Fixing contact wheel??

jll346

jll346

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 29, 2006
Messages
4,632
Any way to fix/ resurface a 10" contact wheel. I had my belt running off to one side to grind out a finger choil and for what ever reason I brought the knife across the wheel where there was no belt on it. The hot blade ground on the bare wheel. Now I have about a 3/16" wide very shallow boogered groove around the whole wheel. Im sure it will affect something when I grind with it. Stupid costly move on my part!:mad:
 
You can take the wheel to a machine shop and ask them to true it up on a lathe using a tool post grinder. It looks a little rough-surfaced when you get it back, but it quickly smoothes back out. The last time I had it done, about 6 years ago, they charged me $20.
 
Thanks for the replies. It is not very deep at all but may cause a problem. I am just so pissed off I did it.
 
I once slipped and cut deeply into my 10" serrated contact wheel and actually cut off some chunks. (Of rubber, not me). Made me sick. I picked all of the pieces up and glued them back on with shoe goo. After the glue cured, I carefully trued up the wheel with a coarse diamond hone. That was about 3 years ago and it's still as good as new.
 
When I was a teenager, about 40 years ago, i used to race slot cars (about this time the young guys are saying "what the crap is a slot car?" any way, we used to true up the tires by spinning them while lowering them onto a sheet of abrasive paper. I have used a similar technique on grinder contact wheels. Using double back tape, contact glue or rubber glue, attach a section of 80 to 120 grit belt to a board the same width as the belt. with the wheel turning (easier if the contact wheel is the driven wheel) hold the board with the abrasive paper up and gently press it against the wheel surface, as the belt fills up with wheel coating, pull the board up so a fresh area is against the wheel. When the belt fills up, stop and remove the build up, brush, vacuum or air hose. Repeat process until surface is free of divots. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask.

If the divots are real deep, L6 has the right idea, send them to CRC.

Jim Arbuckle
ABS JS
 
You can run the belt on your machine and carefully hold a bastard file or rasp to the backside of the contact wheel - this is how many guys crown their contact wheel a little.
 
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I asked Rob Frink the same question a few yrs ago and he said to split a belt lengwise, put belt on machine and track all the way over to one side. WIth a sharp but square(square to side and edge...like a chisel but no bevel)and riding the workrest which is almost touching the wheel offer up chisel with the top of chisel just touching rubber. It will take off a very thin tubber band of rubber. Track belt over to other side and finish up. You now have a wheel that is 9 7/8":):)
 
John L said:
I asked Rob Frink the same question a few yrs ago and he said to split a belt lengwise, put belt on machine and track all the way over to one side. WIth a sharp but square(square to side and edge...like a chisel but no bevel)and riding the workrest which is almost touching the wheel offer up chisel with the top of chisel just touching rubber. It will take off a very thin tubber band of rubber. Track belt over to other side and finish up. You now have a wheel that is 9 7/8":):)
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info from everyone. I am going to try this tonight and see what happens.
 
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