What is the difference between the Shop Mate 48” and the Shop Master 72” grinders?

Shop Mate 48" Belt Grinder	Shop Master 72" Belt Grinder
Smaller footprint - great for smaller work-spaces Light weight Compatible with 6mm (1/4”) to 250mm (10”) contact wheel Budget friendly Belts and accessories are cheaper Powerful 1.1kw motor Variable speed 150x10mm steel platen Rotating platen with 2” & 3” contact wheel, flat platen, and slack belt Fully assembled with motor and VFD in single carton	Better clearance on left hand side of platen – great especially for using file guides and grinding awkward work pieces More powerful 1.5kw motor Compatible with 6mm (1/4”) to 350mm (14”) contact wheel Heavier grinder = better vibration dampening Longer, thicker 215x15mm steel platen More versatile rotating platen with 2”, 3” and 5” contact wheels, flat platen and 2x slack belt options 72” belt size is slightly more common – more options and increased belt life

In summary, the Shop Mate 48” belt grinder is more than capable for most grinding tasks. It is our recommendation for most general workshop use, fabrication and knife making tasks. The 1.1kw motor and VFD provide more than enough power for rapid metal hogging and material shaping whilst being able to be run slowly for polishing, sharpening, or working with delicate materials such as G10 and plastics. We use a Shop Mate 48” grinder in our own 84 Engineering workshop for all fabrication and de-burring tasks!

The Shop Master 72” grinder is slightly more oriented towards knife maker specific use, with the included 5” contact wheel great for hollow grinding and the increased access to the left-hand-side of the platen. The larger 1.5kw motor will provide a slight increase in power, and some people prefer the 72” belt size due to longer intervals between belt changes. The 72” is a great choice if you wish to run contact wheels larger than 10” (250mm).