Wire Wheels

[brandonmoore223]

A little background on me first. I am a heavy equipment mechanic for Case and have roughly five years verifiable experience. I grew up on a ranch in Montana and have been wrenching on things since I got my first craftsman wrench set (3/8" drive and I still have it).

In the shop I work at wire wheels are not allowed, we use scotchlocks and flap wheels instead. We do have wire wheels on all of our grinders though. I would like to know everyone's opinion on wire wheels, I know they are unsafe when used on whistle grinders or other high rpm devices but what about bench grinders and handheld grinders? Also, do wire wheels actually cause the excessive wear on bench grinder bearings?

 

[kunkernator]

I dont know about wear on bearings, but as for wire wheels I agree they should be treated with caution. My work allows them, but we must wear a full face shield and gloves. Given most of the time I use them is while doing surface prep while sitting, I also recommend a leather apron. I have picked hundreds of tiny sharp little wires out of my crotch area, not fun.

Safety wise, they are fine to use IF you use proper PPE (face shield mainly). I would never spin up one if I dont have it on. Those little wires are like mini arrows shooting off.

 

[zkling]

Not unless they are extremely unbalanced causing a high unbalance force. Even then bench grinders are designed to take quite a bit of radial loads on the shaft.

 

[Strouty]

 

[kunkernator]

And im complaining about my balls.....

 

[Strouty]

That wasn't me, just a google image. I have had a wire stuck in my cheek before, but that was before everything had a camera in it.

 

[brandonmoore223]

Jimeny cricket! I have been hit in the glasses so any times I couldn't imagine using a wire wheel without em.

 

[SASORacing]

I do not see any danger of wire wheels. The only danger is if you dont wear eye protection . I am not too worried about taking a wire in the skin, its the eyes. I always wear some glasses when grinding / polishing / buffing though. It feels nice and secure like wearing your seatbelt on a rainy night on the freeway. You just do those things because its safe, you dont avoid driving just because its dangerous if you are not wearing a seatbelt. blah.

 

[G_P]

This just happened today while using a wire cup brush on an angle grinder. Never even felt it go in. Hurt like he'll coming out as the end was bent. My shirt looked like a steel porcupine. Proper eye protect is a must around any wire wheel.

 

[shampoop]

I do not see any danger of wire wheels. The only danger is if you dont wear eye protection . I am not too worried about taking a wire in the skin, its the eyes.

+1

What I'd consider normal wire wheels the (not the short super stiff ones) barely even scrape you when you brush your arm or hand against the wheel. Doesn't even break the skin. The flying needles only hurt enough to make it really annoying if not wearing many clothes and using the tool for a long time.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I use wire wheels all the time on 4.5" and 6/7/9" grinders. I wear safety glasses. Yea, they stick in my skin sometimes, shirt and pants get full of them. NBD.

Buy quality wire wheels. Weiler USA or DeWalt USA or whatever. Stay away from chinese junk.

 

[MixManSC]

I agree with Mohawk Dave on this.... I've gone through way too many cheapo wire wheels. The cheapo ones are horribly out of balance and the wires are horribly crimped. I've seen some cheap ones literally fly apart within a minute of use. I only get the better quality ones now and they last a lot longer with a lot less wires coming loose all the time. I just put a big 10" Dewalt on on my new (to me) pedestal grinder. Its a bit wider than Dewalt advertises but it still fits inside the guards although a few stray wires have worn a small bit of paint off the edge of the guard in places. Its a beast of a wheel for sure. There is a pair of goggles as well as a full face Uvex face shield right there at the machine too.

The worst ones are the super cheap Chinese made drill ones that come on a blister card assortment of several sizes for $1.99 or whatever. I've seen those see far off center right in the package that its ridiculous. You get what you pay for...