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#1 ·
From belt and disc sander to tool shapener

Belt tool sharpener and honer DIY I
From belt and disc sander to tool shapener

In this blog series, I will take you through my modification of a inexpensive belt sander (grinder) / disc sander.
I will make it into a sharpening station, mainly for knifes, axes, draw knifes, hook knifes and spoon knifes.
The reason for me building this one, is manly my interest in different curved blades, since these are hard and time consuming, to sharpen well with traditional methods or on my water grinder, so it was time for another option in the shop. Also I have started blacksmithing and here I needed a method of making finish and the last grinding on the curved blades I make, especially on my spoon knifes.
So no more talking, let's get to it.


This is what we will end up with, a little sharpening station, where tools can be re grinded, sharpened quickly or simply honed I a second, on the stropping wheel, to give the razor sharp edge we are looking for on knifes or carving tools.


Everything just where I need it, this is where the blog ends.


View on YouTube
This is the final stropping, with a leather belt and compound.
It works like a dream!
Just sharpened a bunch of knifes, two spoon knifes, four draw knifes and three axes in app 45 minutes, all of them are razor sharp and polished to mirror shine. (In my book that's really fast).
I went 600 - 1000 - 2000 - honing strop or wheel.
So I can highly recommend building a machine like this. ;-)


It all started with a belt sander / grinder / disc sander from Ebay, I paied only 80 GBP / 100 USD for it, including shipping for Denmark, that's more than fair in my book, considering it can be used in many ways.
It's a 300w motor, this should be plenty for light grinding and sanding and more than enough for honing.
It runs 2950rpm, this would be lovely to be able to adjust, mostly for heat and for the honing, but it works just fine for both.
Most important is to find a machine with a sturdy frame and that that seems fair in quality, after all it's all made in China and often at the same place. ;-)


First step was to get rid of all the stuff, that I will not need.
(Some of it is safety stuff and that's of course a calculated choice).
This picture was actually after I was all done.


Next step will make sense later, but I just glued together two pieces of MDF board.
They are app. 1 cm larger than the width of the disc on the side of the sander.


Plenty of glue!


I also drew a circle and divided it in four, so I could put in some screws, and have balance in the disc later.
The clamp it up to dry and drink a beer or two while waiting, prefarably with some good friends. ;-)
Then your vision will become a wee blured…


Since I did screw it up, I did not have to wait for the glue to dry, so it can be cut to roughly shape on the bandsaw right ahead.
Still a wee blured…


Now marking up on the disc.


Drilling four holes for screws.


Then adding double sided scotch.


Cut to shape and peal of backing.


I decided for larger bolts, just to be sure, so I drilled out the holes.


Bolts.


Mounted the wide disc.


With a rasp, then a file and finally sandpaper, the disc was trued up, so it will not wobble.


Also square up and make sure the top is flat.


Just for eye pleasure, the side was spray painted black.


Like this it looks more as if it was always like that.
Or at least it makes ME happy. :)


To use the sander as a sharpener, we first need to make it lay down instead of stand up.
This is due to the fact that you can't really hold the knife or tool really well in the upright position.
At the same time it is good for different grinding jobs, to have it vertical, so we need to be able to do both.
So two pieces of wood, will become a new stand, that can be used in both directions.
I just sized it up by eye.


Glue and screws will hold it together.


After that some angles for strength a hole for the band tightening screw and rounding the corners.
Also cut out for the wheel, just for my own pleasure - to please my eye again.


Holes and bolts for holding the machine to the base.


Self locking nuts and a washer on top.
The rubber feet will help to avoid vibration.
(The circle is to remind me of the wheel turning direction).


Fine space to reach the belt adjuster screw.
Bolt head just on the right was to secure the machine to the bases other side.


Like this, so it will be completely sturdy.


Added a pair of plywood strips, to make a belt holder.


And rare earth magnets to hold the hex keys needed for the machine.


Upright position.


Horisontal position - sharpening position.


And from the other side.


Notice I painted an arrow on the wheel also.


Finally with the cover and my vac mod on the side.
(Will show later).

