*addendum. Replacing the washers used in the video with nylon washers to pace your wheels is a better option. Others have also pointed out that replacing the bolt used to control tracking with a finer thread count would be better. Also, it's worth mentioning that the 2x72 parts market has expanded greatly in the time since I made that video and a lot of things like the platten and tracking mechanism that I fabricated myself can now be purchased pretty inexpensively
Always nice when someone has a build they walk you through that is actually practical and working. Many shops with setups never go int ospecifics or parts they just tell you where to buy or how much it cost. Hope this video gets a good consistent amount of views/likes
Excellent Brother! I am at the point of needing a 2x72 to continue learning this craft and can't justify (or afford) buying a commercial one. This seems like just the ticket - a fairly easy and (much) cheaper DIY. I appreciate all of your videos, your devotion to verterans and for your service! I am a veteran myself (non combat) and lost a buddy (combat veteran) a couple of years ago to a PTSD related suicide. Your charity dagger build video hit me in the heart! Keep doing what you do!
William Freeman I’m still watching the video but the best price/quality I’ve seen so far is about 1600 😳 I bought it and it’s been built now but it hurt bad lol
Thanks John, I need one but cannot justify the thousands cost! This walk through gives me the trial and error experience without needing to go through it! Sourcing the wheels will be the hardest part, I’ll get on to it pronto!
Thanks for the video; I now have a functional 2x72 grinder for less than a quarter of the cost of a commercial one! One gripe, though--the exact setup used here will get a belt speed of about 2,300 feet per minute, which is less than half of what you need to utilize a good ceramic belt. HF sells a 3hp motor with twice the RPM of the one used in the video for only $10 more (just make sure you have 240v power in your shop). To anyone using this exact setup: learn from my mistake, and don't waste good money on expensive ceramic belts. Stick to the zirconium belts--they're much cheaper.
Thank you so much for the comprehensive video and not simply playing music and not saying a damn thing like all these other knuckleheads do. Extremely awesome dude! Thank you so much
Built mine already and yes anyone Blacksmith anything should have one and I will say 1 HP is the minimum for power source., I'm not going to watch your video for I have mine , Seen your work before and before I build another I will watch this for I trust you to teach well,Sir thanks for helping me and the others who go to your teaching, Thanks
Have all the parts cut and ready to weld...using a treadmill motor with the speed control and it is also a 2.25 hp motor which will grind through anything. Had to watch the video about a hundred times to make sure I was doing it right😂. Thanks a lot man and this will be huge to my little knife making shop.
Thank you for making this video! It's the most informative one on making a 2 x 72 belt grinder that I've come across. Great build. Now let's see him make something on it!
@Old Hickory Forge really appreciate your channel and videos. Looking at getting started in blacksmithing. Your the first I've found to make it seem possible! Keep up the excellent work!
Mine was tracking close to the tracking arm and I didn't realize it, I ground on a knife for maybe 20 mins then wanted to change belts, I put my hand on top of the post to depress the tension and found the metal to be smoking hot. Got a significant burn on my palm from that....... definitely check the tracking every time now. Great video
Thanks for this video! I appreciate all the little notable asides about the points of function in the design and tips to prevent potential hangups. Great video!
MAN! This is what I was looking for! Thank, you, thank you, thank you!!! I have everything but the wheel kit, motor and D plate. I have all the hardware and steel. You have made my day. Blessings! You have my subscription!!!
Awesome build. I've been looking for a video like this for a while. I seen other "DIY build 2x72 grinder" videos that the person used special computer programs, cnc machines, and metal lathes and they fabricate ALL of their parts except for the motor. I'm like well that didn't help one bit. But this video helped out a bunch. I'm going to start buying little by little and build one now.
Great design just finished up yesterday using your design works awesome and you can't beat the price over buying one . Thanks dude for the upload and the plans this thing will now get a serious workout!!!
400ish eh? Well I'm sure alot closer to that than a couple of Gs I've seen others set up for. It will grind. That's the main and most important thing. Thanks for sharing!! Blessed days sirSir, Crawford out
At 5:35 or so,,When u attach wheels to platen! Use ONE NYLON WASHER ON EACH SIDE TO RIDE ON CENTER PORTION OF BEARING...HENCE ,TWO NYLON WASHERS....otherwisebig metal washer Will preventbearingfrom spring freely....GREAT VIDEO. ALSO..GOOD IDEA TO PLACE THE INNER TUBE SEAM TO ONE SIDE...NEVER ON TOP OR BOTTOM,,IT WILL MESS WITH CENTERING
Awesome vid John, I found your channel about 5 days ago, and have been watching your vids, learned a few things that have helped in my blacksmithing journey, and after watching this, I think it might be time to upgrade from my 2x36 multitool....
i have watched several videos for this type of grinder, by far the best design for the home based build. Just watching the video made me want to make one...so i did. i have been fabricating for many years but believe a novice fabricator would be able to produce a good working grinder. Thanks
For under a hundred bucks extra you could turn your unit into a multispeed as well. I built mine out of scrap steel, used an old motor I scrounged, all up cost was for the wheels, around 125 bucks. The best bit though was the satisfaction of doing it myself for a 1/10 of the price of buying one.
John, in building this sander, looking from the front. I’ve found that on the tracking mechanism if the pivot hole is drilled 1/8 off center to the right. The tracking has much more adjustment. It allows the piece to pivot beyond 90 degrees both ways. I hope this is understandable.
When you tap a hole, push the tap until there is tension, and then back off a turn. This breaks the chip. If you just keep trying to force it, you will risk snapping the tap.
Excellent build! Thanks for going though this step by step! If I ever need another 2x72... I'll think of building one like this. It looks great! Hell can't hurt to have two 2x72s in a shop........ 😀 :)
Thanks for this video!! I want a 2x72 belt grinder and I have seen how expensive they are. I figured it wouldn’t be hard to build if there was a good video that described it. I have been making knives now for about a month and a half. Been using. 1x30 grinder and I got a 4x36 grinder, but I need to get a 2x72 grinder. I have posted a video, well several, of my first knife build. Juddie - J&J TOA
Why is it blacksmiths have the same idea the same week. I’m fairly sure we don’t discuss it but it happens a lot. You and Tim did grinder videos, I’ve seen it happen several times with several channels.. must be like a subliminal wave link or somthing. :). Nice video
Old Hickory Forge oh I bet, I film mine sometimes months before I release them. I don’t think either of you realized the other was doing it. I bet both of you filmed it a bit before today, and released it not knowing. That’s why I find it funny because you and Tim wasn’t the first pair that it happened to. I just find it funny :)
Yup I'd noticed that too. It's kinda like things go in waves...thru the waves lol. As in this case two creators put out videos on a higher tech subject within hours of one another. Just too much has to go into these videos to be intentional lol lol.
Has anyone asked about putting a speed control dial on it and would that work in place of a vfd? Awsome video I'm in the middle of building one but I think I'm going to change my plan and use some of your ideas
If you want speed control you really do have to run a VFD with a 220v circuit. Wiring a speed control to a 110v motor is really hard on them and will significantly shorten the life of the motor.
I've seen several videos on making this type of sander and yours is the best. But one thing I'm confused about and that is the motor RPMs and and VFD. Is a VFD necessary? What would be the best RPMs if a VFD is not needed? I've priced to motor and VFD and that's way out of my price since I'm just starting to get into this as a hobby. Thanks.
A VFD is not technically required but they are very nice to have. Like the sander pictured does not use one. So you only have one belt speed to work with. Belt speed can be figured out apparently by the RPM of the motor and the diameter of the drive wheel. With a 4 inch drive wheel you get a 1-1 ratio of motor RPM to belt feet per minute. For every inch of drive wheel you add. You gain another 1 thousand surface feet per minute. So a motor with 3450 RPM is better. The one we used here was only 1800. Which I would really consider the bare minimum.
![Building a Machinists Belt Grinder - The Trilogy [Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gaIVzdJ2V5w/mqdefault.jpg)
![Building a Machinists Belt Grinder - The Trilogy [Part 1]](/img/tr.png)
*addendum. Replacing the washers used in the video with nylon washers to pace your wheels is a better option. Others have also pointed out that replacing the bolt used to control tracking with a finer thread count would be better. Also, it's worth mentioning that the 2x72 parts market has expanded greatly in the time since I made that video and a lot of things like the platten and tracking mechanism that I fabricated myself can now be purchased pretty inexpensively
Easiest 2x72 build I’ve seen that doesn’t look all janky and cobbled together. Thanks
Yep and works properly. I got a free treadmill on marketplace that has almost all the parts i'll need.
