Looks like the Amazon seller swapped out the motor in the same product listing, invalidating the link in the description. I have updated it. Hopefully this doesn't happen again.
If you knew a guy with sheet metal tools and skills, you should make a spark chute that funnels sparks into a bucket or at least away from your tool box drawers. They make a LOT of gritty mess quick fast in a hurry.
I find a little plastic container with some water placed beneath the table does a great job of both catching sparks and provides a handy dunk tank to cool down hot workpieces.
@@daveash9572 I think Chris was referring to the sparks hitting the handles of the drawers right underneath the grinder - I can’t imagine James not being bothered by this so I am looking forward to seeing how James addresses it 😊
I was also going to suggest a shallow pan under the front end of the belt grinder, not only to contain the grit & removed metal, but also to keep from the hot sparks burning the surface of his nice white table - it won’t set fire to it, but James will eventually have a burned pitted area right under the table.
James, one tip; buy a proper crimping tool for your ferrules and spade connectors. The simple sheet metal one that you're using doesn't make a secure connection. You can tug the wire out quite easily. I started with the same cheapo tool and had connections fail on me because of the poor crimping action. Tyco, Wago, Weidmuller al make good ones. Thank you for sharing this nice build. All the best, Job
Yes the decent hand tools are ratchet ones so that a reliable minimum force and deformation of the terminal is achieved. Of course, the terminal needs to be matched to the tool to achieve this.
regarding wago connectors: i have many years experience with them, one of my early experiences was with locomotive traction engines. the systems we worked on were on the prime mover or train engine if you prefer. we tried or at least examined every other method for making electrical connections available. wago connectors were the only ones we found that didnt loosen over time and didnt cut into the conductors of stranded wire. i have used many different types of wago connectors and i am very partial to their din rail mount products. I have used wago in trians, cars, buildings, power plants, bridges and industrial facilities, they just work. I have spoken to wago engineers directly more than once and dealt with the factory directly. the company i worked for even went so far as to become a dealer for some products (mostly to cut costs) and i have never had a negative experience. even the chinese copies are not too bad.
Wagos seem to beat wire nuts on everything but cost, demonstrated repeatedly on many channels, yet you will find old people talk about how superior wire nuts are in comments sections. Weirdest thing to watch.
@@JeronimoStilton14 wagos are best on stranded wire, no question. wire nuts are superior to most other things on solid core wire but they are easier to get wrong. things have a purpose.
@@nilzlima3027 What have you seen showing that wire nuts are better for solid core? Pull strength, and cycle tests showed wago as a winner for both types from what I recall with the only real thing a wire nut ever wins on being cost. All things created equal bootlace is what’s commonly used in the controls industry. I’m genuinely curious because wire nuts usually only get a ton of anecdotal “well they’ve been used for hundreds of years” and while that may be true wagos are an advancement on a concept so it’s not necessarily going to have the time under fire but it doesn’t need to. I would agree they’re easy to mess up, frankly it’s why when building my first controls project it was with wagos, I just wanted it to work and not have to deal with fiddley nuts
@@JeronimoStilton14 i spent years building controls and stranded wire is so much preferred. where wire nuts shine is on solid core wire. they will provide greater conductivity and mechanical strength. i have never seen a spring tension terminal of any type that has superior retention to a wire nut on stranded wire. some of them a bit of pull and twist the wire comes right out. as i have stated wire nuts are the easiest to get wrong, proper twist is required. i have had seasoned professionals tell me i "over tighten" nuts. they may have a point, i have had many failures where the spring expands and cracks. those are cheap shitty nuts tho. you get what you pay for. 3m makes the best wire nuts, they also make the worst.
Nice design and well executed. Certainly a good example of how to leverage modern services that can laser cut, bend, and powder coat low volume parts. Really enables home gamers to do a lot without needing exotic equipment.
Join me in the Wago appreciation society! The only thing I would maybe do is wrap a bit of electrical tape around the flaps of the Wago so they don't vibrate loose (even though there's quite a bit of spring tension in there).
As a knifemaker I very much appreciate a well built 2x72. I don't know if you want to fiddle around with it, but if you do, Michael Walker (knifemaking hall of fame and high end machinist like yourself) swapped his gas spring for a very small pneumatic cylinder with a low pressure regulator hooked on it. Apparently it provides constant tension even when the belt stretches and contrasts the bouncing that often happen with some belts when you are removing lots of material. Again, love the grinder and the aesthetics of it as well!!
I just ordered my first set of parts from SendCutSend. I'm building a go kart for my nine year old grandtwins and I needed tabs to mount the front and rear suspension, seat belts, visibility flag, and rack and pinion steering box. I could have cut these out myself on my CNC mill but I can have them here in one percent of the time it would take me. Thank you for the idea.
My first thought when you saw belt wobble was the belt. You could see it when you first ran it by hand and the motor just accentuated it. That aside, that is a nice belt sander and very quiet. Well done!!
