6061 KMG Clone Grinder:
After much debate, I decided I was going to make my own belt grinder, specifically a KMG clone. I knew that the cost of making my own chassis would not be too far off from actually buying a professionally built KMG chassis, but for me the fun is all in the make. I obtained Michael Clerc's plans from a post online and reviewed them along with many pictures of other grinders to make adjustments to make it just a tad different (and easier to build).
I have a woodworking shop, thus selected 6061 aluminium for ease of working. I found a new 1.5HP surplus motor from **** and purchase a new KBAC 27-D VFD from Wholesale Electric Motors. Nuts/bolts/wire/gas spring were from McMaster-Carr. I purchased pre-cut aluminium from MetalsOnline and I bought the tracking wheel, drive wheel and platen directly from Beumont Metal Works.
Note: I would suggest if you are ordering anything from Beaumonth Metal Works, to call them to place the order and ask them for the price for the total order including shipping.
I saved all of my paper work, scanned it to a PDF and wrote notes if anyone would like to see them. I would be happy to email them if you send me a message.
Here is the start. Most of the components to get started.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/CEF1FCD7-050B-414A-9445-8A078BF44F86-2837-000001E8940AF2C5_zps544b78bd.jpg)
To start, I thought I would make the tool rest. Something simple to get the hang of drilling/tapping. I used layout fluid and some woodworking scribes to get the layout.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/17356447-42F4-4894-9CEA-E2A154B7FA02-2837-000001E89999D299_zps5f350541.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/1A682CEA-6639-462C-9DC1-D825347508F7-2837-000001E8A6554423_zpse970d3e8.jpg)
Worked pretty well.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/B6096CBF-7C7D-4DB2-B1FA-3A92402300F2-2837-000001E89FF04BAC_zpsceff6666.jpg)
It was evident that I needed to square up the rough cut pieces. No mill, but I used my 6x80 sander with a 36 grit zirc. belt and that worked well. I used a bolted down miter guage and an extra piece of aluminium for the 90 degree fence.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/D0903481-5391-4377-85FD-C48B3E7FE7AF-2837-000001E8AA7C13E3_zpsf9fd4ae0.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/083D4696-0CE0-4DAE-962C-9DBC31F9FEB4-2837-000001E8B0649F7A_zps7620d08a.jpg)
Next the tracking adjustment and tracking arm.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/121857A8-C6CF-4742-9EEE-532C3EC92AEF-2837-000001E8B59485C5_zpsc97ab405.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/0BC974E6-56FC-4F0D-945E-FDA7597207F4-2837-000001E8BA23F7BD_zpsa49af20d.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/73461F42-0AA9-4CB0-9B2A-23BAED3D97A8-2837-000001E8BFBBFECD_zps9d71d4a4.jpg)
$100 drill press, $250 drill press vise (borrowed from my buddy Mark). Could not have done this good of a job without that drill press vise. Precision where you need it I suppose.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/60CBB84A-1DD7-49B0-A92C-D10DD5AA83B3-2837-000001E8C84FD146_zps13b4d627.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/A2E0C860-0771-4342-BD16-C14CA814DBDC-2837-000001E8D0C14E83_zps52d8a87f.jpg)
For the arm holder, instead of using a solid piece of aluminium (and having to mill it), I used 3 seperate pieces bolted together. This worked well and I am certain that the spacing and tolerance is far better than I could have achieved trying to cut a solid piece.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/CDF1B4CC-9090-4D39-B5C3-2C44298593EB-2837-000001E8E120AE18_zps95cc0b3e.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/F021F163-DBB8-4AEA-8DCF-116028CD7FEB-2837-000001E8E7114FBC_zpse7537567.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/EB4AA851-F688-4AF9-9167-1C2718C9ECD5-2837-000001E8DCC8411B_zps5b761ea7.jpg)
I used a piece of ¾" round stock for the handle
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/2C5BDD3B-272F-453C-8AF1-24D0869CD644-2837-000001E8EC06FD97_zps95c384f8.jpg)
On to the main piece
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/146044AC-C320-413C-A605-896EA0B761BC-2837-000001E8D740CD07_zps3e3d9ea7.jpg)
Drilling the initial holes
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/DF8898B1-5785-4464-8165-6B525751F8D3-2837-000001E8F23A178C_zpse230877b.jpg)
Lining it up to drill through the bottom (to ensure a precise line up)....my measuring/layout/marking would never be as precise as a cheater method. I marked all the inside surfaces with fluid and marked front/back/top bottom to make sure I would not misplace a piece.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/6B290A7A-E5FE-40EE-A450-7F6E81047497-2837-000001E8F9412DB9_zps2f91c2c7.jpg)
Drill one at a time, tap, bolt, line up and drill another.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/46CD635A-A789-4809-AB97-90C89AE058AC-2837-000001E9163BD621_zpse252e6f1.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/BA5E599B-3525-4FD8-8EBB-6408155C47EC-2837-000001E9112EA8F0_zps621af091.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/AF9F8F42-6856-4571-83A0-2D250DBD790C-2837-000001E907C3ABEE_zpsc79d2522.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/AF9F8F42-6856-4571-83A0-2D250DBD790C-2837-000001E907C3ABEE_zpsc79d2522.jpg)
Once you get at least 2 or 3 bolts in, then do the rest.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/AF9F8F42-6856-4571-83A0-2D250DBD790C-2837-000001E907C3ABEE_zpsc79d2522.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/8F636D8F-3941-492F-A8CE-59C5A28199F8-2837-000001E91D9F8D3F_zps10d8d01e.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/460087DA-9019-4DC0-98B6-4A551034662A-2837-000001E9267324A8_zpsf12caf95.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/8F636D8F-3941-492F-A8CE-59C5A28199F8-2837-000001E91D9F8D3F_zps10d8d01e.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/460087DA-9019-4DC0-98B6-4A551034662A-2837-000001E9267324A8_zpsf12caf95.jpg)
Now for the side supports. I used masking tape on each side of the tooling arm to provide for adequate spacing.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/1E43E884-79A7-4276-AEE9-08F68EEEBC53-2837-000001E92D441E89_zps9db63935.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/4F7D6DEA-FA6A-4F61-AC72-52B84EF18E9C-2837-000001E93411E40B_zpse97c8c99.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/48B5BFD0-B54C-4262-847D-8472C6C8D818-2837-000001E94B304EBB_zpsa13b70a6.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/B12096CA-F470-45DF-9C5B-6808C5C38578-2837-000001E94704CFB6_zpsbdc94cf6.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/280E5740-160E-4D66-8DE6-F98528C8358B-2837-000001E9562CA288_zps1e970588.jpg)
Same deal, drill to mark....take apart and drill all the way through, put back together and bolt, clamp and drill the next.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/280E5740-160E-4D66-8DE6-F98528C8358B-2837-000001E9562CA288_zps1e970588.jpg)
To attach the swing arm to the body:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/2F60674B-38D5-421C-9711-A6796136EFE1-2837-000001E95C1DCC71_zps093f3f70.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/129D46AF-6307-4658-969F-AA9A3285D25A-2837-000001E97651187E_zps0d4407ed.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/8C4AD3B4-DDD5-476F-9A98-9A021109D17B-2837-000001E96D508BBC_zpsfa1d8f28.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/CD568E3C-914C-44F8-8DDA-F2DE40421D52-2837-000001E96214616A_zps33461990.jpg)
Feet and base plate:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/9C335FBE-E811-4BBD-A935-C557AFCE43CB-2837-000001E9872CBFA4_zpsccfe96e0.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/D4FA2939-2881-4D4E-8C81-E91069922319-2837-000001E967E99EF8_zps939b7eef.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/68668CE6-B823-44C0-9FB2-3ED44E7ADC1C-2837-00000486E7E9FB4F_zpsd50435a5.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/9DCD46B2-F0A0-49DA-9598-12A3A9C25A62-2837-000001E98C3B59F8_zps8211d435.jpg)
Tooling arm:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/A0A5A374-4F95-47DB-8435-007C314226FC-2837-00000486F13E381B_zps90e1d4d6.jpg)
Check square one more time:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/43B53DE1-0DAA-46EA-8A67-8C29A393E28D-2837-00000486E44A6C48_zps8b99c178.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/27ADBCE4-DF41-489A-8EBC-6C04C1A8B812-2837-0000048702ECD775_zpsa6037d99.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/4E6EE5B3-F73B-49F3-BC6C-10A64C898285-2837-00000486FE1BB2D0_zpse04040fa.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/AFD68E6E-7786-4817-BE45-B1CCAD1FEEE0-2837-00000486F9D85E3C_zps53b87c09.jpg)
Gas spring:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/2491F0E4-E7AF-4F25-8872-A3AEF0154257-2837-00000486D982DA5E_zpse45302dc.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/B2D6C496-1DCC-4F4B-ACEB-CEB76B05F9EB-2837-00000486DF42DF15_zps91be0c17.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/777ED656-0DD3-4C3E-B291-E4F090ECC7AF-2837-00000486EC0A5115_zpsaddd19f0.jpg)
Now for a base....a piece of LVL beam
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/C47F8F18-FEB1-45BC-BDE4-0960DE1CE79F-2837-000004870812831E_zps3ffef25d.jpg)
Quick dry fit:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/69BEDF03-3EE0-4265-819A-292C82D12829-2837-000004870C6F1BDE_zpsd5cf05dd.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/A1B70BEF-8B5B-4347-B0F3-4E1D68B11D20-2837-00000487108A8FF4_zpsda8b1dee.jpg)
Dado that in a bit:
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/C27B1F70-446F-4138-B6B4-47328DC62FD3-2837-0000048714CADEA5_zpsdaa19dfc.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/5DD08547-60EA-4B9C-A38E-909C6D9AAE87-2837-0000048721A734F9_zps95807d13.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/131A21C5-1F63-460B-A5FA-799E62D5CFBF-2837-000004872629E6FD_zps395a605a.jpg)
Time to get filthy polishing alumimum. I basically scuffed everything with 220 first, then polished with whit rouge on a sewn wheel. I intended to polish up the moving surfaces
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/91C3F923-522D-4194-8A68-7A7BAA6BC911-2837-0000048718A8E593_zpsbb255522.jpg)
And got a little carried away
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/47123E85-32DD-418E-B8B7-9A09E2318221-2837-000004874324E3C6_zps7936ec2e.jpg)
And then might as well jewel it
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/3A2283BA-6062-460C-A5A3-DC3BE42CD7D0-2837-000004872E4A3000_zpsfd9e3f24.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/48715891-A648-4D50-B170-F4BCC4921E41-2837-000004872A5749DC_zpsa2957361.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/04A21FD3-496A-4716-8F2C-3235EBA4DCBE-2837-000004873326B96E_zps87837874.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/56910F6A-0872-4AA4-8BAF-677CD385599C-2837-000004873EB2D5BE_zps50022553.jpg)
And ended up polishing all moving pieces, and jewelling everything else
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/9EC71BF8-8692-4F5B-B182-5DF247D020B4-2837-000004873A705D18_zps561afc32.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/56910F6A-0872-4AA4-8BAF-677CD385599C-2837-000004873EB2D5BE_zps50022553.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/02C51B65-1459-4AF7-90E0-2AEC7B18AD27-10753-000007FD736A5554_zps9a1839cf.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/1E017C54-C815-4A59-8396-4CD6C807C59A-2837-000005B1BCB3DC52_zps73717f8b.jpg)
Made a aluminium mounting plate for the VFD
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/8C2271EA-412A-4017-B355-805584B8D802-12320-00000AC1F760EC5E_zps9c5eef1c.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/AA51E859-F0FD-4429-ACC5-7A6ECA862FB6-12320-00000AC1FD0936C8_zps0f71cf74.jpg)
And then final assembly I used .020 washers as a spacers to allow adequate room for tooling arm movement. Worked well and you can't hardly tell they are there.
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/0F73462C-54E5-4A12-9B94-A8CF54D629AF-12320-00000AC1F23295DF_zps3ce9e5fa.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/22BC62C1-AB01-4503-BC68-303B44E56014-12320-00000AC1ED51C9C2_zpsfc402487.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/4D928890-CEC1-4A70-808A-034BE5F086D0-12320-00000AC1E892C7B8_zps8d99d714.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/53E2E87B-D243-4D31-B1BF-1D4E54D6EA69-12320-00000AC2083178C4_zpsf452c64e.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/180C6C71-FF1E-4AEA-9129-06E9DB0FB107-12320-00000AC20D91C34B_zps6a5b22ea.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/bjjanse/elb%20pics/643806EE-C63A-4477-A0C2-D4A53183178F-12320-00000AC212C2EFF2_zps87136730.jpg)
All in all a success and very happy I decided to put this together. The machine is quiet, tracks and works as it should.
Excellent work! Thank you for sharing that.
Thanks Lin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1sfMwjMCQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olvxiMJmmds
Great job , very informative
You do good work. :thumbsup:
This one should get a sticky. Good stuff!
Outstanding build along Brad! That jeweled look really sets it off!
WOW! You are the man!
WOW! Awesome work and awesome finished product
Very nice work.. I bet its a dandy
Brad, I was half way thru this before I realized who was doing it. I'm impressed to say the least. :thumbsup: