Lets talk about dressing bench grinder wheels

JR49

JR49

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H-M Supporter Gold Member
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I've read all the posts about balancing and truing inexpensive (OK-cheap) 6" or 8" grinder wheels, to be used for grinding HSS tool blanks. But no one really gets specific about their favorite "dressing tools". What do you guys like the best, AND WHY? If your choice is a diamond tool, then what length, and carat size would be best for an all around wheel dressing tool, if you could have only one . Who votes for the star type spinning tools ? I've been told that they are adequate for bench grinders, BUT, the only one I ever used, wore out after dressing ONE wheel!! OK guys lets here some opinions
OH, and wheel dressing how-to's also welcome Thanks, JR49
 
I use a coarser grinding wheel loosely mounted on a piece of allthread and use the sides of my hands as stops to keep it from going side to side. Works fantastic albeit somewhat dangerous since it's spinning fast between your hands.

Nobody try that though! And if you do I'm not responsible.
 
I have both a star type and a multi-diamond dresser (the kind that looks like a T). I have used the "rub stick" type dressers before, and my opinion is that they made the wheel worse; I threw mine in the bin. I like the star type, but it can be loud. It's also hard to get a smooth surface on the wheel. The multi-diamond dresser is great. trues things quickly and the surface of the wheel is flat.

As far as technique, light pressure, keep things moving. the star type dressers are a bit harder to use, as they will dig in if you stop mid way. Anyway, my $0.02
 
I have read that a star dresser and a diamond leave a different surface on the grinding wheel. What I mean by this is that the surface left by a star dresser has it's good and bad points and does the diamond surface left by a diamond and they are not necessarily the same for both. Again, I read this and am not educated enough on this subject to know how to make sense of it. So set me straight so I and others can know what to do.

Thanks,

Tom S
 
A diamond dresser is used for truing the wheel and getting the face square, (or some other shape I suppose if required).
The star dresser is for roughing the surface of the wheel for grinding. It rips the surface particles out to leave you with fresh exposed grit.
Use the diamond only when required as it will shorten the life of your wheels. Use the star dresser when your wheel is becoming glazed

Cheers Phil
 
I use a wheel dressing stick made from silicon carbide. The one I have is about 3/4" square and 6" long. I use it hand held, guided by the tool rest, to take the glaze off the wheel, needs a light touch to remove as little as possible. Still a very messy process unless you rig a vacuum cleaner up to gather most of the dust. I've been using the same stick for 6 years and there is little sign of wear.

Norton makes two kinds of sticks. The Norbide=boron carbide is expensive, the silicon carbide is cheaper and fine for most home shop use(see Amazon). Asian versions are available on eBay inexpensively.

John
 
The diamond dresser will leave your wheels sharper than any other type of dresser. Clusters work well,though I only have a 1/4 carat single stone dresser myself. Even if I might use a star wheel to get the face of the stone flat,I'd zip the diamond slowly across the wheel to get it sharper. I even "freshen up" COARSE grinding belts on my Square Wheel bench grinder with a single point diamond. I get a bit more life out of them. I said coarse,because the grit needs to be thick enough on the belt to get away with doing this. The belts are blue zirconia.

If your star wheel wore out dressing one stone,it must have been a cheap one.
 
George, do you hand-hold the diamond dresser, or do you have a jig? I have a 1/2c diamond dresser, but have never used it on the bench grinder.
 
Yes indeed, George, I'm ashamed to admit, it was a very cheap H-Freight star wheel that I picked up years ago before I started this crazy hobby. Can anyone suggest where I might get a better quality star wheel? (preferably without waiting for UPS, or if not, then on web) Thanks JR49
 
I like the star dresser for getting the best cutting action from the wheel.

The dressing stones work good for quick touch ups and keeping the face flat. I use and like them.

A diamond, used with a guide, will give a very true face but leaves some stones rather dull and slow to cut.
The only use I've found for such a surface is finish grinding drill bits n such.
 
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