1 in. X 30 in. belt sander. It works up to 3260fpm. It has a tilting table that adjusts from 0 degrees to 45 degrees. I would plan to use it to shape scales (handles) and possibly some other light duty tasks. The cost is under $50, which isn't bad since I'm sure I could use it for other things as well.
Does anyone have any thoughts or input on this item? Would it be a waste of money? Are there other belt sanders out there in a similar price range that are better?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Jerry Johnson

[Jeffinn]

A 1” x 30” belt sander is great for shaping knife handles etc. Get yourself a good selection of belts in various grits and you’ll be good to go.
Jeff

[orvet]

If I'm not mistaken for a few dollars more Harbor Freight also offers a 1" X 42" belt sander.
The extra 12" in the length makes the belt last considerably longer and run cooler.
You will also have a better choice of types of abrasive material on the belts in the longer belt, although that is beginning to change as TruGrit.com has a much better selection than they used to have for the 1" X 30" belts. Other companies are beginning to carry more variety of abrasives in the smaller belts.

Here is their selection of 1 X 30 belts:
https://trugrit.com/product-category/ab ... -size/1x30 belts.

Check out what they have in 30" belts and compare them against the 2 X 42 and then you can make a decision based on what you think will serve your needs the best.

Congratulations on getting into knife repair, THE MOST ADDICTIVE aspect of knife collecting!

[Meridian_Mike]

If I'm not mistaken for a few dollars more Harbor Freight also offers a 1" X 42" belt sander.
The extra 12" in the length makes the belt last considerably longer and run cooler.

I agree with Dale.
I have a 1"x30" and the belts just don't last very long.
The 1"x42" belts will last longer. (I now have one of those on my bench also)

[Jerlin]

Hi Jeff, Dale and Meridian_Mike, Thanks for the great advise. Central Machinery has a 4" X 36" belt/6" disc sander that would be a lot more versatile than the 1" X 30" belt sander. And it is on sale for just $20 more than the other sander. I believe I will buy myself a Father's Day present. Everyone keeps saying I'm getting hooked on knife repair. I guess we'll see after I finish the knives I'm presently working on.
Best regards to all,

Jerry Johnson

[orvet]

I have a 4 X 36 also but use the 1X42 much more.
It is hard to sharpen a knife on a 4 inch wide belt
especially a small blade.

[Meridian_Mike]

Once again....
I totally agree with Dale.
I too have a 4"x36" from Harbor Freight..... I hardly ever use mine.
I use the 1" and 2" sanders much, MUCH more.

[Jerlin]

Hi Dale, I appreciate the advise about a 1 X 42 or 2 X 42 belt sander versus a 4 X 36. I have looked at Harbor Freight, but cannot find a 1 X 42. Apparently they no longer carry that one. I have also looked at other brands and they are about $100 plus, which is really more than I want to spend for the amount I'll use one for. That being said, do you still think I would be unwise to go with a 1 X 30. I imagine I will be using the belt sander to shape handles and sharpen knife blades.
Again, any thoughts will be welcomed.

Jerry Johnson

[orvet]

Jerry,
Check with Grizzly equipment or Jet equipment
I would trips Grizzly personally I have their 2 by 72 belt sander, it has been a very good one. I know they make a 1 by 42 also.
I would also check second hand stores, pawn shops,
ect.

[Tony_Wood]

Jerry,
You will not find another grinder for that money, better or worse. The money that you save in buying the 1x30 you will spend in belts.
I can only echo the above posts above in saying:
The 1x30 will heat up quickly. Keep a Bucket of water close by and dip frequently when grinding or sharpening metal.
Buy more belts than you think you need. Trying to make belts last longer will cost you in the long run, burning steel, burning wood, etc. Use belts like they are free.
You will use the grinder much more than you think. Especially if you buy one that had a disk grinder. Good for flattening, where the belt will not be as it is flexible.
If the grinder does not have a player behind the belt you will want to fab something. Otherwise your grinds are rounded and not sharp/crisp.

After you buy the 1x30 and get used to it you will wish you have bought a larger one. I can speak from experience here. I tried to use a 1x42 to do the work of a 2x72.

Buy the cheaper one. Repair some knives. Make some cash. Save half to go into the next machine. You will have a larger grinder in no time.

Best of luck. Post pics when you get it in.

[Tony_Wood]

I remember a t-shirt that a guy was wearing one day at a knife hammer-in. It read, “If you want to make a small fortune at knife making, start with a large one.”

‘It’s true. Except I started small and went smaller.

[Meridian_Mike]

I remember a t-shirt that a guy was wearing one day at a knife hammer-in. It read, “If you want to make a small fortune at knife making, start with a large one.”

‘It’s true. Except I started small and went smaller.

LOL.... yep, that quote is SO TRUE Tony!
.
Jerry...
If you need to stay under $100 for a sander, I would suggest the 1" x 30" sander you speak of. That was the one I started with when I started doing knife repairs. Believe me, you can do a LOT of damage with one of those before you know it..... LOL.
if you decide you want to do more later, then move on up to a bigger and better sander......
Start slow and enjoy the ride!

[orvet]

I can only echo the above posts above in saying:
The 1x30 will heat up quickly. Keep a Bucket of water close by and dip frequently when grinding or sharpening metal.
Buy more belts than you think you need. Trying to make belts last longer will cost you in the long run, burning steel, burning wood, etc. Use belts like they are free.

I agree with Tony; don't try to make the belts last too long, you will just end up ruining things in the long run, burnt steel and burnt wood gets expensive.
I would recommend a belt cleaner bar, they help thebelts lady longer.

Remember: Have Fun & post pictures!

[Jerlin]

Thank you to all who responded with advise. It is greatly appreciated. First of all I asked my three married kids if any of them had a belt sander (I have found out in the past they had power tools I didn't know they had). None of them had one, so I went ahead and bought a 4" X 36" from Harbor Freight. Then I read some of your replies and decided I didn't want the 4" X 36" after all, so I took it back. I then began a local search for a used 1" X 42", but with no luck. We celebrated Father's Day this weekend and low and behold my kids and grandkids gave me a Harbor Freight 1" X 30" belt sander. I have watched several videos of individuals using this machine to sharpen knives. Some have made modifications to the machine to improve it's functionability.
As I have said before, I do not plan to do much in the way of knife repair, handle making, etc with the machine. I can see using it more for sharpening knives, tools, etc.
Therefore, I could use suggestions in the following areas for those who have used a 1" X 30" machine: 1. What are the best types of belts for the various tasks (some handle shaping, mostly sharpening, etc.)? I believe some of the choices include aluminum oxide, silicone carbide, and ceramic. 2. Is a strop leather honing belt and buffing compound suggested (I don't have a buffing wheel)? 3. Is an angle guide suggested (I'm a beginner and have trouble keeping the correct angle when I have tried sharpening in the past)?
In case you have not guessed, I am trying to keep my initial investment in belts, etc. reasonable until I see how much I use the machine. I look forward to any additional input offered. I'm sure I have overlooked something to consider, I know some areas have already been mentioned, like the belts heating up, etc.

Jerry Johnson

[Meridian_Mike]

Jerry....
Be very careful doing any "sharpening" with a belt sander. You can do a lot of damage that can't be undone before you know it.
If you want to do some rough blade shaping with your sander then that is OK but don't try to sharpen a knife on a sander.
Maybe I am out of line here but I am a BIG proponent of filing and sanding.
.
I just posted a thread that shows my sharpening and finishing tools. Have a look.

Mike

[Jerlin]

Mike, thank you for the wise advise. I do not consider you being out of line, I believe you are just cautioning me and I appreciate it. I know from past experiences that some tasks are not always as simple to do as they appear when someone else does them, especially with machinery. Obviously they have the experience and can make it look simple. You are absolutely correct that a machine can do a lot of damage before you know it. Thanks again,

Jerry

[glennbad]

I still use 1 x 30 sanders. In fact, I have 5 of them. They'll do until I get my 2 x 72 built, and then I will still probably use them. They are extremely handy, and you get a lot of bang for the buck, once you get them dialed in.

As for belts, I am currently using the Norton Blaze belt series. They last a fair amount of time.

I also use scotchbrite belts, those are handy for cleaning things up without removing a lot of material.

[orvet]

I was at my brothers this weekend and he had a 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Belt Sander.
I asked him how he liked it and he said it was not very good because there was too much wobble in it that he was not able to adjust out.
The ones I had seen before were made of metal, I think they were green, but his seem to be made of plastic.
I don't know if it was a different model or if they have made changes in the design recently. I believe he got this Sander in the last two or three months.

Has anybody else had experience with the belts not tracking properly or too much vibration and wobble in their 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Sander?
He did turn it on while I was there and I was quite surprised at how loud it was. It was easily twice as loud as my 1 x 42 Delta (which is understandable because the Delta has a cast iron body.) Just the noise that made seem to indicate to me there was something unbalanced in it.

I know a lot of guys if use these quite successfully, and I have seen them in operation before but I've never heard one that was that loud and seemingly unbalanced. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

[glennbad]

I was at my brothers this weekend and he had a 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Belt Sander.
I asked him how he liked it and he said it was not very good because there was too much wobble in it that he was not able to adjust out.
The ones I had seen before were made of metal, I think they were green, but his seem to be made of plastic.
I don't know if it was a different model or if they have made changes in the design recently. I believe he got this Sander in the last two or three months.

Has anybody else had experience with the belts not tracking properly or too much vibration and wobble in their 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Sander?
He did turn it on while I was there and I was quite surprised at how loud it was. It was easily twice as loud as my 1 x 42 Delta (which is understandable because the Delta has a cast iron body.) Just the noise that made seem to indicate to me there was something unbalanced in it.

I know a lot of guys if use these quite successfully, and I have seen them in operation before but I've never heard one that was that loud and seemingly unbalanced. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

Those HF 1 x 30 can be quite different from one to another. I think I've had maybe one where I wasn't able to get it tweaked to work well. I've had to alter the inner workings on a few (shave wheels, shim things, etc.) but I don't think I've had one overly loud or unbalanced.

[Meridian_Mike]

I was at my brothers this weekend and he had a 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Belt Sander.
I asked him how he liked it and he said it was not very good because there was too much wobble in it that he was not able to adjust out.
The ones I had seen before were made of metal, I think they were green, but his seem to be made of plastic.
I don't know if it was a different model or if they have made changes in the design recently. I believe he got this Sander in the last two or three months.

Has anybody else had experience with the belts not tracking properly or too much vibration and wobble in their 1 x 30 Harbor Freight Sander?
He did turn it on while I was there and I was quite surprised at how loud it was. It was easily twice as loud as my 1 x 42 Delta (which is understandable because the Delta has a cast iron body.) Just the noise that made seem to indicate to me there was something unbalanced in it.

My 1x30 is from a different name brand. I'm not sure if HF had one available when I got mine. Mine has enough instability to it that it wants to walk all over the table top. BUT, I fixed that by nailing his foot to the table top.....LOL. (I screwed the base to the table top).
The only plastic on mine is the side shield that covers the belt and pullies.

NOW... I also have one of the 4x36 HF sanders. It is LOUD!! I use it once in a while but hardly ever.

The one I use most is my Dayton 2x42.. (I like it!).... Good ole Sandy Claws brought it to me last Christmas. It will do nicely until I get my 2x72 built. I have all the parts and my welder is fixed! SO, construction shall start as soon as I finish the remodel on our bathroom.... (a wife is a good thing to have... but... your pocket book might suffer)....conditions may vary....

[glennbad]

Due to the excessively hot weekend here, I planned some indoor basement projects. One of them was reworking an area in my shop where I have my drill press. It was sitting on a random bench with metal legs, and was just a gathering spot for junk.

I happened on these plan drawer units which were being tossed from our work. I took the table top from the old bench to put on the units.

The drill press sits a bit higher than I would like, but it's still usable. I now have all my handle materials and some other misc. knife stuff sorted in the drawers, with the bottom unit still left to fill with "stuff".

I would have rather used these for knife collection storage, but I won't do that in my basement, and these are too large to put anywhere else in the house.

[Meridian_Mike]

I had a chance to get some of those a few months ago. I didn't have a place for them at the time but you are right....
They sure would make a great knife storage.
The ones I passed on were for 24" x 36" drawings. With some dividers in them, they would have been NICE.
Oh well......

[orvet]

WOW Glenn, I love those plan drawer units! I think I could get most of my new parts and a lot of the used parts in the unit, that's outstanding.
I'm trying to do a refurbish in my shop also, I bought a double door metal storage unit that I can put a lot of stuff in. I just have to rearrange all the junk in my shop so I can get it in their. I have to get my table saw out of the knife shop and put it in the shed, and make some room. I have a antique jigsaw that belonged to a great uncle from the 1930s, it has a huge cast iron base and must weigh at least 200 pounds. He also wants a lathe that my dad gave me, but I have no place to use it. I'm really anxious for my brother to get all of this stuff so I can get things in my shop rearranged so the space is better utilized.
I love that plan drawer, you can put so much stuff in that would take up so much room otherwise! Nice snag!

[glennbad]

WOW Glenn, I love those plan drawer units! I think I could get most of my new parts and a lot of the used parts in the unit, that's outstanding.
I'm trying to do a refurbish in my shop also, I bought a double door metal storage unit that I can put a lot of stuff in. I just have to rearrange all the junk in my shop so I can get it in their. I have to get my table saw out of the knife shop and put it in the shed, and make some room. I have a antique jigsaw that belonged to a great uncle from the 1930s, it has a huge cast iron base and must weigh at least 200 pounds. He also wants a lathe that my dad gave me, but I have no place to use it. I'm really anxious for my brother to get all of this stuff so I can get things in my shop rearranged so the space is better utilized.
I love that plan drawer, you can put so much stuff in that would take up so much room otherwise! Nice snag!

Thanks! That's the problem in my shop also, it's not just a knife shop. It's a catch-all for any of my hobbies. I have small tool chests in there, all my wood working and hand power tools, wire, cable, etc. The list goes on and on. I do temporarily have my table saw moved to the shed, as I was using it on my kitchen reno project. Amazing the extra space I have with that not being there!

I also have a blanket chest in my shop that I have been building for the last 15 or so years, LOL. I'm really not too far from completing it, just need to shift gears to work on it (sometime)