Photo Index - Engelberg, Inc. - Model B3 Dry Belt Grinder

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Engelberg, Inc.
Syracuse, NY

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Sander
Machine Size:	10" X 70-1/2"
Submitted By:	Roger Van Maren

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Model B3 Dry Belt Grinder
Date of Manufacturer:
Serial Number:
Last Updated	11/21/2011 11:06:26 AM

Comments:

Engelburg-Huller model B3 belt grinder S/N 3217E. The first picture is as bought off Ebay. The other 4 are after rebuilding.
It came with a 213 frame 3HP 3 phase motor. When I disassembled it to replace the bearings it looked like a rewind job. Digging further into the sander I found it had had some fairly extensive work done on it in the past. At some point I think it ate the lower, outer bearing and galled that end of the shaft. This had been knurled to bring it back to size but had worn once again.
I also found that the frame had been welded. I believe this machine fell over as there was another crack in the lower dust collection casting that I had to repair. This machine isn't very stable if not bolted down so I made a base that also raises the table to a comfortable height and lets me move it with a pallet jack.
I ended up machining up a new lower shaft out of pre-hardened 4140 and a couple of bushings that ride on it as well. The original shaft uses woodruff keys to drive the lower drum. They had wallowed out over the years so the new lower shaft uses 1.5" long straight keys of the same thickness instead.
There was an applied steel lip recessed into the table edge that although nicely done, doesn't look like it was done at the factory. This had been very chewed up buy improperly tensioned belts so a new lip was fabricated.
The platen was very worn at table height but these machines were designed so that the platen can be turned over and this one had never been flipped so it's as flat as new.
I managed to fab a decent 5" round to 8"X3" oval adapter out of a scrap of spiral ducting and added a small aluminum piece under the table. This makes the dust collection work very well.
It came with a funky toggle switch mounted under the table (about 24" off the ground) I changed this out for an AB starter I had stashed. I still need to make a sheetmetal cover for the top roller but this machine is earning it's keep already.[EDIT: this has been fixed. See below] I've used dozens of 6X48 sanders over the years and the difference between a 6X48 and this is like the difference between a Chiawanese drillpress and a Bridgeport mill. After using this guy for a bit I got a great deal on a virtually new Baldor 5 HP single phase motor on Craigslist and swapped it out for the 3 phase motor. You can see it in the last picture. The only reason I did the swap is that I got tired of starting the phase convertor every time I wanted to use the sander. 5hp is more than plenty for a belt sander!

UPDATE 7/14/2010
Thanks to OWWMer Bobby Nelson, I've finally got an upper belt guard for this machine. Bobby was kind enough to send his off to Cattail Foundry and have a copy cast for me out of aluminum.

Photo 1:

Comments: The first picture after getting it home.
Source: SWMBO

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Photo 2:

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Photo 3:

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Photo 4:

Comments: Showing the new upper belt guard cast by Cattail Foundry
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