New grinder wheels

why 220 grit most of the sharpening wheels are about 150 at best for a 6 or 8” grinder and thats considered very fine for doing the final sharpening.those you should be able to find at most places that sell grinding wheels.for super sharp edges you can switch to wet or diamond stones.

-- sawdust the bigger the pile the bigger my smile-larry,so cal.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a wheel that fine. Anything finer than 120 or so is going to clog quickly and have heat issues.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!

Look into CBN wheels. They are more expensive, but the trade offs outweigh the negatives. I’m looking at some for a grinder myself. I just haven’t pulled the trigger yet. CBN Wheels

-- Sawdust makes me whole --Mike in STL

Don’t know why you need 220 grit wheels, lot depends upon use of the wheel. This site will give you basic information for what you really need.

https://www.georgiagrindingwheel.com/grindingwheels_basics.htm

-- Bill

The good news is Peachtree woodworking supply has what you want

The really bad news is the 15% off storewide discount with free S&H over 30 bux ended Labor Day.

This year I have been noticing once a year kind of sales happening much more often, and PTree didn’t participate in the “Theee Woodworking Shows” this year, and instead went a cheaper route for payroll, not to mention for sending semi’s all over the country, and are having some pretty regular sales. I’d suggest signing up for their e-mails, and you’ll see when they next go on sale. Unless you gotta have it this week.

Of their offerings I like that White Norton wheel, it’s only 150 grit, but against metal tool edges it kicks buttocks.

-- Think safe, be safe

Yep, CBN is the only way to go with that fine of a grit. These are great wheels for $110 I have two of them.
https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/cbn-wheels/products/improved-spartan-8-cbn-wheel-5-8-arbor

-- Colombia Custom Woodworking

The good news is Peachtree woodworking supply has what you want

Peachtree sells the same wheels through Amazon for $136. I have the 80 grit, and love it so far.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GG5GIGC/ref=cmswrcpapaifQCCDbE0KMJ5W

Hmmm. It looks like I am going to have to re-evaluate what I want. From my reading, CBN would not be appropriate for my needs. I was hoping to find an “all-purpose” wheel that I could use on an assortment of metals from HSS down to aluminum. No carbide or other “exotics”. Most of my grinding needs would be for common steels, and occasionally some aluminum and brass. I understand the clogging and heat issues with such a fine grained wheel, but I think I would still like to find one. Also occasionally my HSS lathe tools just because it seems like they would have a finer edge even though it might not last as long.
I have a 120 grit stone on dad’s old grinder, and it was pretty good for what I do. But when I want a nice edge on something, it still takes quite a bit of filing and sanding to clean it up. I was hoping for a wheel that would minimize this post-grinding cleanup. I cannot transfer this wheel to the new grinder because the old Craftsman was a 7” grinder, and I bought 6” wheels for it. The 6” wheel is down to about 5” now. I have seen a 200-grit here and there, so maybe I’ll try one of those.

Thanks all,

Wayne

It is generally not a good idea to grind soft metals like aluminum on most grinders.

If you really want something finer than about 200 grit, you probably need to consider something like a Tormek wet grinder. Even then you will probably have to upgrade the wheel as the standard wheel is 220 I think, though they claim you can dress the wheel so that it achieves the equivalent of 1000 grit.

-- Nathan, TX -- Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

I think maybe you should look into wheels that are more friable. I like white Aluminum Oxide wheels. They don’t last as long but they cut well and cut consitently. A 120 grit white AO gives me a good enough finish on HSS turning tools to use straight off the wheel.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!

And to grind aluminum, you need something very coarse and even then it’s gonna clog it up.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!

yeah grinding aluminum will just clog your wheel and cause a lot of aggravation.there is just no do it all grinding wheel that will do it all well.

-- sawdust the bigger the pile the bigger my smile-larry,so cal.

I don’t know where I heard it but I seem to recall someone saying that grinding aluminum on a coarse wheel is dangerous? Something about the aluminum clogging, heating up and cause the the wheel to break?

-- Nathan, TX -- Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Very likely Nathan. In the rare cases that I need to grind aluminum, I either use a coarse belt on a sander or a flap disk on an angle grinder. It does wreak havoc on grinder wheels at those speeds so I don’t chance ruining a wheel with it.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!

I think maybe you should look into wheels that are more friable. I like white Aluminum Oxide wheels. They don t last as long but they cut well and cut consitently. A 120 grit white AO gives me a good enough finish on HSS turning tools to use straight off the wheel.

- HokieKen

Exactly what I suggested from PTree. There pages don’t break out products individually, but it is this same wheel. I’ve used them for 40+ years, and agree they are friable, but even so unless you abuse them you should get 5 years from them doing chisels, and turning tools.

Totally agree aluminum is best NOT approached on a wheel. For that I use regular sanding products on belt sander, ROS, or even just paper in your hand. It’s so soft it will do what you want it to do with sandpaper, or files, and rasps. Not a grinding wheel though.

-- Think safe, be safe