Replies

1. 
   Senomozi | Sep 16, 2009 03:14pm | #1

   You can use a wheel dresser. Lee Valley has one, which is where I got the attached picture from. I own one like this and it works well.

   
2. 
   CStanford | Sep 16, 2009 05:30pm | #2

   Dress the wheel with a diamond dresser. It'll take less than five minutes.

3. 
   mike4244 | Sep 16, 2009 11:03pm | #3

   The other posts are correct, but I would not bother  to square it up. I have the same grinder I think,2"x10" white wheel turns at 70 rpm's and a 4" white wheel that turns at 3450 rpm's. Never used the small wheel yet. My large wheel is at least 1/16" out of square but straight across( not convex or concave ).The wheel is soft so it is more likely to grinding out of square. I did this from 5 years or so of honing  hss tools for both metal and wood turning.I have no problem with the wheel not being square.

   You could use the high side more often and wear it down some until you have a center ridge,then dress the stone.Sears sells a tungsten carbide point type of dresser that is simple to use.Diamond points and star type dressers are available .Any will work, I have used the star type and own the tungsten carbide point type.

   mike

1. 
   KUBasswood | Sep 16, 2009 11:35pm | #4

   Mike,

   Maybe (probably) the problem is with the user rather than the unit.  After I got it home, I tried using it to regrind a 3/4" chisel and could not for the life of me get a flat beveled surface.  It was almost like I was 'rocking' the blade as it was being ground, even though the chisel was being firmly held on the  tool rest.  I assumed it was because the wheel wasn't square, causing uneven sanding across width of the chisel. 

   Suggestions?

1. 
   KeithNewton | Sep 17, 2009 01:29pm | #6

   KU, It sounds as though you are trying to set the blade against the wheel while the tool is being held in a fixture which doesn't move across the stone. It that is the case, then I guess you might have a problem. However, If the wheel had a 45º bevel to one side, and you had your holding fixture set at 45º you could still get a square bevel on your tool. So grinding just to get square is wasting the wheel.I do most of my grinding freehand, and really don't want the whole bevel of the tool contacting the wheel all across the bevel at once anyway, because it would generate more heat, than using a side to side motion applying light pressure to whatever portion of the bevel needs to be ground most. I really don't care for a wide wheel much anyway. I sharpen my jointer and planer knives which are 12" and 24" long using a 1/2" wheel on a small TS, by traversing the blade back and forth, so obviously the width of the wheel isn't needed to most situations.Of course when I have lots to grind, and want to work faster, I use a Koolmist sprayer to take the heat away. Like last week when I made a pair of shaper knives, I did all the work hand held, and never felt the metal get hot. Here is a link http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2725&category=

2. 
   mike4244 | Sep 18, 2009 01:29am | #7

   The large wheel is intended to be used for honing, not grinding. Grind the chisel on a regular grinder or the 4" wheel which turns much faster. Then use the 2x10" wheel to hone. I use my 2x10 mostly for wood turning gouges,the side of the wheel for skew chisels and also to hone a small round finishing edge on high speed steel turning cutters for a metal lathe.

   Using the large wheel to grind will not work out very well. The wheel is too fine and turns at 70 rpm which is too slow. Chisels,plane irons etc , I grind first,with a regular grinder, then hone with standard stones.

   mike

   Edited 9/17/2009 6:30 pm ET by mike4244

4. 
   philip | Sep 17, 2009 10:52am | #5

   Senomozi has shown a picture of a multi cluster diamond dresser, which does a nice job of final dressing and maintaining a flat surface across the wheel.
   Also in use is a single point diamond dresser ie it is just one diamond mounted on the end of steel rod. This can be hand held on the tool post or mounted in a jig for doing a precision job. The single point dresser will remove material much faster than the multi cluster and is therefore good when the wheel is badly out of round, damaged etc.
   Both are cheap, considering their effect on the cutting action of grinding wheels and the fact that they last a lifetime.
   There is one other thing that most people don't appreciate: the fact that a single point dresser produces a surface on the wheel which is much "sharper" than that left by a multi cluster dresser- so the wheel cuts faster with less pressure. Less pressure= less heat....
   I wouldn't replace that white wheel unless it is very much undersized or cracked.
   And after reading your post #6 I suggest you will find all is well once that wheel is properly dressed.... Philip Marcou

   
   

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   Edited 9/17/2009 3:54 am by philip