Time to stop for today, next part will be about making the stopping wheel and more.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even a belt sharpener and honer.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
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#9 ·
Hi there,
Thanks for the comments, they always warm my heart. <3>s why I made the stand the way I did, so it can be stored easy and brought to different parts of the shop when needed.
Don W, yes but yours are bigger… ;-D Ha ha ha. Thanks buddy.stefang, you makes me laugh again Mike. ;-D
lew, Thanks. I think it will be most for sharpening and stropping, but I love that I have a new sanding possibility like this for small knife handles and so on, I have a feeling it will be one of those tools, that will be used more that I expected.
Thank you all.
Best thoughts,
Mads
 
#11 ·
It works like a dream!
Just sharpened a bunch of knifes, two spoon knifes, four draw knifes and three axes in app 45 minutes, all of them are razor sharp and polished to mirror shine. (In my book that's really fast).
I went 600 - 1000 - 2000 - honing strop or wheel.
So I can highly recommend building a machine like this. ;-)

View on YouTube
This is the final stropping, with a leather belt and compound.
 
#15 ·
Making the honing wheel and other modifications

Belt tool sharpener and honer DIY II
Making the honing wheel and other modifications

This is part two of the modification of a inexpensive belt sander (grinder) / disc sander, making it into a sharpening station, mainly for knives, axes, draw knives, hook knives and spoon knives.
(Look at part one, for more understanding and how it started).

Just to clear things up, I did not invent this idea, I saw the idea app. ten years ago, on my first blacksmith class, the teacher 'Jørgen' had clamped a sander like this (but without the disc), to the table so it functioned as a sharpener and that was how I sharpened, the first hooked knife I ever forged my self. Also before making one my self I searched the web and found several types and versions, even a guy who had made a cardboard honing / stropping wheel for his belt sharpener. So this is just my version of a belt sharpener and the only thing I did, that I have not seen before, is to make a strap with a leather belt on the disc (what you will see in this blog) and a few other little ideas, like a tool holder, a band holder and a wedge for easy and gentle removing of the bands. ;-)
Well, let's get started!

I'll put some links at the end, for some of the videos I watched before building mine.


So this was where we ended first part, the machine stripped for what we don't need, mounted on the new flip over stand, so it can be used laying down for sharpening and the new stropping wheel made and trued up, replacing the disc sander on the side.
(Actually one can use the side of the stropping wheel to mount a sanding disc, I just happen to have a large disc sander, so I hav no need for it. If you don't, then you can mount velcro on the new disc and then put sanding pads on it if you want).


First I cut a strap of leather, that matched the with of the disc / wheel I made and a wee longer app 5 cm / 2 inches.
(You can buy a leather belt if you don't have a cow in your workshop - I happen to use a lot of leather, so I usually buy a cow hide front part, hard pressed raw hide, I think it's called).


The blank side goes in and rough out.
Marking the direction, since I want the over lap to merge together and the overlapping 'flap' to be in the direction of the arrow, other wise it might end up opening and the belt will be destroyed.
Marking the ends, where I want to thin the leather and also where the overlap will be.


Honing a chisel on a strap. ;-)
We want razor sharp tools, especially when thinning leather.


Now carefully and in many passes, thinning the leather.
(Be patient, mistakes happens really fast here, I know this from my knife sheath making).


I used a C clamp to hold the leather to the table, in this way it was more easy, to use both hands, to control the chisel.
I hope it's the camera, I don't recall a beer break, but I can see it's unsharp…


Here the other side.
Now sharp again…


Then I sanded the blank side of the leather a wee bit, just to make a good gluing surface.
(Dont go deep, just make sand the blankness of).


To make the wedge overlap even thinner, I used a scrap piece of plywood, as a backing plate, while sanding it, guess this could also have been done from the beginning.


It works surprisingly well and gives a lot of control.


Finally time for some glue, contact cement I think you call it over there, the type where you need to apply glue on both surfaces and wait ten minutes before putting them together.
Here on the belt.


Then on the wheel.


Time to wait, lunch time perhaps…


The belt is then attached to the disc and carefully aligned up, since this type of glue can't be undone or the belt moved, once they are put together.
(I put a finger on each side as I turned the wheel and carefully pushed it down as I went on, to make sure it was tight to the wheel and centered - I could have used an extra hand, to hold the belt as I went on, but was alone and it went just fine.).


This is how you want the overlap to be, like this the belt will be pushed down, when you go over the 'bump' and will not be pushed up, if it becomes a wee loose.


A piece of plywood was attached to the machine and used as a steady rest, to true up the belt and yes that was needed, with 2950rpm it needs to be dead flat or the tool will just hit the bumps and not be honed.
(You can even put a C clamp on the chisel, if you don't have a steady hand, to get it dead flat, I managed by hand).


Finally I roughed it up a little with some 40 grit sandpaper.
Ohhh yes and use a shop vac, when you work on the leather, it took me more than an hour to clean the shop after, the leather dust is kind of alive and sticks to every thing, even my clothes needed to be washed after.


