# Grinding wheel alternatives



## BillWood (Dec 14, 2014)

Hello,

I've seen a few posts on different forums about alternative tool grinding methods.

Makes me wonder if some alternatives to grinding wheels might not be quite valid and the question I'm asking in this thread is

"_Do I really need to use a grinding wheel to sharpen HSS tool bits ?_"

ie I see the scary sharp system for wood working chisels on various web pages and forums

I see sanding belts and sanding discs being used for both woodturning lathes and hss tool steel for metal lathes discussed in forums

and I saw this recently _http://www.mechanicalphilosopher.com/kbsharpening.pdf_

and thought it was clever, and wondered why the whole world hasn't adopted his ideas

http://www.mechanicalphilosopher.com/kbsharpening.pdf

I've seen the odd horror story about grinding wheels exploding and it seems to me that the systems discussed above avoid that risk.

Makes me wonder if grinding wheels are not some sort of fairly dangerous living fossil that just wont die - but I am a newbie to this and would really value some comments from people who know a lot more than me.

Personally I don't particularly like using the grinding wheel, and would welcome viable alternatives.

Regards

Bill


----------



## Andre (Dec 14, 2014)

Unless you drop a wheel it won't just explode unless you have a bad one.

If you want to avoid a grinding wheel, try a bent sander. They work OK for toolbits.


----------



## Dave Smith (Dec 14, 2014)

BillWood---there are many methods to sharpen all of our different cutting tools---the bench grinder has been used for a long productive time and I still use them for many tools----I usually sharpen most of my tools by hand since I don't have a tool grinding machine---I have hundreds of diamond tools in many shapes and sizes----each persons skill in sharpening is best measured by themselves as they are the ones that want good results, and they are the ones to put the tool to the job----If I am not satisfied the results of a resharpened tool I only have to blame myself and find a better method to get better results---I have always had very good steady hands to do a lot of sharpening by holding the bit in my hands or the power tool in my hands---I had done a lot of carving and a lot of use of hand control to achieve this skill----my age and eyesight are creeping up fast so I may use jigs to help me out as time passes fast----sharpening units that are super accurate and dependable are used by those who sharpen many bits for others and members that have the finances to purchase them for their own use or have the skill to make their own.------there is no cut in stone method and there will always be newly tried tools and jigs-------Dave:thinking:


----------



## eightball (Dec 15, 2014)

I use a belt sander to sharpen drills all the time. I find it easier to control my relief angle than a grinder. I also mark 59  degree lines on the table to control my included angle. Unless I have alot of material to remove from a big drill, the belt sander is my first choice. By big drill i mean something over 1 1/2 inches. I use 3 inch drills all the time at work. Spade drills up to 6 inches.


----------



## hman (Dec 15, 2014)

BillWood said:


> ... I saw this recently _http://www.mechanicalphilosopher.com/kbsharpening.pdf_
> 
> and thought it was clever, and wondered why the whole world hasn't adopted his ideas



Diamond wheels (of various types) are great for sharpening/dressing carbide.  They can be used for steel tools, but this MUST be done at low speeds.  If the steel gets hot, it will absorb/incorporate the carbon of the diamond, and the diamond will simply disappear.  

Mechanicalphilosopher looks like he's using his wheel in a drill press, which is probably OK for speed.  But DON'T be tempted to put this same tool in a Dremel for cutting/sharpening steel!

As for why it's not widespread, I'd say it's because this rig is limited in its ability to remove metal.  It looks great for touch-up sharpening of pre-ground shapes.  But the initial grinding would take MUCH too long in such a setup.  That's where a good quality grinding wheel (or belt sander) would be absolutely necessary.




BillWood said:


> I've seen the odd horror story about grinding wheels exploding and it seems to me that the systems discussed above avoid that risk.



Grinding wheels generally fail for one of two reasons:
(1) Loading the outside by trying to grind aluminum, or something else soft, that will lodge in the surface, expand with heat, and cause a failure
(2) Cracked wheel, due to dropping it (as Andre cautioned against) or mounting it on the grinder without the paper labels.  You should ALWAYS "ring test" a wheel before mounting.  Hold it on your finger or a wooden stick through the center hole.  Rap the side gently with a plastic-handled screwdriver.  If it rings with a nice, clear tone, it's solid and safe.  If not, it's probably cracked and will fail when spun up.

And as a general safety precaution, always stand to the side when starting the grinder.

With these few precautions, you really have nothing to fear from a grinding wheel.

Well, OK - two more precautions - 
NEVER wear any kind of gloves when using a bench grinder
ALWAYS make sure there's a minimal gap (less than 1/8") between the tool support and the wheel before starting the grinder


----------



## Dave Smith (Dec 16, 2014)

right on John---I forgot to mention that I don't use the diamond tools for sharpening steel---just carbides or glass-----Dave


----------



## Pmedic828 (Dec 16, 2014)

I use a belt sander with a silicon carbide belt.  you can purchase a cheap 1 X 30 chinese knock off for under $50.


----------



## epanzella (Dec 16, 2014)

I have a friend that has a machine shop and they always sharpen tools with a belt or disc sander. I have copied him and it's improved my tool sharpening immeasurably. I get the shape of the tool close on the bench grinder then the final angling and sharpening is done on the sander.


----------



## francist (Dec 16, 2014)

epanzella said:


> I have a friend that has a machine shop and they always sharpen tools with a belt or disc sander. I have copied him and it's improved my tool sharpening immeasurably. I get the shape of the tool close on the bench grinder then the final angling and sharpening is done on the sander.



Not to say that one way is better than the other, but I often do it the other way around: I use the belt to rough the shape then finish on the bench grinder. I like the slight hollow grind that the wheel leaves on the faces -- makes them easier to hone with a diamond lap or small stone.

-frank


----------



## BillWood (Dec 18, 2014)

Thanks for the replies - you have all helped to tidy up my understanding and the way I think about sharpening.

I found this  ( http://www.machinistblog.com/grinding-lathe-tools-on-a-belt-sander/ ) which may be of interest to people who find this thread in future.

Its a series of 3 blog posts.


Bill


----------



## Bill Gruby (Dec 18, 2014)

This pertains somewhat to what you are saying about wheels exploding. There is a test you can perform on your wheels to make sure they are OK. It's called the ring test. Hang the wheel from a non metallic arbor. (Dowel) Tap it with a non metallic object. You will hear a distinctive ringing. The wheel is OK to use. A dull thud and the wheel is no good.

 "Billy G"


----------



## w9jbc (Dec 18, 2014)

Bill Gruby said:


> This pertains somewhat to what you are saying about wheels exploding. There is a test you can perform on your wheels to make sure they are OK. It's called the ring test. Hang the wheel from a non metallic arbor. (Dowel) Tap it with a non metallic object. You will hear a distinctive ringing. The wheel is OK to use. A dull thud and the wheel is no good.
> 
> "Billy G"



I have typically held a wheel on my finger and used a 3/16 or 1/4 allen wrench to ring a wheel. for no specific reason but I'm generally carrying an allen wrench in my pocket at work.


----------



## Bill Gruby (Dec 18, 2014)

Using the finger is usually what everyone does. I use the dowel to ring  because the metal could chip the wheel. On thin wheels I hit with my knuckle. 

 "Billy G"


----------

