knife/general grinder question.

[plunger]

I made a knife grinder from plans on the net.Its ugly but is my most favorite and useful tool have ever made.I notice the platen is wearing out as I made it from mild steel. What material could be used for a platen on a belt sander that is durable and easily obtainable.?
This is the machine Im talking about.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

You could just harden the platen. Flame, bright red color, quench, Presto....

 

[bhigdog]

My choice would be to make an easily replaceable face for it and treat it as a consumable. I'd likely use flat ground stock and make 2 while I was at it................Bob

 

[dlane]

There is a glass material (.forgot the name) that is made for platens that is epoxied on , if you go to a knife making forum and do some searching the answer should be there,

Wait I found this from Mikey
Search here for a platen liner. : http://usaknifemaker.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=platen+liner

 

[mikey]

I agree with @dlane, use Pyroceram as a platen liner. I use a 1/4" thick piece of precision ground steel as a platen and epoxy the liner to it with JB Weld. It is a good idea to put two socket head cap screws below the liner to keep it from dropping down if the epoxy lets go. While unlikely this would happen, its wise to provide for it. A platen like this will stay flat for many years. My first one lasted 11years before a belt broke and knocked it loose but the liner was still dead flat.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

do you have the website for the grinder build?

 

[plunger]

do you have the website for the grinder build?

No but its based on the common version of the KMG.