Grinding wheel dressers

[maverick302]

What's everyone's preference on dressing bench grinder wheels? Star type, single point diamond, cluster type diamond, abrasive sticks? Doing a little research, it seems there are more opinions than facts, many of which contradict.

 

[John Timmins]

I would look into shopping for replacement grinder wheels online and see if you can find any. There should be some explanation of the various types.

The reason I'm saying this is I looked at a Grainger catalog one time and there was a dressing tool complete but not replacement wheels. Maybe that has changed, I don't know. The handle and wheels complete was cheap enough that it is likely throwing out the old tool and buying a complete new one was cheaper.

If I wanted to read info about dressing wheels I would go to the library and find that big book called the Machinist's Practical Guide. That book seems to have anything you want to know in it.

The various grinding wheel dressing tools you mention most likely vary because the HARDNESS of the grinding wheel you want to dress. Some grinding wheels are very soft and not aggressive.

 

[maverick302]

I would look into shopping for replacement grinder wheels online and see if you can find any. There should be some explanation of the various types.

The reason I'm saying this is I looked at a Grainger catalog one time and there was a dressing tool complete but not replacement wheels. Maybe that has changed, I don't know. The handle and wheels complete was cheap enough that it is likely throwing out the old tool and buying a complete new one was cheaper.

If I wanted to read info about dressing wheels I would go to the library and find that big book called the Machinist's Practical Guide. That book seems to have anything you want to know in it.

The various grinding wheel dressing tools you mention most likely vary because the HARDNESS of the grinding wheel you want to dress. Some grinding wheels are very soft and not aggressive.

Very good point. For the purpose of this thread we'll assume aluminum oxide or similar.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Not a real answer but so far I've managed to keep mine in pretty good shape by moving my piece back and forth across the face of the wheel as I grind. This avoids making grooves and keeps it fairly nice. When I checked into this topic a few months ago I wasn't happy with any of the options I could find.

 

[torqueman2002]

I use this style for dressing the stones on my bench grinders.
Note: I move the grinder outside, because of the 'dust' this generates.

Mr. Pete [tualcan], a retired industrial arts teacher, has a nice video on this topic.

MACHINE SHOP TIPS #97 Dressing Grind Wheels tubalcain

For more links and references on Bench Grinding, see my signature links.

 

[motofool33]

ive used the red version in the video for cleaning belt sander belts from aluminum little grease and that star wheel worked wonders

 

[383 240z]

All the wheels at the machine shop, green, white,blue and grey. Get dressed with single point diamonds. In the surface grinders they are mounted, the bench grinders are done hand held.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I use this style for dressing the stones on my bench grinders.
Note: I move the grinder outside, because of the 'dust' this generates.

Mr. Pete [tualcan], a retired industrial arts teacher, has a nice video on this topic.

MACHINE SHOP TIPS #97 Dressing Grind Wheels tubalcain

For more links and references on Bench Grinding, see my signature links.

I 2nd this one works great unless you have a way to move the diamond in a controlled manner across the wheel a single point like for a surface grinder

 

[twertsy]

I use this style for dressing the stones on my bench grinders.
Note: I move the grinder outside, because of the 'dust' this generates.

Mr. Pete [tualcan], a retired industrial arts teacher, has a nice video on this topic.

MACHINE SHOP TIPS #97 Dressing Grind Wheels tubalcain

For more links and references on Bench Grinding, see my signature links.

Thank you for that video link........on many levels. First, the how to. And second, the different types that are available and helping me figure out what some of the stuff is in the boxes I've accumulated!

 

[torqueman2002]

Thank you for that video link........on many levels. First, the how to. And second, the different types that are available and helping me figure out what some of the stuff is in the boxes I've accumulated!

I forget how I stumbled upon his videos, but I can spend a lot of time watching them, and wishing I'd have lived in the same town as my great-grandfather.

He had a machine shop on Franklin St, in Springville. I loved any time he'd let me in there to see what he was working on.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Not a real answer but so far I've managed to keep mine in pretty good shape by moving my piece back and forth across the face of the wheel as I grind. This avoids making grooves and keeps it fairly nice. When I checked into this topic a few months ago I wasn't happy with any of the options I could find.

The dresser is not just for straightening the face of the wheel it also breaks off pieces of the grit exposing fresh sharp facets the will cut quicker and cooler.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

The dresser is not just for straightening the face of the wheel it also breaks off pieces of the grit exposing fresh sharp facets the will cut quicker and cooler.

Thanks. I had just learned that from watching the linked video above by "tubalcain." He is just a treasure on Youtube. I read here once he lives in Illinois. I wish I could shake his hand and thank him for the fantastic teaching he does on Youtube. He is one of the things that makes the internet great!

 

[Mgnu]

Any links to Zoro or the likes for good quality dressers? Amazon has a bunch, but they all seem like run of the mill Chicom **** with reviews questioning their longevity...