FW published a tip on constructing a four-wheel sharpening station from an old appliance motor, a 1/2-inch lineshaft, pillow blocks, an oak frame, and shopmade wheel blanks (see attached illustration).
Instead of building it from scratch, how difficult would it be to convert my benchgrinder into a similar setup? That would give me two extra wheels, and with the right pulleys they would spin at a slower rpm than the benchgrinder.
Lee Valley has a mandrel with blocks (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=32960&category=1,43072,45939). Would this work, or is it too short for four wheels?
Janet
Replies
DW,
I am just finishing up a similar grinding/sharpening setup and found the project fairly easy. I think you can get the mandrels a bit cheaper from Grizzly though. Your attached picture looked improbable however for a couple reasons. I don't see how one motor could drive two separate mandrels since the threads on either side of the mandrels are clockwise-counterclockwise. I mean, according to the picture It seems that the pulley would not mount on the opposing threads and thus drive two mandrels, unless of course you can substitute one long shaft.
sawick
I'm confused, Sawick. I thought that the setup had only one mandrel. Are two required?
Thanks for the referral to Grizzly. You're right, they're less expensive than Lee Valley. The same page with the mandrel (http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/pages/149.cfm?&User_ID=3038128&St=5678&St2=69907040&St3=68247277&DS_ID=1) also has something called a Power V Belt. It's new to me, but sounds like something I should get.
Janet
DW,
Yes two mandrels are required, at least to be accurate to the design in your attachment. One mandrel means: two pillow blocks, one pulley and one shaft. Your picture shows four pillow blocks and one long shaft? But two of the pillow blocks are hidden behind sharpening wheels in the drawing. Maybe that is why this is a bit confusing. As to motors, try to find one with rpm around 1725 with 1/2 or 5/8 inch shaft. Stock size pulleys can be bought cheaply to fit these shafts and with different diameter pulleys you can arrive at the speed you like for sharpening. I am currently using an old 1/3 horsepower motor, 1/2 inch shaft and 1 1/2 inch pulley v- belted to the mandrel with a 320 grit wheel and a buffing wheel mounted. I also recently bought that "power twist" V-belt for my jointer and it did seem to reduce vibration some but not remarkably so. Good luck.
sawick
Another source for pillow blocks and associated hardware is ww grainger. The last time I looked it appeared you could buy the individual parts cheaper from them than any of the sets. Didn't do any detailed cost analysis though. They have a wide selection which can be helpful.
Maybe one long mandrel through four pillow blocks would be the most simple approach.
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