Always nice when someone has a build they walk you through that is actually practical and working. Many shops with setups never go int ospecifics or parts they just tell you where to buy or how much it cost. Hope this video gets a good consistent amount of views/likes
Excellent Brother! I am at the point of needing a 2x72 to continue learning this craft and can't justify (or afford) buying a commercial one. This seems like just the ticket - a fairly easy and (much) cheaper DIY. I appreciate all of your videos, your devotion to verterans and for your service! I am a veteran myself (non combat) and lost a buddy (combat veteran) a couple of years ago to a PTSD related suicide. Your charity dagger build video hit me in the heart! Keep doing what you do!
William Freeman I’m still watching the video but the best price/quality I’ve seen so far is about 1600 😳 I bought it and it’s been built now but it hurt bad lol
The best build I have seen,basic tools nothing fancy and explained in Lyman terms, Thanks guys.
Thanks John, I need one but cannot justify the thousands cost! This walk through gives me the trial and error experience without needing to go through it! Sourcing the wheels will be the hardest part, I’ll get on to it pronto!
Great job on the build. All you need for the basics. Thank you.
Probably the best video I've seen on these. Well explained and didn't insist on building something stupid high end znd 220v right off the bat.
The Vegvisir deserves this man a follow
Thanks for the video; I now have a functional 2x72 grinder for less than a quarter of the cost of a commercial one!
One gripe, though--the exact setup used here will get a belt speed of about 2,300 feet per minute, which is less than half of what you need to utilize a good ceramic belt. HF sells a 3hp motor with twice the RPM of the one used in the video for only $10 more (just make sure you have 240v power in your shop).
To anyone using this exact setup: learn from my mistake, and don't waste good money on expensive ceramic belts. Stick to the zirconium belts--they're much cheaper.
Good job explaining the whole process. This looks like something I could do. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the comprehensive video and not simply playing music and not saying a damn thing like all these other knuckleheads do. Extremely awesome dude! Thank you so much
Good to see a left handed grinder in the world! Thanks!
Built mine already and yes anyone Blacksmith anything should have one and I will say 1 HP is the minimum for power source., I'm not going to watch your video for I have mine , Seen your work before and before I build another I will watch this for I trust you to teach well,Sir thanks for helping me and the others who go to your teaching, Thanks
Have all the parts cut and ready to weld...using a treadmill motor with the speed control and it is also a 2.25 hp motor which will grind through anything. Had to watch the video about a hundred times to make sure I was doing it right😂. Thanks a lot man and this will be huge to my little knife making shop.
I swear every time I need to do a project the video I end up watching is from you.
Thanks John this will be a big help in building my 2x72.
Coffee's Forge I know!!! This is the best video on building a 2x72 I have ever seen! 👍
Hands down best diy video. Makes it look easy
I love this design it’s simplistic but highly effective and doesn’t look to hard to build!
Thank you for making this video! It's the most informative one on making a 2 x 72 belt grinder that I've come across. Great build. Now let's see him make something on it!
Awesome! Getting hit w/ hurricane Ida. Will save this and finish later. ThankQ.
Looks solid and relatively easy to build. Nice work.
Nice vid and this is the first I've ever saw one built as a right side (looking at it) unit. Good looking machine too.
@Old Hickory Forge really appreciate your channel and videos. Looking at getting started in blacksmithing. Your the first I've found to make it seem possible! Keep up the excellent work!
Mine was tracking close to the tracking arm and I didn't realize it, I ground on a knife for maybe 20 mins then wanted to change belts, I put my hand on top of the post to depress the tension and found the metal to be smoking hot. Got a significant burn on my palm from that....... definitely check the tracking every time now. Great video
Nice how you presented this. Easy to follow and simplified the build. Thanks
Just built my first grinder using your plans! Thanks!
Thank you so much! Tons of questions answered!
This is the best tutorial of a 2x72 I have found, thanks for doing this video. Good work!
"Eat, sleep, hit stuff, repeat!" Love that shirt!❗
Thanks for this video! I appreciate all the little notable asides about the points of function in the design and tips to prevent potential hangups. Great video!
Very informative and helpful. Thank you.
MAN! This is what I was looking for! Thank, you, thank you, thank you!!! I have everything but the wheel kit, motor and D plate. I have all the hardware and steel. You have made my day. Blessings! You have my subscription!!!
"Dull wood chisel and a hammer" had me laugh out loud. Well done 👍👍
Awesome build. I've been looking for a video like this for a while. I seen other "DIY build 2x72 grinder" videos that the person used special computer programs, cnc machines, and metal lathes and they fabricate ALL of their parts except for the motor. I'm like well that didn't help one bit. But this video helped out a bunch. I'm going to start buying little by little and build one now.
Great design just finished up yesterday using your design works awesome and you can't beat the price over buying one . Thanks dude for the upload and the plans this thing will now get a serious workout!!!
Really like this, love your toolmaking videos, helped me alot, thank you!
Thank you for all that info. Question
Could you have Installed a speed control on that motor??
Thanks again for all that info!!!
This looks even simpler then the dcknives build. Hell yeah
Good basic easy to make grinder that will do most things people want, good stuff :)
Just pick it up and move it says the man big as a bull moose, great info thanks for sharing.
A few more and you will be in production. Looks good buddy 👌
This was a great instructional and to the point! Thanks
Nice build, compact. I wish I built mine that size..
400ish eh? Well I'm sure alot closer to that than a couple of Gs I've seen others set up for. It will grind. That's the main and most important thing. Thanks for sharing!!
Blessed days sirSir, Crawford out
Awesome build!
Man ... You Rock!! This is the absolute best! Thanks so much for ALL the details. This is AWESOME!
Great video! I starting to make my own 2 x 72. Very helpful. Ty
Super nice step-by-step. Thanks !
At 5:35 or so,,When u attach wheels to platen! Use ONE NYLON WASHER ON EACH SIDE TO RIDE ON CENTER PORTION OF BEARING...HENCE ,TWO NYLON WASHERS....otherwisebig metal washer Will preventbearingfrom spring freely....GREAT VIDEO.
ALSO..GOOD IDEA TO PLACE THE INNER TUBE SEAM TO ONE SIDE...NEVER ON TOP OR BOTTOM,,IT WILL MESS WITH CENTERING
Now that is totally doable! Thanks John
👍 before I watched the video because you put out quality workmanship.
Thanks again!
Appreciate the DIY help
Excellent video mate, thanks for sharing
great info, many thanks. best belt grinder video out there. practical design and lots of good details
Wauw, super nice step-by-step how to! And the grinder looks good too.
Nice build. I just built one last week and i like how many different ways these things can be built.
Great video. clear and to the point. excellent work.
Awesome vid John, I found your channel about 5 days ago, and have been watching your vids, learned a few things that have helped in my blacksmithing journey, and after watching this, I think it might be time to upgrade from my 2x36 multitool....
i have watched several videos for this type of grinder, by far the best design for the home based build. Just watching the video made me want to make one...so i did. i have been fabricating for many years but believe a novice fabricator would be able to produce a good working grinder. Thanks
I enjoy your videos. Thank you for making these.
Great video lots of detail, it helped me out a lot.
For under a hundred bucks extra you could turn your unit into a multispeed as well. I built mine out of scrap steel, used an old motor I scrounged, all up cost was for the wheels, around 125 bucks. The best bit though was the satisfaction of doing it myself for a 1/10 of the price of buying one.
John, in building this sander, looking from the front. I’ve found that on the tracking mechanism if the pivot hole is drilled 1/8 off center to the right. The tracking has much more adjustment. It allows the piece to pivot beyond 90 degrees both ways. I hope this is understandable.
That’s awesome John! I’m going to have to give this a shot sometime soon.
Thank you for this video!
I am going to make 2 of them just because.
Awesome build brother
Super także sam sobie taką maszynkę wykonam 👊🏻😁
Really Nice Job!
