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Joined
Dec 21, 2024
Messages
212
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Location
Denton, North Carolina
As many of you know I'm new to turning and I'm slowly adding to my Lab. This month I've decided to get my first CBN wheel. I have a bucktool slow speed grinder that comes standard with a 1.5" wheel and a 1" wheel. Eventually I'll want to get a low grit "roughing wheel", but now I'm only getting my finishing wheel this month.

I've decided through discussions with others what grit I'm interested in and I'm fairly sure that i want to look at the Mega Square type wheel, from Woodturners Wonders. My question are there any other suppliers i should consider that have a similar wheel on the market? While saving money is important for me, I'm not looking to punch pennies on this purchase, but rather want to know if there might be alternatives. Beyond that might there even be a better choice than the WW option.

Thanks in advance in looking forward to everyone's input. This is the type of item that I'll more than likely buy once. I'm never going to be a production turner so I doubt I'll wear out a CBN wheel in my lifetime, but who knows. Even so it will last me many years from what I've read about the technology.

Gregory
 
I do recommend you get their spherical washers for whatever wheel you get - I feel it helps get the wheels on the arbor true.
You are definetly not the first to suggest this to me. Even if I bought another companies wheels, I would get these washers. I'm fairly sure I'm buying from them, but just wanted to see what's out there, that others have had good experience with.

Gregory
 
Every body and their many brothers sell CBN wheels. I don't really know if there is much difference in over all quality, though the Cuttermaster/Tradesman one may be a little bit better, from Canada. I have mostly D Way since they have been friends for a while. Theirs are solid steel. When the WTW ones first came out, many were wondering if the CBN would bond to the aluminum properly. I have heard no complaints. I do prefer the square edge wheels rather than the radius edge wheels. Also, 1 1/2 inch wide. I would regularly run off the edge of the 1 inch wide wheels, but don't think I ever did that with the 1 1/2 inch wide wheels, and I use just a platform, not the jigs.

robo hippy
 
@robo hippy thanks for your input. I'm definetly looking at a square 1.5" wheel for my first wheel. Even though I can mount it with the guards I'll princely remove the guards as everything I've read states they are not needed with cbn. I'll have to look at the Dway but I'm wondering if steel might not be a bit much for my grinder.

On a side note, when looking at the WW site today the spherical washers are unavailable for the 5/8" Arbor. I called them and they have no clue when they will be available again, but did state i might have luck at McMaster Carr. Would anyone who has a set of spherical washers be willing to measure theirs and give me the details?

Gregory
 
I keep the guards on my grinders. Mostly for collecting the dust. The metal dust floats around in the air like wood dust does. I had a magnetic lamp base in a box 3 foot above my grinder and it was closed, but not taped. When I got the lamp out to use it, the base was covered with metal dust. Metal dust isn't any better to breathe in than wood dust. Some use magnets. That helps, but doesn't get it all. To date, there is no affordable dust collector for collecting metal dust, they have to be fire proof.... For the helical washers, the problem with the nuts and the washers you get at the big box stores, they are not machined dead flat. This can induce wobble. Not sure if you can find machined nuts for your grinder or not. Maybe one of the fastener stores would have them, but one end must be reverse threaded....

robo hippy
 
Would anyone who has a set of spherical washers be willing to measure theirs and give me the details?

I may have a set not mounted I might be able to measure tomorrow.

But all you really need is to make sure the holes are a bit larger than the shafts. Sir google indicates spherical washers are available from many suppliers. I’ve just used the WTW version and have to experience with any other.

The WTW washers came with a separate hardened flat washer but I don’t think they are usually needed - they all run perfectly true without the flat washers.

I personally can’t help you decide on one supplier over another since I have experience with only WTW. However, I’ve bought maybe 8 or 9 from them, most 8” but a two were 10” dia for the Tormeks, and all have been fine. (some were experiments while I was “honing” in on best grit combination for me - I didn’t keep any of those I eliminated but passed them on to other turners.) I’d buy from WTW again - in fact I just bought a replacement 8” 600 grit wheel yesterday, not because the first one went bad but someone damaged part of the surface. It still worked ok but I decided to get a replacement.

I think the advantage of the square edges over the radius edges has been discussed - there are several disadvantages of the radiused edged wheels and only one advantage and that only applies to very few people.

I always buy the CBN wheels with grit down the flat sides as well, often useful.

I think it’s been clear to never grind soft metals with CBN.

Note also that the way these are made they will be a little more aggressive when new but with a little use they will quickly settle down to their “normal” functionality.

JKJ
 
Note also that the way these are made they will be a little more aggressive when new but with a little use they will quickly settle down to their “normal” functionality.
I think this is true of all man made sharpening products. Especially those with bonded grits.

As far as measurement i was just curious on the overall diameter. I doubt most of the world isn't tooled up to accurately measure the radius of the sphere.

Gregory
 
I was not aware that D Way had changed anything. I have wheels of theirs from 10 years to 2 years or so, I guess. The old ones have been retired.

As for soft metals, you can grind some on the CBN wheels. I did an experiment on an old set of wheels I was going to retire. Copper, aluminum, brass, and soft steel. The wheel loaded up and there were obvious stripes on the wheel. After about a month, you could not see any remnants of the softer metals. A2 like my plane irons and chisels is no problem. CBN is intended for "hardened" metals.

robo hippy
 
Would anyone who has a set of spherical washers be willing to measure theirs and give me the details?

I measured some in my stock. 1-3/8" diameter, 3/8" stacked nested. Just over 5/8" dia holes. I could measure the spherical radius but wouldn't have time today. And only if you planned on machining some. But as for function, the exact radius won't matter - they are simply designed to handle slight unevenness on the nut.

Edit: oops, I wrote down the numbers then typed them in wrong so I changed them.
 
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I was not aware that D Way had changed anything. I have wheels of theirs from 10 years to 2 years or so, I guess. The old ones have been retired.

As for soft metals, you can grind some on the CBN wheels. I did an experiment on an old set of wheels I was going to retire. Copper, aluminum, brass, and soft steel. The wheel loaded up and there were obvious stripes on the wheel. After about a month, you could not see any remnants of the softer metals. A2 like my plane irons and chisels is no problem. CBN is intended for "hardened" metals.

robo hippy
I have posted them up here a few times now. D-Way says they are a whole new thing, and you have to re-think the grits you think you want. I have no idea if it is right or marketing, but people here including you tell me D-way can be trusted. So when I buy a CBN wheel, I will take a chance on these. https://d-waytools.com/cbn-grinding-wheels
 
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