PDA

View Full Version : What are the best grinding wheels for sharpering



Nai84
24th August 2010, 11:33 PM
As a new turner im not a 100% sure on what are the best wheels to sharpen with can any one recomend what grit and what type

Cheers Nai:2tsup::2tsup:

hughie
25th August 2010, 12:00 AM
Nai, I think you've opened a can of worms. :U

Generally speaking the white Ali Oxide for HSS is the favourite.

Rifleman1776
25th August 2010, 12:34 AM
You will get more opinions on this than people who answer. :o
When I started turning a master professional turner told me to use 80 grit white only. I did for years and always thought it removed too much metal.
About a year ago I bought a Woodcraft slow grinder with a 60 grit wheel and a 120 grit wheel. I now use the 120 almost exclusively. It sharpens beautifully and quickly with very-very little metal removal.
So my advice is a 120 grit white at 1750 rpm.

Mobil Man
25th August 2010, 01:40 AM
I agree 100% with Rifleman

Jim Carroll
25th August 2010, 09:47 AM
If you are only going to put one white alo wheel on then 80g is a good comprimise as it is abrasive enough when you need to reshape and fine enough for a reasonable edge.

If you are replacing both wheels then a 60g and a 120g will work better.
The 60g for reshaping and the 120g for sharpening.

Then move onto the tormek for a real sharpening.

stuffy
25th August 2010, 10:37 AM
+1 for the 120 grit.
Thought I'd be in the minority. :-
It's only for sharpening so you want a good finish without removing too much steel.
A course grey wheel will do for shaping.
Assuming your tools are H.S.S. of course.
:)

stuffy
25th August 2010, 10:43 AM
Also don't forget you'll need a stone dresser of some sort.
I just use one of those grey carborundum ones, it's not fancy, but it's cheap, eh!
:)

brendan stemp
25th August 2010, 10:51 AM
You all need to wait for the sharpening revolution to hit Australia.... diamond/resin wheels. I have one, as mentioned before on this site. A good product. No balancing needed, no dressing needed, less heat retention so it burns steel less readily. And less expensive than the watery alternatives.

barnsey
25th August 2010, 11:38 AM
I've got a blue 120 wheel - love it runs cooler than the white.

When I dress it - not that often I might say - I still use the old Dawn!
Still on the 1st set of wheels in it so I think the spares I have were a waste!!

I do have a slow water white wheel - Tormek copy but only use it when I need to - again not that often.

Ed Reiss
25th August 2010, 12:21 PM
Now that you've had all that excellent advice about which type wheel and grit for cs and hss tools...a green 80 for sharpening carbide tool bits, just in case you decide to make an Oland type boring bar.

TTIT
25th August 2010, 12:23 PM
I've got a blue 120 wheel - love it runs cooler than the white.

When I dress it - not that often I might say - I still use the old Dawn!
Still on the 1st set of wheels in it so I think the spares I have were a waste!!

I do have a slow water white wheel - Tormek copy but only use it when I need to - again not that often.I used to swear by my old rotary dresser until I dicovered some sort of diamond dresser in dad's kit - so clean, quiet and effortless to use - wouldn't go back for quids :;


You all need to wait for the sharpening revolution to hit Australia.... diamond/resin wheels. I have one, as mentioned before on this site. A good product. No balancing needed, no dressing needed, less heat retention so it burns steel less readily. And less expensive than the watery alternatives.I've been meaning to revive your thread on the diamond wheel to see if you're still using it :shrug: - obviously you still are. What grit do you reckon it's equivalent to in edge finish now that it's been used a bit???

Nai84
25th August 2010, 01:36 PM
Hi Everyone

WOW so many different ones to use I have a little 6" bench grinder 2850 rpm i was leaning towards a 60 on one side and 120 on the other after reading all of your fantasic info if carbartec have them in stock if not then i migth go without but i wanted to know if anyone has used a 46 grit white wheel befor .

Cheers Nai:2tsup::2tsup:

NeilS
25th August 2010, 04:05 PM
i wanted to know if anyone has used a 46 grit white wheel befor


Will give a cooler and faster cut when doing any major reshaping of profiles, but too coarse for resharpening, IMO.

It's the sort of wheel I would use if I had two bench grinders. Something like a #46 Grey SiC and Blue Max (for high carbon tools) on one grinder and #80 white wide and #120 diamond on the other. Just waiting to see how Brendan's diamond wheel holds up before I take the plunge on that.

.....

RETIRED
25th August 2010, 04:48 PM
Hi Everyone

WOW so many different ones to use I have a little 6" bench grinder 2850 rpm i was leaning towards a 60 on one side and 120 on the other after reading all of your fantasic info if carbartec have them in stock if not then i migth go without but i wanted to know if anyone has used a 46 grit white wheel befor .

Cheers Nai:2tsup::2tsup:Used the same grinder for 30 years with a 80# alox for sharpening everything. Only recently changed.

Nai84
25th August 2010, 05:42 PM
Well i made to carbatec and back i got my 120g white wheel but cant get my 60g till next week i have a grey wheel that is 60g while that be ok to use utill i get my white one

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

hughie
25th August 2010, 08:43 PM
Used the same grinder for 30 years with a 80# alox for sharpening everything. Only recently changedyep in the same boat, except my grinder was used by my Dad for 25years or so before I got it 30 years back.Its has dual set up 80/160 grit wheels. The only exception the 160 is a home on top running horizontal.

Big Shed
25th August 2010, 09:18 PM
If you are only going to put one white alo wheel on then 80g is a good comprimise as it is abrasive enough when you need to reshape and fine enough for a reasonable edge.

