All 2x72 Grinding Belts Are Not Created Equal

[@scottthomas1153]

I still remember this man said, how family is the ultimate motivation to keep working and he was absolutely right. I know this is off-topic and many many episodes ago, but I just wanted to say thank you

[@arubaguy2733]

2 years ago, we moved from our farm to a low-maintenance condo to live out our days. My farm shop was well-equipped with machines acquired over the 35+ years on the farm. Retiring and slowing down, I decided to pass on my machines, most hand tools, and knowledge to my children and grand children who will use them for another generation's time and hopefully pass them on to their offspring. It made me feel good to give to a new generation who will love the tools as much as I did, but sorely miss the comfort and convenience of strolling out to the barn shop to putter around a bit. I love that Mr. Wadsworth recognizes that even as a senior, one can and must still learn skills. Thank you Scott, and keep up the great videos.

[@josephvan66]

Scott, I’ve been at Carpenter for decades. As I sit here, laid up with a broken leg bored because there’s nothing on TV. I must say I look forward to your videos, no matter what the topic! Well done sir!

[@chrishayden3854]

I've been selling 3M abrasives for over 40 years, a real abrasive salesman I guess. This is a pretty good piece for beginners, but I would add a couple of comments. The first one being skipping from 36 to 120 grit means you'll use three times more 120 grit belts and spend a lot more time at the belt sander digging those wide deep scratches out. While 36 grit does remove metal pretty quickly, if you are trying to get to a mirror finish it's better to start with something much finer like a 60 or 80 grit. You will have more points per square inch cutting and your scratch will be much shallower so you won't have to remove as much metal with the next step to get below that scratch. The second comment would be if you were getting a bump from a splice, it was not made correctly. See if your supplier can order finer grit belts with a schedule 40 splice. It uses a thinner tape and the backing is more carefully skived. It should come out at or near zero thickness difference. I guess a third comment will be, wait until you get your hands on some cubitron 3 that is due out next year

[@trevorjarvis3050]

3M makes the best abrasives IMO… but damn they are expensive. We had 4” wide belt sanders, all the way down to the 1/2” pneumatic fillet/bead handhelds. We discovered that if we bought more machines and grinders setup with different grits, we saved a ton of money on both labor time and belts wheels and disks.

[@chrishayden3854]

I agree, the price per belt is steep and with cubitron 3 coming out, it's only going to be more expensive. Every time we show this product we need to justify a major time savings. It's very quantifiable and manufacturing, but for the home hobbyist not so much. If I wasn't in a hurry to get something done, I would use zirconia everyday. The cut rate is great, they last pretty well and the price is significantly less than cubitron

[@daniel__clark]

I remember someone saying "use sandpaper like someone else is paying for it". I guess it's the same for belts.

[@arubaguy2733]

Excellent advice. Not much more frustrating than trying to squeeze just a few more minutes from a quarter sheet or a past its prime belt.

[@robertblacksmith4355]

My dad was a Blacksmith & a Plumber made springs in a factory & made knives for himself & friends ! Great video!

[@kfandrich]

Worked in a polishing department for many years, good information here and I will add that you should think about how you store your belts in regards to how you hang it and how much humidity is in your shop. If you get some belts that keep popping at the seams they most likely are old and were stored in a high humidity area. Great video as always.

[@joeydupre6153]

Ceramic belts are the greatest! I made a few dozen knives 15 years ago and I had what they called "The Hogger" ..... I think from Texas Knifemaker Supply. It did exacty what the name said. MANY knives ground out with one belt. Worth every penny.

[@bernardflood8289]

Greetings from Ireland. Great video. Perhaps some time you could go in-depth into how to choose, use and care for a 2x72" grinder. Maybe what to look for in a grinder and all it's attachment's and what to avoid.

[@pmchamlee]

Always glad to hear/see you and enjoy your sage advice. I just wish we had met 40 years ado ! Blessings and joy to the Waddell clan.

[@Keith_the_knife_freak]

Great video. Beginner knife maker. I just ordered a 2x72. I'm excited

[@ducatista1098s]

I take the wood oil off a ceramic belt with a sandpaper eraser. Its a 1.5" square bar kind of like a pencil eraser. Works great.

[@Zengineer]

When I built my 2x72 I quickly realized it's the single most useful tool in my shop. This was after decades of not having one. I can never go back.

[@overheardatthepub1238]

around 12:00 I had those live leak vibes with that scarily heavy wheel spinning without guards near your pants. Mechanically induced wedgies are much more deadly than the 4th grade variety.

[@WhatTimeIsIt369]

I have to comment. There are very few other content creators with the range of skills mixed with humility of those that he possesses. I am in my fifties and have a wide range of skill myself and a few trades under my belt and knowledge in many others. What is apparent to me is that vast amount of knowledge that this man has. He tries to share this knowledge with little ego which is amazing. So many content creators today will do something simple like hang an ax and then think they are a god among men. Ridiculous. That is only one thing out of many thousands of skills. Most, and I mean MOST, people have no idea what a true wide range of skills are. This man is what so many men used to be like. Most of them are dead now. But there are many in their fifties and up that have vast amounts of knowledge. This man is to be admired. He deserves it not only for skills but who he is as a person. Look at the family values he has and the long term values. So rare.

[@muriellivermore2560]

Great video. Exactly what I was looking for.

[@lorka42]

Thank you for your willingness to share.

[@snakehead5444]

If anyone wants to make a 2x72 and gain some fab skills make your own. There are a few great designs out there. I made mine for around $900 with a used baldor 2hp wired to Chinese vfd with nothing thinner than .25 and 3/8

[@orangetruckman]

$900 is a good price point. I’m trying to build a 2x72 myself, for no more than $500-600 if I were to use a $100 vfd. It’s gonna be close though. Some patience also helps with cost. I started looking for parts almost 2 years ago and buying them when at the right price. $90 for a baldor 3 phase motor was an awesome score.

[@ADBBuild]

Jer Schmidt has the best design (and plans) IMO, but there are lots of others that are also great.

[@TimJohnson-x1o]

Try the new yellow Norton belts. they are similar to the 3M high end belts with the shaped grains but norton took it to the next level. these things make quick work of the old orange colored nortons.

[@jollyroger6258]

Another interesting and informative presentation. Thank you. One side question (for the video producer to answer): Who were you looking at between 1:31 and 2:00? 12:23 too.

[@garrett6371]

Regarding educating yourself, KZbin is great, it is so handy. But, I would also like to say: While it is amazing how much education we can get these days, essentially free. From the internet, KZbin, and elsewhere, it is equally amazing how long we can put off getting busy and doing some work! At some point, you have to stop becoming the most 'educated' blacksmith, or knife maker, wood turner, carpenter, et al. with zero hours of experience in the shop! Sometimes the computer just needs to be unplugged, and the phones need to be put away. I don't think I speak only for myself!

[@jrk1666]

Its better to keep the jump from grit to grit to around 50% at some point it becomes faster and cheaper to go from 36 to 48, 80, 180, 220 to surface conditioners

[@waynephillips2777]

That was good advice. I needed it! Thanks

[@emanresu8968]

I want to add to this as someone who took up bladesmithing during the lockdown, you can get a mirror finish with a 1x30 grinder from harbor freight and some cheap amazon belts. They do make quality 1x30 belts but in my experience you just need to realize the cheap ones aren't labeled right, some of the 800 grit belts are really only 400~ but I can buy 20 of them for 10$. I would actually like to request that you review the HF grinder since I think it's a good entry for people interested in blacksmithing. you can get them as low as 30$ on sale if you splurge some more you can get 1 with a wheel on the other side that you can use to buff to a true mirror shine

[@davidmatke248]

Keep up the good work!

[@kirkyorg7654]

sage advise as usual

[@MayotheMaker]

Fantastic explanation thank you!

[@guloguloguy]

I'VE HEARD THAT THE "ALUMINUM OXIDE" BELTS WEAR OUT FAST. I HAERD THAT THE "ZIRCON" BELTS WORK GREAT!...

[@prototype3a]

With respect to "belt bump", there is a different way to make that belt seam that almost no one does because it is more expensive, stronger, lasts longer and runs smooth. Allegedly, Sungold Abrasives still manufactures belts this way.

[@lheigert]

Another great video.

[@chuckmiller5763]

There is no better grinding or cutting wheel than the Cubtron 2, well worth the money.

[@joelnowland2196]

When it comes to metal, I don't use anything but ceramic, even though it's more expensive. And if you search out deals, buy 10 or 20 or more at a time the prices are not that much more.

[@wyohman00]

I thought you'd turned the corner on PPE at the beginning of the grinding only to see you without later in the video.

[@guloguloguy]

THANKS, VERY MUCH!!!, FOR THIS INSIRING VIDEO!!!

[@oronwilcox206]

Great content. Keep it up.

[@KnowArt]

can't wait till I can spoil my grandkids with swords too, some day

[@jwiereng]

6:23 the inside radiusesses

[@JohnSmith-lv8xk]

Cubitron for life !!!

[@patrickcarney9474]

Well said

[@reverendbrothergenerik7976]

I have managed to survive the burning down of one shop caused by a quick sharpen on a belt sander that had a bunch of wood swarf inside. A single mistake and step away for fifteen minutes and a shop lost. Learn from my mistake. Also SAFETY SQUINTS!

[@BoilerRoomRadio]

I see that you use 3M branded belts.... have you ever tried Norton abrasives?

[@ringerson4x4]

I would suggest protecting your lungs while grinding, you have 17 swords to make that’s a lot of grinding dust in the air.

[@Forexfox99]

Ran my fingers across a cubitron belt and then wore bandaids for a week.

[@GoldyMcGoldface]

What the heck happened to the audio about halfway through? It sounds like it's AI generated or some really weird compression artifacts.

[@dannydagerous]

hi

[@jimbailey7997]

👍

[@alexandrechagasmoreira3780]

👏👍

[@jim2mckenna220]

This video wasn’t abrasive at all! 😝

[@larson0014]

not affordable for a hobbyist tool shop

[@DDB168]

Been meaning to say for sometime, can you stop the off to the side, or angled camera shots please. It really doesnt add anything. It's also very CGTN, and trust me when I say, you really dont wanna emulate CGTN.

[@johnsrabe]

Clickbait warning!

[@michaelcarroll991]

Your mom's dad.....you mean your grandfather

[@ADBBuild]

Specifically on his mom's side of the family.