Truing up a contact wheel

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Jul 1, 2003
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I have a 8” serrated contact wheel that is not true. It is not out of round but is not square from the left edge to the right edge. When grinding the belt slopes from the left edge, makes a bump in the middle of the wheel and then tapers off to the right edge. How can I true up the wheel? I have tried using a file and also some sand paper to abrade the wheel as it is running but the wheels rubber is too tough to contour in this manner.
 
You might be able to get someone to put in on a lathe a true it up. If nothing else just buy one of the grizzly contact wheels. I cant remember but I seem to think they are quite cheap.
 
When contact wheels are made, they are trued to size using an OD grinder. The only way you will get that wheel true again is to have it recovered, which I recommend, but for an 8" wheel, it may not be cost-effective to do so.
 
I had a local mahine shop true up one of mine with a toolpost grinder on a lathe. While significantly rougher than the original finish, it didn't come out too bad for $20. (It was trashed by a student, and he was the one to use it afterwards, so the rougher finish didn't bother me at all!) ;)
 
Thanks for the replies. The wheel is from my Bador II. I'll call some local machine shops and also check on the price of a replacement wheel.
 
I sent my 10" serrated wheel to Contact Rubber to be trued up and they did a good job. I think it was around $40.00 if I remember right. Pretty fast turn around time too.
 
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