Hi everyone,
My name is Rocco and I'm brand new here. I hope I'm posting in the correct place and if I'm not please let me know. I would also like to add that I am hardly a machinist and apologize now if this is a seemingly ignorant question.
My father gave me a Dayton 3/4hp 2x48 belt grinder that had been sitting in his shop for a few years, still in the box. I've been wanting to try and make some knives so I want to modify the platen and I was hoping I could get some opinions on whether or not what I want to cut off of the machine will compromise its structural integrity to the point where it's dangerous to operate. I'll also be adding a larger tool rest but that will be easy.
I marked the areas I want to cut out with sharpie, I hope it's visible enough in the pictures. Pretty much just want to take the platen down from 2.5" to 2" which will involve cutting out a portion of the sidewall attached to the platen and that's where my concern of losing the integrity lies. I plan on leaving the guard off, I read that could cause issues with getting the wheels dirty and throw off the tracking but I know a few people that have done that without issue as long as you remain diligent in cleaning the machine.
A read a post from 2018 where @TerryH did a mod project on a similar model and instead of cutting the platen itself, he attached a steel plate with a piece of glass ontop of the existing platen and then put cork on the wheels to compensate for the added thickness. Maybe that's a better way to go instead of mine? Any input would be appreciated, thanks guys!
- Rocco
My name is Rocco and I'm brand new here. I hope I'm posting in the correct place and if I'm not please let me know. I would also like to add that I am hardly a machinist and apologize now if this is a seemingly ignorant question.
My father gave me a Dayton 3/4hp 2x48 belt grinder that had been sitting in his shop for a few years, still in the box. I've been wanting to try and make some knives so I want to modify the platen and I was hoping I could get some opinions on whether or not what I want to cut off of the machine will compromise its structural integrity to the point where it's dangerous to operate. I'll also be adding a larger tool rest but that will be easy.
I marked the areas I want to cut out with sharpie, I hope it's visible enough in the pictures. Pretty much just want to take the platen down from 2.5" to 2" which will involve cutting out a portion of the sidewall attached to the platen and that's where my concern of losing the integrity lies. I plan on leaving the guard off, I read that could cause issues with getting the wheels dirty and throw off the tracking but I know a few people that have done that without issue as long as you remain diligent in cleaning the machine.
A read a post from 2018 where @TerryH did a mod project on a similar model and instead of cutting the platen itself, he attached a steel plate with a piece of glass ontop of the existing platen and then put cork on the wheels to compensate for the added thickness. Maybe that's a better way to go instead of mine? Any input would be appreciated, thanks guys!
- Rocco