Finally honing a knife after applying some honing paste, here I used the Veritas green.
And yes, it works really well, just a few seconds on the strop, with a sharpened, but no longer really sharp knife and it became razor sharp. Just this feature will be worth the build, it will be wonderful for my carving tools, pocket knifes, spoon knifes and so on.
Yabadabadoo!
(You can also see here, why you want the machine to lay down, since in this position, you have less control and the wheel are running towards you, we want it away from us, when we are honing, it gives much better control).

IMPORTANT!!!
You ALWAYS hold the sharp edge of the blade, in the same direction, as the belt turning direction (sharp edge pointing in same direction as the arrow on the machine), other wise you will cut into the strap and it will be useless, also you might get seriously hurt, when the knife fly through the room, shot off at 3950rpm!
This is why I have painted the direction on the wheel and on the machine, to never make that fatal mistake.


Wheel finally done.
Let's move on.


Machine flipped over into sharpening position.
We don't need the little table for sharpening, so I gave it a hex bolt for quick removal.


As you might have noticed, the dust extraction hole on the cover, was in a 'stupid' place, so I decided to extend it, instead of making a hole in the stand, as I first intended.
This because I don't intend, to use it a lot with the side on, since it is faster to change bands and I mainly intend to use it for sharpening and then only will put the cover on when I do grinding.
Time will tell, perhaps I'll make a new side panel, that can take a bigger dimension of hose and can be taken of with a click…


Cut the extraction port to 45°, then cut of the end of a old vacuum cleaner handle and made this extender, that was glued in place with black silicone.
Still not sure, if I should just have made a hole in side of the stand instead, but it's fine and it works.


Also used the silicone on the inside.
(Removed the grid that was there before).


To make the side panel come off relatively easy, I made these 'quick' finger screws, so no tools will be needed and made a cut into the holes, so one don't need to screw the screws all the way out, but just loosen them.


Finally some of the sanding bands arrived with the post!
But right now the kids are calling here, they want movie and candy and me there, so I will stop for now and wish you all a wonderful evening.

Links as promised:

How to sharpen with a 1×30 belt grinder:


With a jig also (I might make one of those, and adjustable version, they can also be bought):


Here a link to I guy, who even replaced motors and made them into low speed versions, so the possibilities are endless.
https://sharpeningmadeeasy.com/field.htm

Another one who have a line up of types, that I just found now, think he was the same guy, who made the honing cardboard wheel:


Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even a belt sharpener and honer.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#26 ·
How it's used, belts and more...

Belt tool sharpener and honer DIY III
How it's used, belts and more…

This is part three of the modification of a inexpensive belt sander (grinder) / disc sander, making it into a sharpening station, mainly for knives, axes, draw knives, hook knives and spoon knives.
(Start from part one, for more understanding and how it started).


This was where we ended last time, with the machine ready for it's new use.
Also the fist bunch of sanding / grinding belts had arrived.


But first we flip the machine, like this you can hold the blade away from you and the belt will also move away.
This is what we want for the fine grit sharpening.
(The band on the machine is 40 grit and not for sharpening, actually for wood).


Sharpening can also be done with the table on the belt sander.


Stropping is also fine to one side, with the sander table on, but will be out of control to the right, that's why we want the table away, when we use the machine for sharpening.


Here you see, how there is plenty of room now, for the hand.


The size of the stropping wheel, must be so big, that a long knife can pass the belt housing as you see here.
Yet not so big, that it conflicts when using it as a grinder with the table on.
I could have made it a wee bigger, but it works perfectly well.


Finally the rest of the belts arrived, these are the super fine grits and I also ordered a leather strop to mount on the belt sander.


Made a small wedge…


This loosens the belt wheel more, so the belts come off more easy.
It's still tight even the screw is fully loosened on this machine.


Finally time to sharpen, here with a 800 grit band and a pocket knife, just for a few seconds.


Also mounted a cheap IKEA lamp on it so I have good light, where ever I take it.
(Stripped the two cables together).


Then stropping again for few seconds.


Voila!!! Razor sharp in seconds, this will become a favorite, no doubt.


Shine baby, shine!


Tried with the 2000 grit, not a lot of difference, but I will try and look with a USB microscope at one point.


Finally the power strap.
This one is brilliant for curved tools, like spoon knives and crooked knives, since it can follow the curves as you move over it.
I did a sharpening on a never sharpened spoon knife, I have forged and it became razor sharp.
Went 320 - 400 - 800 - 1500 and then the strop.
For daily use, the strop will be plenty and once in a while 1500 touch up.