Amazing grinder, looks fantastic, well done. Re the Wago connectors, my good friend who’s an electrician here in the U.K. said that almost all his call outs to electrical faults these days are caused by this style of connector. Then rely on spring pressure and only touch a small area of the conductor either side. This on a heavy load causes big temperature rise as the resistance is higher. You’re far better to use crimp or screw down connectors than push fit spring connectors, especially for higher load applications like this motor.
Here in the US, a huge number of electrician call-outs to residential homes is because when the homes were built, the contractors installed electrical outlets that have the option of having the wires pushed in from the back. They gradually build up resistance over time, and when I remodeled our home, found several that had melted wires running to those connections. Regarding Wago connectors, I've used two types, push-in, and the lever time. The latter seems much more robust and reliable.
About 14:30 or so... I'm staring at the screen and seeing that wire stripper brings memories back. I guess it was 1980 that I found a wire stripper that looked almost exactly the same as the Knipex used here. It had the same depth stop. The wire cutter on the back was there, and it worked beautifully, and I found it on the street! Some electrician was probably swearing up a storm digging through his tool boxes trying to find it. These were definitely not common back then. In fact this was the first time I saw one, or even heard of them. Now I'd like to say I'm still using it, but in truth I just kept "snapping" it over and over like some kind of fidget toy, and it lasted less than a week before snapping the cutting blade. Looking back that was probably a wear part that could be replaced, but at the time I didn't even consider that possibility and it went into the bin. What I find incredible is that these wire strippers have changed so little in over 40 years. If you put the one I found beside this Knipex most leople wouldn't be able to tell which one was a 40 years old design and which was made yesterday...
I have strong opinions on wago connectors. I think they are the best invention in electronics for a long time. Maybe not the current handling capacity of a block of brass, but as good as a terminal block and much easier to use.
Yeah I just used some while adding 240V outlets in the shop. I used the lever-type, which seem much more robust than the push-in type that they also make.
I enjoyed all 3 videos, I also enjoyed the 40 dollar burn on the switch, since that about covers my budget for making my entire 72" sanding belt rig. I picked up a free walking machine and have extracted the multi speed motor and accompanying hardware. I have also been accumulating metal and bars from weight benches to disassembling old free heavy metal snow blowers. My shop is crammed into all parts of my large 2 stall and deep and wider garage with the same tool acquisition style as the above parts. My 72" belts have been sitting for 2 years probably, I think they were not alibaba but that other one and cheap. I have lots of other various wood and metal projects going all the time so whenever it happens it will be a one heckuva hack job without cad or any precision tools other than a WW2 10" lathe. LOL
I love those connectors. I just had to rewire the motor in a leblond for low voltage last Friday, i used those connectors, worked great, easy, no twisting required. SIDE NOTE: I’ve never seen a power switch on a VFD. Normally they are connected to some kind of disconnect so a power switch would be redundant i guess? Never really thought about.
Awesome! I find with my belt grinder, increasing belt tension quite a significant amount over what you have there really makes a difference. I want to say mine is about 40lb. Also when researching, I saw recommendations to only have a crown on one wheel as the crown is responsible for centering the belt on the wheel. It looks like you have two crowned wheels, and it looks like the peaks of the crowns on your drive and tracking wheels are not aligned so I wonder if they are fighting each other? It's possible the cheaper belts are lighter so more flexibility means this effect is lessened?
Looking at 15:15 we can see that the drive wheel and the tension wheel are both crowned. As for alignment I really can't tell from the video. The important thing is the width of the wheels. They were aligned by the outer edge, so if they are all the same width the crown should be aligned, at least by width. The tracking mechanism of the tension wheel does however make me wonder about axial alignment. Also I can't shake the feeling that the tensioner looks like it is wider than the drive wheel. But this can obviously be perspective and a illusion caused by the drastic difference in diameter of these wheels. But someone who has bought the plans should be able to confirm if the drive and tension wheels are supposed to be the same width or not.
Extremely impressed with your build. The idea of a flat plate design with zero welding is perfect for those of us with out welding equipment or ability. I still have the same question of why no ability to rotate to the horizontal mode of grinding. While many grinding modes can be accomplished in the vertical mode. I always enjoy your builds as you put a lot of effort and thought into how best to make a project.
The vfd would usually have a seperate main power switch on a panel and the controller that turns the vfd on an off would also be a seperate control button so a power switch on the vfd isn't really needed
A catch for all the metal powder would be sweet. Maybe an aluminum one, that has removable magnets on the back side to help catch the ferrous material. Plastic would work too, with a pool of water in it. Would also give you a close place to dip the material you're grinding to cool it.
Just my personal thoughts: They make the VFDs without power switches because they're often operated remotely - and sometimes the VFD is installed in a location where it's meant to never be accessed after being installed and turned on...
You could install a remote start/stop (or Emergency Stop) switch, or a foot pedal of your own at a remote location. It should wire in to terminals on the drive.
