Thread: Grinding Myth or Not?

The only thing I can think of Ray is the decreased wheel speed on the side of the wheel as you grind towards the centre. Low wheel speed can cause bouncing of the work and without the correct bond the wheel can explode. Grinding on the periphery gives the highest speed possible. Wheels like phils are like cup wheels where the design maintains maximum speed.

Phil

ps When they explode you really don't want to be in the same building. Very frightening.

Hi Ray
I grind on the side of the wheel as well. I do all my main grinding on the edge and just use the side to finish some things like HSS for the lathe. In all the years I have had the same wheel it hasn't worn it much at all.
I think the type they are talking about being made for it are the cup type wheels, that go on the carbide type grinders with cast iron tables sold in the US.

Dave

Hi Ray,
Trouble maker
Are we talking brench grinders here?
I think its one of those things. There is grinding and then there is GRINDINGl. If the wheel wears thinner until cant support the side load it can break(explode if you like). Of course if you are talking about touching up a HSS tools that might take a while.

You nornally wouldnt dress the side of a "normal" wheel.

I think the wheels on Phils grinder are type 5 (?). I wonder if they have a min thickness?

Happily I've only ever have cutting discs let go.

Stuart

p.s. I also use the side of the wheel for light grinding.
I remember reading something about uneven heating but cant recall the details.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Hi Ray, Trouble maker Stuart.

Ha... who me..

Here is a still from .RC's video showing Phil's waldown.



This wheel style, and grinder is obviously designed to handle the side grinding..

Regards
Ray

hehe,

Yeah thats a type 5. Maybe they are meant to be replaced it once the outside is the same thickness as the center?

Stuart

hi ray. we have all heard the warnings. I all ways believed that the danger was.. that grinding
the side of the wheel can undermine the the non side part of the wheel.. ie maybe a wine glass type shape.(exaggerated)..
as far as the wheel blowing up i think with a undermined grinding wheel... The outer part could separate from the rest of the wheel.
its just hard to imagine any body letting the wheel get to a condition where part of it may come flying of. so sort of one of these over the top safety warning that need not apply to most people.
.

I was going to ask the same question. I have observed in Harold Halls books he uses the side of the wheel often. In his book 'Sharpening tools' or whaterver it is..he has pics of grinding lathe tools on the side of the wheel with his sharpening jig..he does it often so it must be OK . I think the danger is when using the cupped wheels .... being thinner they are not as rigid or stout. MIKE

I think azzrock might be onto something. Its a bit like "dont drill into the vice or the table" on a pillar drill or one day they will fall in half. We'd like to think that it wouldnt happen but I've seen a few vices and one table that are close lol. Though I still think there is a difference between touching up a 1/4" drill and grinding a point on a piece of 1" bar.

Stuart

When I was at TAFE last year , the teacher showed us an old 1960's era training movie on grinding wheel safety . It was aimed at the large industrial grinders ..big monstors , but the principal is the same . The movie said its vital to have the correct mounting flanges and have a matching pair of flanges ..don't use odd sized flanges . Stand to one side when switching it on .Always use paper under the flanges ..dont remove the paper labels , these are important . MIKE

I've got a little bench grinder I use just for TIG welding tungstens. Unfortunately, I seem to grind tungsten a lot .

I've been using the side of the wheel to do the main shaping and get rid of contaminants, then the top of the wheel to finish off. Despite my best efforts, I've noticed that I'm starting to cut a notch into the side of the wheel. I'm starting to reconsider my approach for fear of wearing a piece of grinding wheel in my head.

Cheers

- Mick

Mick, a bit OT from the original post, but have you considered using a linisher instead for the tungsten sharpening? I don't do enough welding to justify a dedicated tungsten grinder or (yet) another grinder, but I chuck the tungsten in a cordless drill and spin it on the end of the linisher. It does a good job, the grinding lines are along the electrode, and I figure there's little chance of contamination if I'm welding aluminium.

As far as grinding on the side of a wheel, I too was taught never to grind on the side of a wheel, but not why (or at least I don't recall being told why, mind you that was over 30 years ago!). Thinking about it I can only imagine it's because the load is across the wheel and I don't think they're especially strong in that direction. However, some of the wet grinders specifically say to do that to flatten plane irons etc so I think it would have to so with the amount of force too. Touching up a lathe tool is a bit different to jamming a piece of 1" job into the side, as mentioned above. Just my 2 cents and I honestly have no idea if it's even close to the truth.

Pete

Originally Posted by Pete F

Mick, a bit OT from the original post, but have you considered using a linisher instead for the tungsten sharpening? I don't do enough welding to justify a dedicated tungsten grinder or (yet) another grinder, but I chuck the tungsten in a cordless drill and spin it on the end of the linisher. It does a good job, the grinding lines are along the electrode, and I figure there's little chance of contamination if I'm welding aluminium.

As far as grinding on the side of a wheel, I too was taught never to grind on the side of a wheel, but not why (or at least I don't recall being told why, mind you that was over 30 years ago!). Thinking about it I can only imagine it's because the load is across the wheel and I don't think they're especially strong in that direction. However, some of the wet grinders specifically say to do that to flatten plane irons etc so I think it would have to so with the amount of force too. Touching up a lathe tool is a bit different to jamming a piece of 1" job into the side, as mentioned above. Just my 2 cents and I honestly have no idea if it's even close to the truth.

Pete

I grind lathe tools on the side of the white wheel on my POS bench grinder. Been doing it for years. I've never had a wheel fail yet in over 30 years of use.

As stated, I don't do it with a great lump of steel I want to grind down fast & hard, just light grinding for tool sharpening.

You might not be supposed to do it but I think it falls into the same category as filing a workpiece in your lathe. Everybody does it, just some don't admit to it.

I do prefer to use the P-A linishing attachment for a lot of sharpening work including tungsten electrodes FWIW. I find that I can resharpen drill bits better on this as well for some reason. Probably no tool rest to get in the way.

For those at the scraping course, I ended up buying the grinder Phil had for sale on my return pass through Melbourne as nobody else had bothered. Now I need to buy a couple of the flat faced wheels for it, add a switch and put another 3 phase power point on a wall somewhere.

PDW