IMPORTANT!!!
You ALWAYS hold the sharp edge of the blade, in the same direction, as the belt turning direction (sharp edge pointing in same direction as the arrow on the machine), other wise you will cut into the strap and it will be useless, also you might get seriously hurt, when the knife fly through the room, shot off at 3950rpm!
This is why I have painted the direction on the wheel and on the machine, to never make that fatal mistake.


Grinding: 40 - 60 - 80 - 100 - 180 - 320
Sharpening: 400 - 600 - 800 - 1000 - 1200
Honing: 1500 - 2000
Stropping: strap belt with different types of compound - green, Gold, white…
That should keep me covered, as I figure out the types I need and prefer.

I'm forging my blades to shape, I have no plans on ALL grinding, so I only plan to use try this machine, for truing up and getting that mirror on the cutting edge, besides the main function as a quick honer. If you plan on real knife grinding from bar steel to knife, you should go for a real 2×72" machine with a 2hp motor and preferable speed control also. If I get a bigger shop, I will love to have one of these, but for now my large disc sander and an old belt grinder, combined with files are what I have used for that part and it has worked just fine, except the belts die too fast on the normal belt grinder, by wear or the belts open, due to heat, since they are so short.

I will make a follow up blog at some point, after having used it for a while, where I will share my thoughts and if I make upgrades or adding jigs.

Advice and ideas is more than welcome, if any of you have used these small 1×30", 2950rpm belts.

UPDATE:


View on YouTube
This is the final stropping, with a leather belt and compound.
It works like a dream!
Just sharpened a bunch of knifes, two spoon knifes, four draw knifes and three axes in app 45 minutes, all of them are razor sharp and polished to mirror shine. (In my book that's really fast).
I went 600 - 1000 - 2000 - honing strop or wheel.
So I can highly recommend building a machine like this. ;-)

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even a belt sharpener and honer._

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#27 ·
This is quite the sharpening station, Mads!

Your mention of being able to sharpen even large knives points out a flaw in my Tormek water sander.

Thanks for taking us along on another educational and informative journey!
 
#30 ·
Grinding / sanding belt organizer

Belt tool sharpener and honer DIY IV
Grinding / sanding belt organizer

Ok, some of you know I have a thing about tools, well not just tools, but more tools in place…
Ok, I admit it, I'm a orderholic and I'm proud of it!
Yes, I like tools, but I hate when I can't find what I need - or more exactly I love to work in a flow and not spend my time searching for tools or screws or what ever.
The only way to live with that is to make order in your stuff, especially as you gather more and more tools and accessories.



So I was almost screaming, when I was lost in the belts for the sharpening machine, could not find ot witch one I had used or what size I needed and I suddenly had a spaghetti of bands all over the table.


Time to make some organization.
We need board a little wider than the length of the sanding band and dowel.


Two bands next to each other then making a mark on the dowel.


Set the stop on the table saw, listen to good music and cut, cut, cut, cut… thirty times.


Now put whiskey in a glass, just two fingers, then round, round, round, taste, round…
Rounding on end and a light touch on the other end.


A jig to hold the dowel straight, just drilled a hole in scrap wood.
If you only had that two finger whiskey, continue.


Drill, drill, drill, listen to your favorite music, drill, drill…


At one end of the board, I marked up 2cm from the edge and side, then 3cm between marks.
A big smile on my lips and drill, drill, drill…


I'll spare you now, just put screws through the holes and screw the dowels on to the board.


Dowels on a board!


Ahhhhhhhh!
Yes, then a dowel at the end of the other end of the band, a wee loose, so there are extra room.
(Try with different bands and stacked bands also).
Then mark where you want the dowel center.


And the it starts all over again… marking, whiskey, drilling, music, screwing…
Ok, I think you got it.


I put some masking tape to write on, like this it's easy to rearange.
Then slipped the bands over the rods.


Like this it is easy to see what band and what grit.


The reason there are two layers, are that the new ones are under and the one in use on top.
Note I also write with big letters the grit and mark the direction with an arrow.


Now all I need is to find a place for the machine and the band board.
Thank you for being patient with my bad humor…
It was a wonderful whiskey, a gift from my dear love, the music was Lisa Ekdahl, when did you leave heaven (by: Richard A. Whiting / Walter Bullock), my nose was spoiled by the smell of wood and in my heart were all the people I love - what more can a man ask for.

UPDATE:


Here a little update, I got up on the wall today.


Everything just where I need it.


Even had time to sharpen a spoon knife blade I just made for a friend. ;-)

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even some band boards.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
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