If you are replacing both wheels then a 60g and a 120g will work better.
The 60g for reshaping and the 120g for sharpening.

Then move onto the tormek for a real sharpening.

That almost describes my new setup, except I have the 46 Norton wheel.

The 120 does a great job of preparing for the finishing off on the wet grinder, being able to use the jigs on both the dry and the wet grinder is a real boon.

Only thing I am still considering is the purchase of an 8" slow (1440rpm) grinder. As I want another grinder for some of the rougher metal working tasks, that will probably happen when Carbatec get some stock in September.

As far as dressing the wheels, I use one of those T bar diamond dressers, about $15 delivered off Ebay.

Nai84
25th August 2010, 10:09 PM
Hi Big Shed

So the t bar is on ebay is it coz carba tec didnt have the one i wanted in stock

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

Big Shed
25th August 2010, 10:19 PM
Hi Big Shed

So the t bar is on ebay is it coz carba tec didnt have the one i wanted in stock

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

Yep

DIAMOND DRESSER , GRINDING WHEEL DRESSER #DD - eBay Grinders, Power Tools, Tools, Home. (end time 29-Aug-10 20:45:57 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DIAMOND-DRESSER-GRINDING-WHEEL-DRESSER-DD-/360291552406?pt=AU_Power_Tools)

Nai84
25th August 2010, 10:37 PM
Thanks for the link big shed

Cheers Nai

robo hippy
26th August 2010, 04:05 AM
Ideally, I would have 2 grinders. A high speed one, with 45 grit or so wheels for rough shaping, and a slow speed one with an 80 grit wheel for scrapers, and a 120 to 150 grit wheel for gouges, and skews. There are a lot of different wheels out there, and this was discussed at length some time ago here under a thread about diamond grinding wheels, which I believe come from Woodcraft Stores here in the US.

For diamond dressers, if you can find old concrete cutting blades, they work excellently, and are usually free.

robo hippy

QC Inspector
26th August 2010, 06:03 AM
For diamond dressers, if you can find old concrete cutting blades, they work excellently, and are usually free.

robo hippy

The rock drills used for blasting work even better but are harder to find. I have one about an inch and a quarter across and four or five saw blades about twenty inches across. Set for many lifetimes.:U

And for what it's worth I have a couple of the Norton 3X blue wheels in a two speed (1700/3400 rpm), eight inch grinder left on the low speed.

Pete

NeilS
26th August 2010, 09:15 AM
... and four or five saw blades about twenty inches across. Set for many lifetimes.:U



Snap, Pete.

When I was doing a lot of stone cutting I used to 'sharpen' the diamond blades by cutting up old grinding wheels. They slice through grinding stones like a hot knife through butter. No doubt concrete cutting blades would be very similar.

Now I sharpen my grinding wheels with old diamond blades...:U

Just recently bought one of those small diamond T dressers. The plan is to use that for regular touch ups, they are gentler on the wheels, and keep the diamond blades for truing up the wheels.

.....

Nai84
26th August 2010, 03:22 PM
Hi All

WOW so a concrete blade for a angle grinder will do the jod as a dressing tool is that what you are getting at coz if so i have some in the shed that have never been used

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

NeilS
26th August 2010, 04:25 PM
Hi All

WOW so a concrete blade for a angle grinder will do the jod as a dressing tool is that what you are getting at coz if so i have some in the shed that have never been used

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

Yes if they are diamond blades, NO if they are the regular reinforced Silicon Carbide blades. The SiC blades are likely to shatter if used in any way other than their designed use on an angle grinder.

Also, if you do have some unused diamond blades I wouldn't be wrecking them when you can readily get some old used ones for nix. The other thing with diamond blades, if you unevenly wear any segments the blade will become unbalanced and vibrate dangerously if you try to use them again for circular cutting.

.....

Nai84
26th August 2010, 08:27 PM
Hi Neils

So its best to get the right tool for the right job yeh

Cheers Nai:2tsup:

brendan stemp
27th August 2010, 01:36 PM
Just waiting to see how Brendan's diamond wheel holds up before I take the plunge on that.

.....
Will keep you posted Neil.

brendan stemp
27th August 2010, 01:39 PM
I've been meaning to revive your thread on the diamond wheel to see if you're still using it :shrug: - obviously you still are. What grit do you reckon it's equivalent to in edge finish now that it's been used a bit???
They say 120 but is better than a 120 finish of an alox wheel. Still very happy with the wheel, I tend to go to it a lot more than the various alox wheels I have. It needs jigs though, can't sharpen very well freehand on it. Ideal if it were used in conjunction with the Tormek sharpening jigs or Woodcut's Trugrind.

issatree
27th August 2010, 08:57 PM
Hi All,
I've a 12in./ 305mm Brickies Diamond Cutting Wheel, with which I take a Triangle Shape out when I want one.
This current wheel had 3mm. of the edge left, & preforms beautifully on my 6in./150mm. wheels.

To test the surface of the wheel I put my hand on the wheel cover & let my thumb touch the wheel as it is going away from my thumb, so you can feel for any mistakes.

Please don't try this unless you are quite a bit experienced in the Turning Game.

It is a very, very light touch, & it works for me & probably not for a lot of others.
Regards,
issatree
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

Nai84
27th August 2010, 09:08 PM
Hi issatree

I spent some time with some of the guys from mandurah and insted of using those diamond blades im using my old grey wheels to dress the new one and works like a charm

Nai:2tsup: