Diamond Dresser

[RV-N8ZG]

Gentlemen -
I have several bench grinders fitted with an assortment of general-purpose stones.
most have been "abused" with lawnmower blades and other heavy grinding tasks.

I do not have a tool for dressing the stones - didn't need such a thing before I bought a lathe. If I am to learn to shape HSS tooling, I need better stones and the tools to maintain them.

To that end, I would appreciate any suggestions on diamond dressing tools and holders/jigs.

Neal

 

[intjonmiller]

I just use a T-shape diamond dressing tool I got on eBay for a few bucks. Just a coating of diamond grit across a short length of square tubing and a handle. For bench grinder use I find it perfectly adequate. I've even used it on my 14" abrasive chop saw (not under power, just as it's slowing down) to deglaze it.

The carbide (?) dressing tools with many spoked wheels should give you a more open dress that will allow you to grind faster without generating as much heat. It's a marginal difference in both factors, but can still help. But I find that type to be rather difficult to use to actually true up the wheel, square the corners, etc. *I think* the diamond tool is best for that, then the rotary dresser thing with a couple light passes to open up the surface a little would be ideal. No doubt there are many schools of thought here.

 

[Bob Korves]

Wheels for grinding HSS do not necessarily need to be dressed with single point diamond nibs. The options listed above, T shaped tool with diamonds, Desmond type star wheels (hardened steel), abrasive dressing sticks, and others will all do the job. The star wheel type dressers remove the most material in the least time, leave an open surface on the wheel, and can be done accurately enough by hand if a bit of care is taken. They are great to get abused wheels back to something useful. The Desmond units are quite a bit nicer than the import clones. Single point diamond jigs are also useful and more accurate, but slower, and without care you can lose the diamond in one accidentally deep pass. Single point diamonds should only be used with an infeed of about .001" maximum per pass. The diamond dressing fixture needs to be rigidly mounted relative to the grinding wheel. A wheel dressed square by hand and eye is perfectly acceptable for grinding HSS tooling.

 

[MozamPete]

+1 on the T shaped diamond dresser for doing the bench grinder.
The single point diamond tool is great in a fixture for truing up the surface grinder, but I find the T style is easier for hand dressing the bench grinder.
This style is what I use

 

[Tozguy]

Whichever way you choose to dress a wheel be prepared for a considerable amount of grit to fly everywhere.
Use a full face mask for yourself and cover up anything nearby until you see what gives for yourself.

 

[yendor]

Agree with TO.

Be prepared for a mess of grit especially if this is your first time truing up an abused wheel.

 

[chips&more]

A single point diamond in a ridged translating device is the only way you will get the grinding wheel truly round and on center. Other methods can suffice depending on your finesse. All of this only applies to a grinder with good bearings and properly mounted stones/wheels. I find the single point diamond with translator much faster and with excellent results. Trying to dress a wheel with the star or other wastes wheel diameter trying to fight all the bouncing and out of round conditions…Dave

 

[Bob Korves]

A single point diamond in a ridged translating device is the only way you will get the grinding wheel truly round and on center. Other methods can suffice depending on your finesse. All of this only applies to a grinder with good bearings and properly mounted stones/wheels. I find the single point diamond with translator much faster and with excellent results. Trying to dress a wheel with the star or other wastes wheel diameter trying to fight all the bouncing and out of round conditions…Dave

Dave does a lot of accurate horological work on watchmakers lathes. Thanks Dave, a good reminder that we do not all do the same types of work and do not all expect the same class of results... In fact, in our shops we may go from an angle grinder and 1/4" electrodes on one project to using drills under .010" diameter on the next project. Gotta know when and how to change hats to match the work!

 

[RV-N8ZG]

Thanks all, helpful so far.

Be prepared for a mess of grit especially if this is your first time truing up an abused wheel.

I expect so. I generally begin messy jobs such as this by strategically positioning the dust collector hose...

Gotta know when and how to change hats to match the work!

Indeed. As an aircraft mechanic I often have a hammer in one hand and tiny hemostats in the other...

 

[Bob Korves]

Indeed. As an aircraft mechanic I often have a hammer in one hand and tiny hemostats in the other...

RV-7, eh? I have some time in a RV-6... Not an RV in your photo, though, looks more like a Cherokee...