Balancing A Bench Grinder Wire Brush

[Franko]

I like using wire brushes on my bench grinders, but every one I've ever seen is out of balance, causing the bench grinder to vibrate. Some just a little, others so much that I fear they will damage the bearings on my grinders.

I'd like to get some suggestions and discussion on how to balance a wire grinder brush.

The first idea that comes to mind is to make a good fitting mandrel with an axle and set it between a couple of rails. It seems easy enough to find the heavy side, but how to go about adding or subtracting weight?

I suppose drilling a hole on the heavy side would be a method. Would you start with a small hole and increase its diameter gradually until it balances?

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I had the same problem with a thick wire wheel I had, I made some tapered centering mandrels for each site and it helped, then while ordering a green wheel from enco they list a wheel centering center piece that is many pieces from 1.250 to .5o inches for fun I put that on my wire wheel and it ran true. I think I went from 1 in to 1/2 in. the part is plastic and was about $4.50 a good price for what it did. Not sure if this is any help in your situation.

 

[xman_charl]

Use these wire wheels. 1.250 inch arbor with .250 slot, American made.

Grinders are not bolted down, red pin to position them.

Swap grinders fast, or put grinder with wire wheel on workbench, for use.



work well.

Charley

 

[Franko]

Ed, are you talking about bushings?

I don't think the hole in the wheels is the problem. They are good and tight and I have various bushings for them. I think they are out of balance.

 

[Sandia]

I always have the same problem Franko. Every one I have tried, makes the grinder out of balance, some worse than others. Don't know how to balance a wire wheel.

 

[jim18655]

You might be able to mount it on a tight arbor supported on two knife edges and find the heavy side. Maybe balance with some weld spots or solder? Only problem I can see is as the wires wear or fly out the balance will change.

 

[turnitupper]

Franko.
I have used a piece of 4"x2"x4" 16 Ga channel for rails,hit the top with a fine file,make sure they are level and away you go. Snip off wires to balance. When wheel throws more wires,repeat. Sometimes wheels (Especially new ones) are out of round and to fix that I mount an angle grinder (not hand held) so that it turns perpendicular to the spinning wire wheel on the grinder. Set it to take off just a little and do'nt be tempted to rush it. If out of round is the problem you can hear the bench grinder gradually run smoother and smoother.
John.

 

[Franko]

Thanks, John. That sounds like a plan.

I made a 5/8" bushing with a 3/16" center hole. I clamped a couple of 1/16" x 1.5 aluminum angles to my table with enough overhang to support the 3/16" rod through the center of the bushing.

I found the heavy side and stuck some 1/2" magnets on the opposite side until it balanced. It took 10 grams of magnets to balance it.

5 wires weighs .1 gram.
Wow. I'll have to snip 500 wires.
Maybe I can lighten the heavy side by drilling a hole or two.

 

[turnitupper]

Franco,
10 grams is a lot to be off balance. The little bugger must have been chasing you around the shop! Perhaps you could try the angle grinder trick and check again.Drilling holes sounds like the answer and if your wheel looks like the one in Charleys photo above, perhaps fill the holes in the light side with soft solder or a small piece of rod glued/tapped into them. As a last resort you could break out the TIG and weld 500 wires on the light side.
John.

 

[rick9345]

Address out of round wire or stone

Then

Google "flange balance weights" bench grinder