"light enough to pick it up and move it", says the 6" 5" tall dude with 19" biceps 💪😛😁😎👍❤️
Its probably really heavy but light to him
thats what i thought lol
Awesome dude great video thanks for explaining everything. Looking to build my own real soon.
When you tap a hole, push the tap until there is tension, and then back off a turn. This breaks the chip. If you just keep trying to force it, you will risk snapping the tap.
Damn good video very informative giving me confidence to tackle my own grinder build
Great video! Thanks for all the information.
Excellent build! Thanks for going though this step by step! If I ever need another 2x72... I'll think of building one like this. It looks great! Hell can't hurt to have two 2x72s in a shop........ 😀 :)
Thanks for this video!! I want a 2x72 belt grinder and I have seen how expensive they are. I figured it wouldn’t be hard to build if there was a good video that described it. I have been making knives now for about a month and a half. Been using. 1x30 grinder and I got a 4x36 grinder, but I need to get a 2x72 grinder. I have posted a video, well several, of my first knife build. Juddie - J&J TOA
Great video. Thank you.
Thank you so much for doing this.
Just built an exact replica of this, besides fabricating my own wheel kit!
Great video
Thanks for sharing. That was a great video.
Hey! Camillus is right down the road from me! lol I live in Syracuse
Sweet video man!
Can you use 1/8 thick tubing instead?
Great work
Can you give us the length of the 1 1/2" platen arm piece that inserts into the frame?
Why is it blacksmiths have the same idea the same week. I’m fairly sure we don’t discuss it but it happens a lot. You and Tim did grinder videos, I’ve seen it happen several times with several channels.. must be like a subliminal wave link or somthing. :). Nice video
Ouroboros Armory to be fair this video has been planned for several weeks
Old Hickory Forge oh I bet, I film mine sometimes months before I release them. I don’t think either of you realized the other was doing it. I bet both of you filmed it a bit before today, and released it not knowing. That’s why I find it funny because you and Tim wasn’t the first pair that it happened to. I just find it funny :)
Yup I'd noticed that too. It's kinda like things go in waves...thru the waves lol. As in this case two creators put out videos on a higher tech subject within hours of one another. Just too much has to go into these videos to be intentional lol lol.
So! Great video!
When using straight edge from tracking wheel to platen wheels...use the middle of wheels,, tracking wheel is much wider..it will be easier to adjust
CASTLEDOME KNIVES we can’t press it against the middle of the wheels and see if it lines up because the bolts are in the way
@@OldHickoryForge the middle of wheel where the BELT rides..not edge of wheel. U can also use a string(very tightly secured) to find centers
Good job
Has anyone asked about putting a speed control dial on it and would that work in place of a vfd? Awsome video I'm in the middle of building one but I think I'm going to change my plan and use some of your ideas
If you want speed control you really do have to run a VFD with a 220v circuit. Wiring a speed control to a 110v motor is really hard on them and will significantly shorten the life of the motor.
I'M GONNA TRY TO BUILD THIS
A second horizontal tube would make an adjustable tool rest easier.
Got my steel 2day. It was nice 2 just turn on this vid. Make a list n got 2 the supplyr.
Have you thought about buying/building a press?
MC Custom Knives I have. Don’t really have the space for one in my current shop. Certainly would like to have one though
I wish I had watched this sooner 😂
I just plug my grinder into a heavy duty power bar and the power bar is my power switch.
I've seen several videos on making this type of sander and yours is the best. But one thing I'm confused about and that is the motor RPMs and and VFD. Is a VFD necessary? What would be the best RPMs if a VFD is not needed? I've priced to motor and VFD and that's way out of my price since I'm just starting to get into this as a hobby. Thanks.
A VFD is not technically required but they are very nice to have. Like the sander pictured does not use one. So you only have one belt speed to work with. Belt speed can be figured out apparently by the RPM of the motor and the diameter of the drive wheel. With a 4 inch drive wheel you get a 1-1 ratio of motor RPM to belt feet per minute. For every inch of drive wheel you add. You gain another 1 thousand surface feet per minute. So a motor with 3450 RPM is better. The one we used here was only 1800. Which I would really consider the bare minimum.
Thankyou👍