I think the issue with the power switch is that if you shut off the grinder while it’s running, it will start running as soon as you turn it back on. To counter this the grinder start/stop shuld be an electronic switch that is default off.
Nice to see that I'm not the only person who thinks "I better spend money to get a good one of these" only to discover the more expensive item has the exact problem you hoped to avoid. I have extraordinarily bad luck with that.
I love this project - you have created an incredible tool once again. Love the fact that you can do it from design to implementation. Wish I had the room in my tiny shop for a full-sized unit like this. However, this has given me ideas for a smaller form-factor that might work for my needs. Guess I better go get your models and start working on it! Thank you again for all your work at helping us all learn.
Considering making my own grinder. Was looking for a video like this series. Thank you. Great build. Great video process. You lost me on the price. Main reason for the DIY is to try to beat costs. Guess this sets the standard. Nice channel. Thank you
The ting whit grinders is that you get dust in the air. It hangs there for a long time. Fortunately, your body is a dust collector. But the rest of the dust ends up on your machines, and the rest of your inventory. Once you get there, you really get value for money. It machines anything that moves, without you having to do anything.
Delighted watching you regularly. Thank you for the clear story and for showing up authentically. The maker's work speaks for itself. What I love particularly is the quality of your narration and connection to your experience.
Interesting place for the grinders to deposit their work on to the drawers of the tool box. even if the drawers are closed. Yes we all struggle with space in our home shops and there are tradeoffs. Perhaps there is a way to direct or help where the dust goes or a rollup curtain. in my shop if I leave the tool chest located a couple of feet to the side of my mill with any drawer open it's a mess inside. Great job on the project, its something you will be proud of forever.
At 1:20; for the issue with the motor fit due to the extra material left by the laser start/finish process; if you can specify where the cut should start and stop could you design in a small notch or female "bump" in the circular hole, such that the extra material would be in that notch and then wouldn't foul the motor?
Ooh. I want one. Unfortunately, I don't have the money or the space. One thing - pretty obvious, I suppose - I would definitely make a tray to catch the grinding dust with an included quenching tray for water or lubricant. A vacuum hose surely would not hurt, either.
From my experience installing a vfd for a cnc mill it's common for vfd not to have a power switch. Setup for my cnc is a Siemens fused 30A 240VAC, 250VDC safety switch or disconnect and a Mitsubishi vfd that are hardwired to 230V single phase AC. Vfd is turned on and off by the Siemens disconnect so having a switch on the vfd would be redundant.
why this doesn't come with a power switch: we don't usually use a VFD as is - its going in a much larger cabinet with bypass relays, timers, power filters, fault detection, lots of designated failure parts to protect the VFD (the most expensive component). The cabinet will have a big line power disconnect in the corner. Also I wouldn't expect end users to go easy on a simple toggle switch, so we give them giant industrial buttons that can take physical abuse from a frustrated guy at the end of a 10 hour shift.
My opinion about wago connectors is that it would be nice if they sold them in local hardware stores. Home Depot and Lowes only seem to have the similar looking push-in connectors that don't work with stranded wire.
Just right. A fine looking and great functioning grinder. I guess you noticed all the grit and dust piling up on your workbench/tool box. I had this problem until I made a vacuum hose connection to collect the dust. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.
When I built my grinder, I did the same thing. Put a belt on it, started it running, and promptly rejiggered everything to take the wobble out of the belt... But it's just random how true any given belt I've used runs.
Not being a machinist but I would put a tray under the grinder to catch all those sparks, your drawer handles will gradually accumulate piles of grit :)
James, we use those types of VFDs in my plant to control conveyor belts and they were all turned on and off via a plc CONTROL UNIT with emergency stops along the way.
I imagine, typical machinery applications for this VFD involve an E-stop circuit that kills power to the vfd and the rest of the machine's moving parts. That power killing E-stop circuit would satisfy the need for a power switch, so they leave out the power switch.
James… as always the design, build, videography, and narration were stellar! Hoping the parts you’re waiting on for the Avid CNC come in soon because I would really like to see how that is going 😊.
Great video. I have a Kalamazoo belt grinder. The Norton Blaze belts wobble. Tiny bit like yours. Klingspor and 3M belts do not wobble. So, I dunno. It doesn't bother me though, the Norton belts cut great and last a long time. Beautiful grinder you made.
I'll say from experience: you'll want some dust capture and also an air quality meter. the grinder looks sweet, but you'll find out pretty quick that your snot is black after only a few minutes using one. wouldn't be surprised if your tests kicked your air quality top to 200ppm.
Before you had figured out it was the belt, I was going to suggest fitting six hydrocoptic marzlevanes, so fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling would be effectively prevented.
Conveyors that are centrally controlled and they don't want power switches on them. I like KB controls, I'd get a tach and adjust the min and max so the range is just where you want it.
Awesome job James. I think you are not giving yourself credit though for that lead screw design and project. I gotta say that had to be more complex than the belt grinder. Love this channel. This one and CaLem are my favorites. Once again awesome job on the grinder.
Hah, I've been researching this as well, and know you're referring to Schmidt's and Vandelay's channels. Both are excellent designs as well and I plan to borrow features from all of them :)
Those Norton blaze belts are awesome. The wobble probably has to do with the way they cut them. If it's a belt cut from the end of the sheet it'll tend to wobble. The grinder looks unreal, very nice work.
I absolutely love wago connectors. The only thing I use wirenuts for anymore are applications requiring higher amperage because I've done testing with both and while this may be anecdotal I've noticed my joins run a few (maybe 5-9c) degrees cooler with wirenuts, but it absolutely doesn't matter until you're above about 25amp. 25amp and lower I have seen almost no difference using a thermocouple to measure. I'd take some thin sheet and make a spark funnel, point it into a bucket of water, it'll keep the contamination down considerably.
Surely if the laser cut is started towards the centre of the waste stock and spiralled out to the edge of the cut you wouldn't have to contend with the extra material. Also, nothing quite like spending up to get a quality belt, just to find it wobbles more than a cheaper belt.
Just as an FYI, we priced the cuts and materials locally, and (switching the aluminum to steel) we can get TWO sets of parts for around $200. That’s got a slight “I know a guy” discount, but it’s far less expensive than ordering online. No that’s not bent, but a vise and a hammer or some imagination and you’re golden. Just tossing out options. Don’t shoot the messenger. 😊
The finished belt grinder looks great and I like what you've done. Building your own tools have a certain satisfaction most will never appreciate. I need a belt grinder for my shop, but I haven't done much research on them because until recently I simply didn't have space. I would be interested in hearing the reasoning on why you decided to design your own belt grinder instead of using something commercially available.
James wonderful, fantastic project, well done. However, I feel you need to do something about collecting all that dust, especially in a confined area, I suffer from the same problem. I'd like to see your solution. Keep up the fantastic work....
you should try 3M TRIZACT belts. 6A, 16A, 32A & 64A and you'll probably never need anything else. The material removal rate is unreal and so is the life.
If the US is anything like the EU, then the reason for not including a powerswitch, is simply that it's very rarely needed when VFD's are used in industrial applications. We have to remember that a VFD's is a piece of kit that hobbists have adopted for their usefullness. They are not originally intended as a consumer/enduser product. In the intended industry setting, VFD's are usually used in large numbers and/or installed in closed electrical cabinets. Imagine an industrial setting where you have to run around open all the electrical cabinets switching each inverter off before servicing an application, or even worse, finding each VFD hidden somewhere on a huge machine. Power to VFD's are normally routed to the inverters via a main cutoff switch, and this is used if you need to power off the application. Therefore a power switch directly mounted on the inverter is typically omitted. It's a matter of not being a usefull feature, and ofc also a cost saving measure to maximize profits.
Looks like the Amazon seller swapped out the motor in the same product listing, invalidating the link in the description. I have updated it. Hopefully this doesn't happen again.
Still links to a single phase motor! I tried posting a link to the same motor you used but it seems YT didn't like that...
If you knew a guy with sheet metal tools and skills, you should make a spark chute that funnels sparks into a bucket or at least away from your tool box drawers. They make a LOT of gritty mess quick fast in a hurry.
I find a little plastic container with some water placed beneath the table does a great job of both catching sparks and provides a handy dunk tank to cool down hot workpieces.
James knows a guy that knows a guy
@@daveash9572 I think Chris was referring to the sparks hitting the handles of the drawers right underneath the grinder - I can’t imagine James not being bothered by this so I am looking forward to seeing how James addresses it 😊
Yeah he has them. Guess he just doesn't want to call that part 4 😉
I was also going to suggest a shallow pan under the front end of the belt grinder, not only to contain the grit & removed metal, but also to keep from the hot sparks burning the surface of his nice white table - it won’t set fire to it, but James will eventually have a burned pitted area right under the table.
Just a tip from a long time knife maker. Don't leave your belts under tension for long periods of time. They will stretch.
VFD without crazy programming interface with a ton of parameters, nice.
More error possibilities due to corrosion of jumpers especially the internal potentiometers but is ok, is sealed.
James, one tip; buy a proper crimping tool for your ferrules and spade connectors. The simple sheet metal one that you're using doesn't make a secure connection. You can tug the wire out quite easily. I started with the same cheapo tool and had connections fail on me because of the poor crimping action. Tyco, Wago, Weidmuller al make good ones. Thank you for sharing this nice build. All the best, Job
Yes the decent hand tools are ratchet ones so that a reliable minimum force and deformation of the terminal is achieved. Of course, the terminal needs to be matched to the tool to achieve this.
I just watched this playlist for the second time because it is so enjoyable. James, you make very entertaining videos and hell of a nice tools.
James, you did an absolute stellar job with your design and execution, Bravo!
regarding wago connectors: i have many years experience with them, one of my early experiences was with locomotive traction engines. the systems we worked on were on the prime mover or train engine if you prefer. we tried or at least examined every other method for making electrical connections available. wago connectors were the only ones we found that didnt loosen over time and didnt cut into the conductors of stranded wire. i have used many different types of wago connectors and i am very partial to their din rail mount products. I have used wago in trians, cars, buildings, power plants, bridges and industrial facilities, they just work. I have spoken to wago engineers directly more than once and dealt with the factory directly. the company i worked for even went so far as to become a dealer for some products (mostly to cut costs) and i have never had a negative experience. even the chinese copies are not too bad.
Wagos seem to beat wire nuts on everything but cost, demonstrated repeatedly on many channels, yet you will find old people talk about how superior wire nuts are in comments sections. Weirdest thing to watch.
@@JeronimoStilton14 wagos are best on stranded wire, no question. wire nuts are superior to most other things on solid core wire but they are easier to get wrong. things have a purpose.
@@nilzlima3027 What have you seen showing that wire nuts are better for solid core? Pull strength, and cycle tests showed wago as a winner for both types from what I recall with the only real thing a wire nut ever wins on being cost. All things created equal bootlace is what’s commonly used in the controls industry. I’m genuinely curious because wire nuts usually only get a ton of anecdotal “well they’ve been used for hundreds of years” and while that may be true wagos are an advancement on a concept so it’s not necessarily going to have the time under fire but it doesn’t need to. I would agree they’re easy to mess up, frankly it’s why when building my first controls project it was with wagos, I just wanted it to work and not have to deal with fiddley nuts
@@JeronimoStilton14 i spent years building controls and stranded wire is so much preferred. where wire nuts shine is on solid core wire. they will provide greater conductivity and mechanical strength. i have never seen a spring tension terminal of any type that has superior retention to a wire nut on stranded wire. some of them a bit of pull and twist the wire comes right out. as i have stated wire nuts are the easiest to get wrong, proper twist is required. i have had seasoned professionals tell me i "over tighten" nuts. they may have a point, i have had many failures where the spring expands and cracks. those are cheap shitty nuts tho. you get what you pay for. 3m makes the best wire nuts, they also make the worst.
That's not belt wobble. That's an "oscillating belt grinder." Great work.
The first belt has the optional oscillating belt sander feature so of course it costs more.
Nice design and well executed. Certainly a good example of how to leverage modern services that can laser cut, bend, and powder coat low volume parts. Really enables home gamers to do a lot without needing exotic equipment.
Join me in the Wago appreciation society! The only thing I would maybe do is wrap a bit of electrical tape around the flaps of the Wago so they don't vibrate loose (even though there's quite a bit of spring tension in there).
I love it when a plan comes together ❣️
As a knifemaker I very much appreciate a well built 2x72. I don't know if you want to fiddle around with it, but if you do, Michael Walker (knifemaking hall of fame and high end machinist like yourself) swapped his gas spring for a very small pneumatic cylinder with a low pressure regulator hooked on it. Apparently it provides constant tension even when the belt stretches and contrasts the bouncing that often happen with some belts when you are removing lots of material. Again, love the grinder and the aesthetics of it as well!!
I just ordered my first set of parts from SendCutSend. I'm building a go kart for my nine year old grandtwins and I needed tabs to mount the front and rear suspension, seat belts, visibility flag, and rack and pinion steering box. I could have cut these out myself on my CNC mill but I can have them here in one percent of the time it would take me. Thank you for the idea.
I feel the same way. I could totally make the parts myself, but I want to build a grinder, not play with my plasma table.
Add a dust catcher below the table to collect the dust and protect your tool box
My first thought when you saw belt wobble was the belt. You could see it when you first ran it by hand and the motor just accentuated it. That aside, that is a nice belt sander and very quiet. Well done!!
Amazing grinder, looks fantastic, well done.
Re the Wago connectors, my good friend who’s an electrician here in the U.K. said that almost all his call outs to electrical faults these days are caused by this style of connector. Then rely on spring pressure and only touch a small area of the conductor either side. This on a heavy load causes big temperature rise as the resistance is higher. You’re far better to use crimp or screw down connectors than push fit spring connectors, especially for higher load applications like this motor.
Here in the US, a huge number of electrician call-outs to residential homes is because when the homes were built, the contractors installed electrical outlets that have the option of having the wires pushed in from the back. They gradually build up resistance over time, and when I remodeled our home, found several that had melted wires running to those connections. Regarding Wago connectors, I've used two types, push-in, and the lever time. The latter seems much more robust and reliable.
About 14:30 or so... I'm staring at the screen and seeing that wire stripper brings memories back. I guess it was 1980 that I found a wire stripper that looked almost exactly the same as the Knipex used here. It had the same depth stop. The wire cutter on the back was there, and it worked beautifully, and I found it on the street! Some electrician was probably swearing up a storm digging through his tool boxes trying to find it.
These were definitely not common back then. In fact this was the first time I saw one, or even heard of them. Now I'd like to say I'm still using it, but in truth I just kept "snapping" it over and over like some kind of fidget toy, and it lasted less than a week before snapping the cutting blade. Looking back that was probably a wear part that could be replaced, but at the time I didn't even consider that possibility and it went into the bin.
What I find incredible is that these wire strippers have changed so little in over 40 years. If you put the one I found beside this Knipex most leople wouldn't be able to tell which one was a 40 years old design and which was made yesterday...
If it works...
I have strong opinions on wago connectors. I think they are the best invention in electronics for a long time. Maybe not the current handling capacity of a block of brass, but as good as a terminal block and much easier to use.
Yeah I just used some while adding 240V outlets in the shop. I used the lever-type, which seem much more robust than the push-in type that they also make.
Nice series. Looking forward to part 4: catching sparks and keeping the rest of the workshop clean.
Wago are perfect, thats it just like a knipex plier. Many live in my house walls
I enjoyed all 3 videos, I also enjoyed the 40 dollar burn on the switch, since that about covers my budget for making my entire 72" sanding belt rig. I picked up a free walking machine and have extracted the multi speed motor and accompanying hardware. I have also been accumulating metal and bars from weight benches to disassembling old free heavy metal snow blowers. My shop is crammed into all parts of my large 2 stall and deep and wider garage with the same tool acquisition style as the above parts. My 72" belts have been sitting for 2 years probably, I think they were not alibaba but that other one and cheap. I have lots of other various wood and metal projects going all the time so whenever it happens it will be a one heckuva hack job without cad or any precision tools other than a WW2 10" lathe. LOL
I love those connectors. I just had to rewire the motor in a leblond for low voltage last Friday, i used those connectors, worked great, easy, no twisting required. SIDE NOTE: I’ve never seen a power switch on a VFD. Normally they are connected to some kind of disconnect so a power switch would be redundant i guess? Never really thought about.
I have VERY strong opinions about Wago connectors!
(I love Wago connectors)
Wago 221 are perfect for that application, miles better than block connectors , use them all the time
Awesome! I find with my belt grinder, increasing belt tension quite a significant amount over what you have there really makes a difference. I want to say mine is about 40lb. Also when researching, I saw recommendations to only have a crown on one wheel as the crown is responsible for centering the belt on the wheel. It looks like you have two crowned wheels, and it looks like the peaks of the crowns on your drive and tracking wheels are not aligned so I wonder if they are fighting each other? It's possible the cheaper belts are lighter so more flexibility means this effect is lessened?
Looking at 15:15 we can see that the drive wheel and the tension wheel are both crowned. As for alignment I really can't tell from the video. The important thing is the width of the wheels. They were aligned by the outer edge, so if they are all the same width the crown should be aligned, at least by width. The tracking mechanism of the tension wheel does however make me wonder about axial alignment.
Also I can't shake the feeling that the tensioner looks like it is wider than the drive wheel. But this can obviously be perspective and a illusion caused by the drastic difference in diameter of these wheels. But someone who has bought the plans should be able to confirm if the drive and tension wheels are supposed to be the same width or not.
@@blahorgaslisk7763 yes the tensioner definitely looks much wider to me!
Extremely impressed with your build. The idea of a flat plate design with zero welding is perfect for those of us with out welding equipment or ability. I still have the same question of why no ability to rotate to the horizontal mode of grinding. While many grinding modes can be accomplished in the vertical mode. I always enjoy your builds as you put a lot of effort and thought into how best to make a project.
It must be very satisfying to use such a nice machine that you've designed and built yourself! Well done!!!
The vfd would usually have a seperate main power switch on a panel and the controller that turns the vfd on an off would also be a seperate control button so a power switch on the vfd isn't really needed
I was killed once by a Wago connector.
.
I got better though.
A catch for all the metal powder would be sweet. Maybe an aluminum one, that has removable magnets on the back side to help catch the ferrous material. Plastic would work too, with a pool of water in it. Would also give you a close place to dip the material you're grinding to cool it.
You are incredible! Thanks for sharing all of the details from the design work to the final build. It is a fine machine.
Just my personal thoughts: They make the VFDs without power switches because they're often operated remotely - and sometimes the VFD is installed in a location where it's meant to never be accessed after being installed and turned on...
You could install a remote start/stop (or Emergency Stop) switch, or a foot pedal of your own at a remote location. It should wire in to terminals on the drive.
I think the issue with the power switch is that if you shut off the grinder while it’s running, it will start running as soon as you turn it back on. To counter this the grinder start/stop shuld be an electronic switch that is default off.
Nice to see that I'm not the only person who thinks "I better spend money to get a good one of these" only to discover the more expensive item has the exact problem you hoped to avoid. I have extraordinarily bad luck with that.
I love this project - you have created an incredible tool once again. Love the fact that you can do it from design to implementation. Wish I had the room in my tiny shop for a full-sized unit like this. However, this has given me ideas for a smaller form-factor that might work for my needs. Guess I better go get your models and start working on it! Thank you again for all your work at helping us all learn.
Considering making my own grinder. Was looking for a video like this series.
Thank you. Great build. Great video process.
You lost me on the price. Main reason for the DIY is to try to beat costs. Guess this sets the standard.
Nice channel. Thank you
Станок получился авторский очень красивый и качественный! Столько трудов, но оно того стоит! Спасибо за три серии! Гриндер супер!!! Удачи!
The ting whit grinders is that you get dust in the air. It hangs there for a long time. Fortunately, your body is a dust collector.
But the rest of the dust ends up on your machines, and the rest of your inventory.
Once you get there, you really get value for money.
It machines anything that moves, without you having to do anything.
Awesome job James.
Beautiful machine!
Catch those sparks.
Delighted watching you regularly. Thank you for the clear story and for showing up authentically. The maker's work speaks for itself. What I love particularly is the quality of your narration and connection to your experience.
It sure is pretty. I'm glad your channel is doing well to lay out that much money.
I LOVE WAGO connectors. 32Amp! Just started using them where I wouldn't in more permanent locations.
Interesting place for the grinders to deposit their work on to the drawers of the tool box. even if the drawers are closed. Yes we all struggle with space in our home shops and there are tradeoffs. Perhaps there is a way to direct or help where the dust goes or a rollup curtain. in my shop if I leave the tool chest located a couple of feet to the side of my mill with any drawer open it's a mess inside. Great job on the project, its something you will be proud of forever.
Quality design and end product.
Love the project and echo the sentiment, nothing like seeing a plan come together!!
Looks fabulous, I love it! Great job, thanks for sharing this build.
At 1:20; for the issue with the motor fit due to the extra material left by the laser start/finish process; if you can specify where the cut should start and stop could you design in a small notch or female "bump" in the circular hole, such that the extra material would be in that notch and then wouldn't foul the motor?
This is a high end piece of machine
Ooh. I want one. Unfortunately, I don't have the money or the space.
One thing - pretty obvious, I suppose - I would definitely make a tray to catch the grinding dust with an included quenching tray for water or lubricant. A vacuum hose surely would not hurt, either.
From my experience installing a vfd for a cnc mill it's common for vfd not to have a power switch. Setup for my cnc is a Siemens fused 30A 240VAC, 250VDC safety switch or disconnect and a Mitsubishi vfd that are hardwired to 230V single phase AC. Vfd is turned on and off by the Siemens disconnect so having a switch on the vfd would be redundant.
It looks and works as good as I sure it feels. Such nice work!
why this doesn't come with a power switch: we don't usually use a VFD as is - its going in a much larger cabinet with bypass relays, timers, power filters, fault detection, lots of designated failure parts to protect the VFD (the most expensive component). The cabinet will have a big line power disconnect in the corner.
Also I wouldn't expect end users to go easy on a simple toggle switch, so we give them giant industrial buttons that can take physical abuse from a frustrated guy at the end of a 10 hour shift.
Great build. Really like the look of it with the black/red contrast.
THAT is a really nice belt grinder. Kudos dude!
My opinion about wago connectors is that it would be nice if they sold them in local hardware stores. Home Depot and Lowes only seem to have the similar looking push-in connectors that don't work with stranded wire.
Game changer - can’t wait to see what accessories you design and build. 👍😎👍
Another great project complete. Thanks James.
I strongly feel that wagos are awesome!
Clough42 belt grinder in Agent 47 colors.... i like it!
Just right. A fine looking and great functioning grinder. I guess you noticed all the grit and dust piling up on your workbench/tool box. I had this problem until I made a vacuum hose connection to collect the dust. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.
Kudos for the design
When I built my grinder, I did the same thing. Put a belt on it, started it running, and promptly rejiggered everything to take the wobble out of the belt... But it's just random how true any given belt I've used runs.
dude, so crazy you designed and made something as amazing as that grinder. glad you shared the journey with us
Not being a machinist but I would put a tray under the grinder to catch all those sparks, your drawer handles will gradually accumulate piles of grit :)
James, we use those types of VFDs in my plant to control conveyor belts and they were all turned on and off via a plc CONTROL UNIT with emergency stops along the way.
I imagine, typical machinery applications for this VFD involve an E-stop circuit that kills power to the vfd and the rest of the machine's moving parts. That power killing E-stop circuit would satisfy the need for a power switch, so they leave out the power switch.
Great unit, I would however have some dust extraction duct below the sparks to take away the dust and keep the surrounding area clean.
James… as always the design, build, videography, and narration were stellar! Hoping the parts you’re waiting on for the Avid CNC come in soon because I would really like to see how that is going 😊.
Great video. I have a Kalamazoo belt grinder. The Norton Blaze belts wobble. Tiny bit like yours. Klingspor and 3M belts do not wobble. So, I dunno. It doesn't bother me though, the Norton belts cut great and last a long time.
Beautiful grinder you made.
Congrats on a beautiful project. Thanks for sharing the progress with us.
Nice job! As a future upgrade, you should consider a tilting table so that you can grind relief angles for lathe tools, etc. You are an inspiration!!
