Thread: LOW budget grinder (version 0.01a)

Well, I had a few hours alone in the shop and a couple of grinding wheels.... SOOO I threw together something I've been wanting to try for some time now.

Total, I probably have 10 bucks into this, and IIRC the stones cost me $8

Here is my first go at hammering out the concept of a treadle powered grinding station.


And here should be a video showing it in action
Grinder in action

hope the files worked... I still need to tweak some things, and I'm going to make a few additions, but It looks like it's going to work (and I bet I'll rig something with a motor as soon as I get too tired of pedaling )

I bow toward your inventiveness. very cool.

Charlie

That's fun. Why not take a step back in time we all did with shaving. My father still thinks I'm crazy when I'll use the treadle lathe before I'll use one of my many (and much more costly) electric lathes. The conversation last week:
"Why are you using THAT again?"
"I like it"
"But that one cost you nothing and this one cost $8k"
"I know, but this one costs nothing to run"
"That makes sense"
I won!

I don't know...I love the inventiveness, but with the wheels being small it may be harder to maintain momentum. The only treddle grinder I have seen was one that had a 16-18" x 3-4" wheel on it. I'm not being a naysayer, but would like to know how it works ... hopefully I'm wrong.

Don't sweat it shooter, it is light right now for getting the momentum right. But I had the spare minutes and the scrap, so I wanted to work out the concept before casting a heavy flywheel.

You planning on casting a heavy flywheel and using 2x72" belts? Interesting...

Actually, I was planning on casting a heavy flywheel (I think I'm using that right) to keep the momentum up and running the stone wheels in water troughs kind of like the video from the old sheffield factory.

You did just give me an idea though... Once the shaft is running, there is no reason why I couldn't put a belt system in place in addition to the water wheels

Glad to be of service and add to the complications...

Great fun and inventiveness! Who knows, it may do the job? The flywheel idea make good sense. Put it on a jack shaft at the bottom like the early sewing machines. See one at your local antique store. I have a friend who uses his foot powered jig/scroll saw at flea markets.
~Geezer

Nice one!

Would fixing it to a bench (permanently / or having the option to unbolt) help with stability? I'm interested in seeing how your experiments go.

Thanks for the show and tell! Keep us posted with your developments.

All the best,
Michael.