Thread: 1 inch belt on 2 inch grinder

After spending a week with Charlie Lewis in his shop, I've been doing a lot of thinking about belt grinders.

While the 2 inch belts can do the bulk of the work, there are some things that seem to do better on a 1 inch belt. Since it would be a bit premature to be planning my second grinder before getting the first, I am wondering if one grinder can accommodate both belt widths.

I know that I have to use a 1 inch contact wheel, but would like to know what else would have to be swapped. I'm thinking that the drive wheel could remain but am wondering if the tracking wheel for a two inch belt would also work for a 1 inch belt?

Yes. It's also possible to buy a set of 1 inch wide wheels to retrofit grinders to accommodate this size belts but most fellows simply use the two inch wheels. The belt is supposed to ride to the high spot on a tapered tracking wheel. The wheel should not care what width of belt is there. The advantage can be to buy two inch wide belts and split them (twice the work for the same money).

So I can get by with just a 1 inch contact wheel and leave the other two as is? That would be a lot less trouble.

Depending on what you are trying to do, you may be able to run the 1" belt on the 2" contact wheel. Remember Charlie had you using an 1/2" belt on all 2" wheels.

Right, you can use a 2 inch wheel successfully. But, if you want the specialty setup, it may be worth spending the money on a custom wheel in one inch. It will have to be adjusted to make full use of the optimum tracking line depending on how your tracking wheel is setup.

Often though, it's easier to allow the human wet computer to adapt than to spend hundreds of USD on adapting the tool.

Originally Posted by Utopian

So I can get by with just a 1 inch contact wheel and leave the other two as is? That would be a lot less trouble.

Yep,

Charlie

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Often though, it's easier to allow the human wet computer to adapt than to spend hundreds of USD on adapting the tool.

Unfortunately, my hardware seems to be dehydrating and refractory to software upgrades.

However, the obvious course of action is to set up a standard 2" grinder, slit a belt in half and quarters, mount it on the 2" wheels, and see what happens and how it works. Only then will I consider alternative contact wheels.

Thanks guys.