Surface grinder wheels

fitzo

fitzo

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Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,648
I need some input from people with experience. It is time to buy a new wheel for my surface grinder. I have a table-top Taiwanese SG without cooling. I've always struggled through using the standard white wheels for 20 years. My needs are mostly to prepare barstock blanks for use, meaning I will need to remove about 10-20 thou total. It has been recommended that I try a Norton SG wheel in a 46 grit. My problem is that the MSC book offers a number of choices.

First, they have regular wheels and porous wheels. Is one better for my application than another? My choices seem to be 5SG and 3SGR.

Second, they are offered in hardnesses from G to J. What is the preference for my machine/task?

I am not averse to spending the money for a good wheel if it is going to make this task a little less aggravating. Eventually I am going to build myself a belt conversion, but, for now I need a new wheel.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
Mike I reccomend using a 2x72 belt just like your "other" surface grinder. As you know I converted to belts and have not missed using wheels at all. You won't be able to work in the ten thousandth's any more but you can sure get within a thou with a belt. I just got through surface grinding 11 back bars for folders.Each bar is a different thickness and they are all right at the target thickness within half a thou. Thats close enough for the girls I go with. A belt (up to 120 grit) will allow you to take .005 at a time and that cleans up a bar quick. Convert - you will like it buddy!
 
Hi, Bill. Yeah, I keep planning to make the darn conversion and never seem to do it. I rue the day I didn't just buy the last one McFall had. I was sad to see Bertie's plans had gone offline, too, when I checked for them a couple weeks back. I will sit down one of these days and figure it out and build one. I believe I still have fotos from your conversion and Nicks (lost some in a hard drive failure). For the immediate moment, though, I will buy one last wheel. Truth be told, my current wheel only sticks out about 3/8" below the guard and I have to do something pronto.
 
Fitzo, I started using my old SG bout 12 years ago. After trying lots of wheels, I settled on the Norton GS 46 grit Porous. They cut cool and fast. I take .005 off and feed .025 into per pass. I can't think of the numbers right now but I use the softer, I believe G or H.

I've tried belts but for what I do, the rock works best.
 
Have you seen the kind of girls a big, goofy grinn'n Texan will "go with"????

Yea.

;)

(I'm praying Bill's other half does not see that, since 1.) she is as neat a lady as you'll ever find, and 2.) she'd kick my ass all while keeping her gentle southern dialect and smile! :D )

Ahhhh... now that I have that out of my system...

Oh wait, Fitz had a question!

Damn it!!!

I had the best luck with Norton 46 grit.

However, I do not know what the fuq I'm doing, nor did I stick with the stones very long.

If you need any more help with anything on that Fitz, I am much more betterest at photo upload/sharing type of stuff now. :)

BTW Mr. Bill, I still have a piece of felt for you!!! I need to kick myself in the arse and remember to bring it from my big city to your big city!!! ;)
 
Does anyone have a decent set of plans for the conversion (the arm for the 2X72)? I've got some plans of my own, but I usually over complicate the process, and thought there might be an easier way.

Oh, I've got a Norton 6X18 Automatic surface grinder if you needed to know that for plans.

MT
 
Thanks for the help, guys. I have decided on an (overpriced) porous, soft (G) Norton wheel called a NorPor 3SGR.
 
Now you don't have any excuse to not be down in the shop making knives Mike. Just get all of Nancy's flower arrangements and knick knacks off the top of your equipment, blow the dust off and go to work. Fire off the forge and barbeque all the mice that made nest's inside and make you up a billet of that funny looking iron.
 
I've been well enough to work some daily lately, Bill, up until last Wednesday. Damned herniated disc is getting closer and closer to going away for good.:mad:
 
For any who may be interested: I got to try out my new wheel today, and have to say it is the nicest I have used. It ran very, very cool w/o any coolant and gave a beautiful finsih. For any who have struggled with heat issues stripping the pickling surface off factory barstock/sheet, this went like a breeze. I gnawed .015" off either side faster than I've ever done before and the finish is easily equivalent to a 100g white carborundum wheel. .002" cut and .050" feed were very modest and generated no heat or warpage.

This was a Norton 3SGR 46 grit "Norpor". I don't know what type of longevity it will have, being so porous, but I don't really care. This was a huge time- and aggravation- saver. Highly recommended.
 
It was one of those times when you are only involved in a task for about 20 seconds when you know it's "right" and the smile spreads across the face. The $45 for the wheel became immediately immaterial.

Thanks for the advice, Don!
 
sounds like you found the right wheel. Try spraying your workpiece with WD40 before you grind. No, it won't catch on fire-I promise. I do it all the time.

Don't forget to keep that wheel dressed.

RJ Martin
 
rj martin said:
sounds like you found the right wheel. Try spraying your workpiece with WD40 before you grind. No, it won't catch on fire-I promise. I do it all the time.

Don't forget to keep that wheel dressed.

RJ Martin
Click to expand...

That's a good tip, RJ. Thanks! I've tried that before with the white carborundum wheel to little functional improvement, but it may have just been because it was an "insurmountable task" for it to help enough to matter. Without coolant, the cheap white wheels generate significant heat even with a .001" cut and .025 feed, causing warpage and dimension change easily, even with a freshly dressed wheel. (I dress the wheel first thing I turn on the SG, always.) I'll try it again with the Norpor.

If I had the room for a larger compressor I'd get a mini Vortec gun.

I have tried other Norton wheels, including their 32AA, which I felt glazed too quickly and needed too frequent dressing. This Norpor is really the cat's ass by comparison.
 
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