Replies

1. 
   philip | Sep 27, 2007 12:29pm | #1

   I think the problem is that the speed is not high enough for a stick or carborundum dresser to work well, same for star wheel dresser. I think a single point diamond dresser would have a better chance. Why don't you contact Delta about a replacement wheel?

   Philip Marcou
2. 
   RickL | Sep 27, 2007 03:04pm | #2

   I concur with Philip on getting  a stone from Delta.

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=55075&cat=1,43072,43080

   Get one of these for dressing the stone. It must be fixed against a tool rest or it will just follow the bump in the wheel.

   
   

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   Edited 9/27/2007 1:18 pm ET by RickL

3. 
   JohnWW | Sep 27, 2007 07:57pm | #3

   You need a diamond single point dresser, well known in the machinist's trade, and some way of rigidly holding and guiding it across the wheel so that you only take off the high side of the wheel, basically the same process as turning a square billet into a round post on a wood lathe.

   Starwheels, and the "T" shaped diamond dresser that someone else just recommended, will only follow the irregular surface of the wheel, neither will make it round again.

   A new wheel won't solve your problem, it will probably not be perfectly round or centered on the shaft once mounted and will need truing up. Even if the new wheel were true, it won't stay that way. Except for Tormek, I don't know of any grinder maker selling to woodworkers that supplies the tooling for properly truing up an out of round wheel.

   John White, Yestermorrow School
   FWW Experts Column contributor

1. 
   philip | Sep 28, 2007 05:02am | #5

   John and Poplar,
   I did not recommend the star wheel or carborundum stick-I said the single point would do better, because of the lack of speed.(One can true a wheel with a star dresser, but not easily).
   If the wheel is badly out of round and you put it onto your d/press this will go a long way to trueing it (safety concerns not withstanding), but although it may be true on the d/p arbor, it does not follow that it will run true on the Delta. Ideally it must be trued to the shaft it runs on, and always replaced in the same position, and the bushing be a decent fit, and the paper blotters in good order.
   However, since it runs on a slow machine, a slight eccentricity will not be too bad....Philip Marcou

1. 
   Poplarbeech | Sep 29, 2007 03:07am | #6

   Phillip: Thanks for the futher follow-up.  I had three replys to my original request, and I'm sorta taking an idea from each.  The safety aspect of the d/p is something I've been thinking about all day, but I think I've got it worked out.  I tend to go overboard on safety, so if I can't do it safely, I just won't do it.  I like the diamond wheel dresser idea because it is 1-3/4" wide and the wheel is only about 1-1/2" wide, so I can do it in one pass.

   If I can't get it worked out safely on the d/p, I've got a friend w/ a machine shop that may be able to chuck it in one of his machines and get it true.

   Thanks again to everyone who responded.

   PoplarBeech

    

2. 
   danmart | Sep 30, 2007 04:08am | #7

   John

   I hope Vermont is a nice change for you. Get ready for the winter its a comin' my friend.

   Question: Where can I purchase a good "single point dresser to go about trueing up a wheel?

   Dan

1. 
   JohnWW | Oct 03, 2007 02:40am | #9

   You need to go to a machinist's supply house. MSC is an excellent one and is online.John W.

2. 
   lwilliams | Oct 03, 2007 04:45am | #10

   MSC is a good company and I buy a lot from them. However a 3/4 carat single point dresser from them will run about three times what Grizzly sells them for. I use single point dressers every day but you might want to try that black iron pipe if your wheel is sandstone. The link for the Grizzly dresser:http://www.grizzly.com/products/h5892

1. 
   philip | Oct 03, 2007 10:31am | #11

   Larry and Pop,
   The size of the stone is what is most influential on the price, followed by the means to hold it.The better ones are a more even shape also.Philip Marcou

2. 
   danmart | Oct 04, 2007 01:00am | #14

   thanks lwilliams. I checked the two sources and it looks like Griz is the better bargain.

   Dan

4. 
   Poplarbeech | Sep 28, 2007 03:09am | #4

   Thanks to those who replied to my question.  I think I'll try the diamond wheel dresser but I'll mount the grinding wheel in my drill press to turn it at a little higher speed.  That way I can also lock the dresser into a fixed position so it doesn't follow the already out-of-round contour of the wheel and just keep making it worse.  I'll gradually move it in until I get the wheel round.

   John White, you mentioned the Tormek.  If money were no object, I think that would definitely be the way to go.  Don't you have a spare one laying around the FWW shop you want to get rid of?  :-)

   Thanks again, everyone.  Much appreciated.

   PoplarBeech

    

    

5. 
   lwilliams | Sep 30, 2007 07:10pm | #8

   A decade or more ago there were wet grinders with sandstone wheels offered a number of places. If it does have a sandstone wheel, the traditional dressing tool is just a piece of iron pipe. I've never trued a sandstone wheel this way but Don McConnell has and he says it works well.

6. 
   saulgood | Oct 03, 2007 12:53pm | #12

   >" has anyone ever tried to re-true a grinding wheel, and if so, what did you use to do it? "

   I have, on my bench grinder. I took another wheel (same grit) and put a dowel through the center. Then I held the dowel firmly with both hands and brought the two wheels together -straight on- while the grinder was running. Of course, the wheel in my hands started turning, and after only a few seconds the wheel on the machine was true. I could tell because of the vibrations, which quickly disappeared.

   If anyone tries this, it goes without saying that you should wear gloves and eye protection.

7. 
   BruceS | Oct 03, 2007 04:00pm | #13

   Jumping in a little late here.  If your grinder has the white 220 alu ox wheel it is a very very soft and very friable wheel. Yes, I realize a wheel should be friable so new sharp abrasive comes up but that wheel is way too friable and wears like a piece of burnt toast.  I would suggest after you get it dressed and used to a nubbin replace it with a Jet or Tormek wheel, providing the arbor holes match.  I like my jet wheel because you can "adjust" the abrasiveness of the wheel by the way you dress it.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

   
   

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   Edited 10/3/2007 9:15 am ET by BruceS

8. 
   Steinmetz | Oct 04, 2007 07:31am | #15

   With the wheel spinning, briefly hold a piece of chalk to the wheel and traverse it across the face
   Shut it down and 1/3rd to 2/3rds of the diameter will be on the high side

   If you don't have a diamond dresser, but have an electric drill, (Reversible)with a 4" grind wheel on an arbor or mandrel, turn on the grinder first, then put the smaller wheel (running in reverse)to the spinning wheel and deftly traverse the wheel from left to right a few times Shut both drills down and observe the chalk marks.

   They'll only be a smaller area showing chalk. Start the grinder again apply chalk again. Start up the small wheel and go at it once more

   Result: both wheels round and dressed.
   Steinmetz.

   
   

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   Edited 10/4/2007 12:36 am ET by Steinmetz