I thought I'd post some pictures of the grinder I'm making as I went along. I started off last night tacking together a tube for this 1.5" square stock to fit into, I have plenty of square tubing kicking around but I dont like the slack in it. I laid a belt out on a board and drew in some rough dimensions for where everything will fit, I'm not really going by any specific plan just a collection of pictures I've gathered. I'm just waiting on some wheels to get here, but I'll keep updating as I make progress!
Looking good Mark. Keep us posted. My only question only cause I'm curious and not a welder. Will the tube warp or twist when you finish welding it?
Thanks Icho! I finished welding it today and its fine. To keep it from getting too hot and twisting I only welded about an inch, inch and a half at a time in different places until it was completely welded. The bar still slides nicely through it
Okay cool. I thought about doing it that way but I just wasn't sure. I just stuck with square tube and it is a loose fit. My grinder was supposed to be temporary but it actually works real good so I'm going to stick with it for a while.
I had read somewhere about the slack in the square tubing, and how somebody solved that problem. What they did was weld the nuts in the top corner of the outside tube, so when the hand knob or bolt was tightened it would force the inner tube to the corner of the inside of the outter tube. Does that make sense.. haha I dont know how else to explain it.
But after just writing that and actually thinking about it....... I don't see why one on the top and one on the bottom wouldn't be just as good. I just like making things difficult for myself so I took this route
I am finally starting to undertand what all those parts are for. I envy you guys that can see it, make it and do it from scratch. Awesome stuff.
I'm enjoying this build. I like the welding. You actually see more people using drill and tap in most of the builds. I'm partial to the welding. Has everything stayed nice and true for you so far?
Yea Ryan everything is straight so far so good, I just take it slow and clamp everything good and tight. So here's where I'm at right now. I had these made, which was supposed to be one piece with a bearing in each end.. but I didnt explain that to the guy I guess so I just cut them in half and welded them together because I'm impatient haha Here they are welded in place, this will be for the tension arm to swivel easily. And with the bearings in them annnnd with the end capped and finished up.
Literally as I was posting this my wheels arrived! Now I just want to leave work and go work on the grinder! ughhhhhh gonna be a long day
That looks great. Any idea on how much is invested so far. I know the wheels are normally the most expensive part. But I'm a little more curious about the rest. Bearings, tubing etc. I really want a 2x72 and I'm liking how this one is going together.
I'm not completely sure as I wasn't keeping track, I got the motor off kijiji for 70 bux, the tubing I already had.. I had to buy the 1 1/2" solid bar but I bought it with some stuff I needed for another project. A couple hundred bux max I would think for materials minus the wheels, I think those where around 350 maybe? I originally had some other alternatives for wheels but in the end decided to buy the proper ones.
I got some more progress on this last night parts for the tension/tracking arm I milled the end of the arm at a slight angle to make sure the belt would track both ways the hinge, the middle piece is drilled out and I threaded the rod through when I welded it to make sure the threads on both end pieces lined up The hole in the arm is for the bolt holding the tracking wheel to pass through. Those little things were hard to weld without touching that middle link (dont look haha). I also had to round the back of the middle link so the edges didnt catch when it swiveled. coming together!
