Belt grinders come in many shapes and sizes, but the Cadillac, the granddaddy of them all is the 2 X 72!
A belt grinder uses an abrasive belt that is made in one continuous loop. A drive motor propels the belt around a series of wheels and grinding surfaces. Belts come in various widths and circumferences. There are 1” belts, 2”, and even 4″ wide belts.
Most of the belts regardless of width have a small circumference and that is where the 2 X 72 really shines. It has a 2” wide contact area and a 72” long belt.
The extra length is critical for two reasons.
- There is more abrasive material giving each belt a long lifespan.
- The extra length in the belt helps keep it and the piece cooler.
Controlling the temperature of a tool or knife is especially important when it has has been heat-treated and tempered. Get it too hot, and you can ruin the heat treatment.
The Big Three
There are quite a few 2 X 72 grinders on the market today, and three, in particular, are held by most in the highest regard. They are the Bader, the KMG, and the TW90 by Travis Wuertz.
New to my shop is the TW90! It is the nicest piece of equipment I have ever owned. The attention to detail is tremendous and the design and quality of the grinder is unparalleled. Travis did an outstanding job both designing and producing the grinder.
The TW90
The TW90 stands for Travis Wuertz 90 degrees. The grinder easily swivels between vertical and horizontal positions. This is done by pressing a single lever. Once pressed and rotated, the grinder locks into the new position with a confident click. The change of positions is both simple and secure.
Power
The grinder comes with a 2 horsepower motor that is either wired with a 120 or 220-volt power cord. If you choose the 120 variant (single-phase), the power output is 1 – ½ horsepower.
Frame
The frame is made out of ¼” steel plate. It is cut with a CNC laser, assembled using precision welding, and powder coated in blue with metallic flakes.
Grinding Attachments
The TW90 employs a quick release receiver allowing the user to easily and quickly change between a grinding wheel, a 2 X 10” flat platen, or a small wheel attachment.
The genius behind the design shows itself in interoperability. Every grinding attachment has an onboard receiver to mount tool rests in either horizontal or vertical positions.
There are two tool rests that come with the basic package.
- A rectangular tool rest that frames the 2” belt by approximately 1/2 of an inch.
- A tool rest with a curved inset that matches the radius of the grinding wheel (chosen at the time of purchase).
Note, the small-wheels for the small wheel attachment don’t come with the grinder and need to be purchased separately. Two small-wheels can be mounted to the small wheel attachment. This setup can be used for a number of things including grinding a very controlled fuller. A catalog from K & G Finishing Supplies, who sells the wheels, is included with the grinder.
Dimensions
The grinder is 25 x 25 x 28 inches and weighs 240lbs.
Unboxing
I received my TW90 last week and filmed the unboxing. The grinder comes in two separate boxes, a small box for the grinding attachments and accessories, and a second larger box for the grinder.
Click below to view the unboxing video.