I plan to tilt the idler plate and platen.
I'll say from experience: you'll want some dust capture and also an air quality meter. the grinder looks sweet, but you'll find out pretty quick that your snot is black after only a few minutes using one. wouldn't be surprised if your tests kicked your air quality top to 200ppm.
You have a perfect unit design and shape perfect
Looks great, I have been wanting to make one of these for many years, I will probably use these videos as a baseline 👍
Congrats and good work. That satisfaction you describe totally makes sense... well earned!
Before you had figured out it was the belt, I was going to suggest fitting six hydrocoptic marzlevanes, so fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling would be effectively prevented.
Conveyors that are centrally controlled and they don't want power switches on them. I like KB controls, I'd get a tach and adjust the min and max so the range is just where you want it.
Awesome job James. I think you are not giving yourself credit though for that lead screw design and project. I gotta say that had to be more complex than the belt grinder.
Love this channel. This one and CaLem are my favorites.
Once again awesome job on the grinder.
Nice job James. Good that you discovered Red Label Abrasives. Their belts and service are top notch, and made in the USA!
Great finish, now to clean the dust out of the tool box.
Very nice James.😊😊😊 runs great.
Great build,seen a lot of videos on 2x72s got to be top 3! Turned out great! Thanks!
Hah, I've been researching this as well, and know you're referring to Schmidt's and Vandelay's channels. Both are excellent designs as well and I plan to borrow features from all of them :)
@@kurtbilinski1723 I think @housemade kits are the best bang for the buck.
Those Norton blaze belts are awesome. The wobble probably has to do with the way they cut them. If it's a belt cut from the end of the sheet it'll tend to wobble. The grinder looks unreal, very nice work.
I absolutely love wago connectors.
The only thing I use wirenuts for anymore are applications requiring higher amperage because I've done testing with both and while this may be anecdotal I've noticed my joins run a few (maybe 5-9c) degrees cooler with wirenuts, but it absolutely doesn't matter until you're above about 25amp.
25amp and lower I have seen almost no difference using a thermocouple to measure.
I'd take some thin sheet and make a spark funnel, point it into a bucket of water, it'll keep the contamination down considerably.
Very nice design. I'm impressed. Thanks for doing this.
@@SHRIKEPRECISION Is your name James?
6:50 "Ratcheting Wrenches" are soooo much better to use when you have the clearance...the're kind of pricey, but worth it IMHO.
Awesome build James, Looks like an art object..Your the time, effort and detail sure payed off. Great series 👍👍
Thanks James for this great video series. I use 3M Cubitron belts which are much better than some of the cheaper belts sold here in Australia.
The wobble could be the stitch on the belt.
Nice job great tool. 👍
Surely if the laser cut is started towards the centre of the waste stock and spiralled out to the edge of the cut you wouldn't have to contend with the extra material.
Also, nothing quite like spending up to get a quality belt, just to find it wobbles more than a cheaper belt.
I think they do, but there's still an imperfection.
Just as an FYI, we priced the cuts and materials locally, and (switching the aluminum to steel) we can get TWO sets of parts for around $200. That’s got a slight “I know a guy” discount, but it’s far less expensive than ordering online. No that’s not bent, but a vise and a hammer or some imagination and you’re golden. Just tossing out options. Don’t shoot the messenger. 😊
That's an awesome price. I would struggle to get the raw material for that price.
Your coming up short when you went to grind that part - without a belt grinder - has a distinct Quinn vibe.
The finished belt grinder looks great and I like what you've done. Building your own tools have a certain satisfaction most will never appreciate.
I need a belt grinder for my shop, but I haven't done much research on them because until recently I simply didn't have space. I would be interested in hearing the reasoning on why you decided to design your own belt grinder instead of using something commercially available.
James wonderful, fantastic project, well done. However, I feel you need to do something about collecting all that dust, especially in a confined area, I suffer from the same problem. I'd like to see your solution. Keep up the fantastic work....
Looks great, runs great, works very good. Your a winner.
you should try 3M TRIZACT belts. 6A, 16A, 32A & 64A and you'll probably never need anything else. The material removal rate is unreal and so is the life.
If the US is anything like the EU, then the reason for not including a powerswitch, is simply that it's very rarely needed when VFD's are used in industrial applications.
We have to remember that a VFD's is a piece of kit that hobbists have adopted for their usefullness. They are not originally intended as a consumer/enduser product.
In the intended industry setting, VFD's are usually used in large numbers and/or installed in closed electrical cabinets.
Imagine an industrial setting where you have to run around open all the electrical cabinets switching each inverter off before servicing an application, or even worse, finding each VFD hidden somewhere on a huge machine.
Power to VFD's are normally routed to the inverters via a main cutoff switch, and this is used if you need to power off the application.
Therefore a power switch directly mounted on the inverter is typically omitted.
It's a matter of not being a usefull feature, and ofc also a cost saving measure to maximize profits.