Question: Square wheel grinder?? or what??

[rossm10]

Hello All,
Can anyone tell me what this is?? and who may have made it?? what it's worth? and where I could find manual or info on it??
thanks,
Ross

 

[monk]

looks as though it may have been used as a belt sander. perhaps by a bladesmith/knife maker. from the looks, i'd say the original owner might have made it. this would be a very easy-to-make project if one had access to a shear , press brake, and a few other industrial tools.

 

[J.Hayes]

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=595&PMCTLG=00


Foley Bellsaw made one similar. Both Grizzly tools and Enco have similar units. I have one and it uses a 1x42 belt and is very useful to me. Never seen a belt routed like that though.

 

[sanch]

that is definitely a belt sander/grinder of some sort that was put together by someone who is also a leatherworker so it may be a device the maker uses for many tasks, for example cleaning the edges of leather holster, sharpening head knives polishing tools etc, etc....I have a home built 2x72 belt grinder that I made and use in my knife making it is great for many tasks the routing of the belt (on the one he posted) is not the safest though!

 

[atexascowboy2011]

I had an old Rockwell that looked like that.

 

[KCSteve]

That looks like a kit knife grinder. Try over at the KnifeDogs forum for more info.

 

[sanch]

That looks like a kit knife grinder. Try over at the KnifeDogs forum for more info.

mine was not a kit it was made by me for me the motor is 1HP and is controlled with a freaq drive/converter...although I did get some design ideas from knifedogs and all over the internet.....

 

[dogcatcher]

Can you post a pic of the label on the front by the switch? What is the length of the sanding belt?

 

[Ron Spokovich]

Having been around this sort of stuff for many years, and after having helped a friend make machines like this, but bigger, I came away with a few lines of thought. It COULD have been commercially made, but in limited quantities, for some reason. Two, it could've been cobbled together with off-the-shelf parts that one could find in some small parts graveyards. Three, it has some features that appear could've been tailored for 42", 44" 48", 60", and 72" belts some of which are odd sized, and some of which are common. Converters often make these belts up, and sell them at flea markets, and to guys like me, who used to sell them. It has knifemaker features, as I noticed, so that may have been it's intended use. Wouldn't be a bad idea to look around for junk, and make one up. That may not be the original motor, but would suffice. Now, that gives me a few ideas to play around with. It looks really unusual, from a 'normal' standpoint, but really functional.

 

[mdengraver]

Harbor Freight Belt Sander

Harbor Freight Belt Sander

 

[Lonestarr]

Hi Ross I think the belt is on wrong....I am a guessing the sanding belt should go straight up in front of the lower idler then go in front of the top adjustable idler ( you want the sanding belt to be straight up and down). Then over the plastic wheel at the top and down behind the rear idler....The belt tension appears to be controlled by the upper front idler.....You may not have the right belt length....let us know if you get it to work.. hope this helps Bob

 

[Weldon47]

Sears Craftsman.... With a couple of modifications..

WL

 

[FANCYGUN]

It looks like an old DELTA brand belt grinder like I had in my wood shop when I was teaching.
I also think you have the belt set up wrong as the little metal wheel towards the bottom should be on the back of the belt and not having the abrasive side running against the wheel.
I use mine all the time to rough grind my gravers as it does not heat things up quite as fast as a regular grinding wheel.

 

[DKanger]

it's a Rockwell, whom I think was bought out by Delta. I got this one back in 1983. It looks like this with the shields and table in place and the belt properly threaded. There is also an alternate threading depending on application.

 

[Ron Spokovich]

If you want to get rid of this item, give me a PM letting me know what you want for it, and, if there be any excessive wear or other areas you don't want to take the time to deal with.

 

[rossm10]

Thanks All...I got it figured out!!!
Ross