Trueing a grinding wheel

[andersonec]

Has anybody seen anything like this for sale in the UK? http://www.geigerssolutions.com/trudress.html

See it in use here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq2tPttFpC8

Andy

 

[nev]

In my recent hunt for a sharpening solution I noticed this http://www.tormek.com/en/accessories/tt50/index.php which i guess does the same thing but its obviously only any good if you have the tormek jig to mount it on.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

I think one of the other manufacturers makes something similar and cheaper but without the fixed step on the underside. That seems to be a drawback with this one because it limits use to a 3" ish platform.

 

[nev]

Thinking about it, could one not get a pointy dresser like this make a stepped block from either timber or metal, drill a snug hole through the height of the block and a small grub screw to fix to length?
Then to use place stepped block up to and on toolrest, adjust to length and bobs your aunties bit on the side

 

[andersonec]

Thinking about it, could one not get a pointy dresser like this make a stepped block from either timber or metal, drill a snug hole through the height of the block and a small grub screw to fix to length?
Then to use place stepped block up to and on toolrest, adjust to length and bobs your aunties bit on the side

Nev,
I have considered that and ordered one of those single point dressers yesterday, the only little trick I have to sort out is the adjustment forward after each pass, it obviously needs to be fractions at a time.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you can suss out a means of fixing a devil stone, it'll work as well: the problem is that the stone follows the surface of the wheel, not the circumference. If you can fix the stone so that it only touches the high spots, and advance it slowly it'll give a bounce free wheel.

 

[nev]

Thinking about it, could one not get a pointy dresser like this make a stepped block from either timber or metal, drill a snug hole through the height of the block and a small grub screw to fix to length?
Then to use place stepped block up to and on toolrest, adjust to length and bobs your aunties bit on the side

Nev,
I have considered that and ordered one of those single point dressers yesterday, the only little trick I have to sort out is the adjustment forward after each pass, it obviously needs to be fractions at a time.

grub screw or thumbwheel in from the top?

 

[chipmunk]

The problem with the devil stones is that they wear with the stone that's being dressed.
So for truing up a wheel it's not as straight forward as with a diamond which doesn't move - they only really make sense hand-held IMHO.

But I'd agree that for getting the stone as close to true as I've found necessary it's a good cheap and cheerful approach - It's what I use.

I guess the question is how important is it that the wheel is absolutely plumb true?
Does it really make that much difference & how long does it last before you have to re-true?

For advancing the diamond point, have you thought about using threaded plumbing fittings (e.g. compression fittings) with the diamond dresser up the centre or drilling out an M16'ish bolt to accept it and using a captive nut?

I'd be really interested in knowing whether it makes a lot of difference.

Jon

 

[Aled Dafis]

The problem I see with this method is that it'll give you a dead flat surface on the wheel. I read somewhere years ago that professional tool grinders (I think it was an article in Fine Woodworking talking about the Ashley Iles factory) always dressed their stones slightly convex to reduce the risk of burning the tool on the edge of the wheel, I've done it this way ever since and find it a great help when grinding plane irons and chisels. I use a single point Diamond tool, as it's what I thought was best at the time, but I'd advise anybody buying now, to go for a flat multi point tool as sold here

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Diamond-Tools/Diamond-Dressers

Cheers
Aled

Edit - Convex!!

 

[Alf]

Convex, mayhap...?

 

[Aled Dafis]

Convex, mayhap...?

Thanks Alf, concave would be BAD!

 

[Deejay]

Morning all

Thanks for the link Aled.

At the moment I use a devil stone for trueing up and a flat diamond dresser for light cleaning.

I'll try a single point tool for trueing up, 'cos, as Chipmunk said, the corners of the devil stone do wear and lose their sharp corners.

Cheers

Dave

 

[CHJ]

I use a single point, that being the method used throughout my engineering life to true up commercial grinding wheels on surface grinders etc. to achieve true wheel alignment with the work tables, not so much of a factor on a bench grinder admittedly.
In theory a clamped jig and the steady tracking of the threaded 'leadscrew' should give the best finish but as the human hand and pressure control is not up to electric motor standard of consistency it's debatable.

I often just use the sliding of the whole assembly in the rest locating slot, as seen in the last image, as a means of traverse, just as, if not easier to maintain steady pass across the wheel. The improvised collar around the cutter reduces the grit debris contamination of the screw thread and guide rod.

I just used a standard bolt and nut as the donors for the adjustment method and mounted the diamond cutter in the end of the bolt.

 

[andersonec]

The problem I see with this method is that it'll give you a dead flat surface on the wheel. I read somewhere years ago that professional tool grinders (I think it was an article in Fine Woodworking talking about the Ashley Iles factory) always dressed their stones slightly convex to reduce the risk of burning the tool on the edge of the wheel, I've done it this way ever since and find it a great help when grinding plane irons and chisels. I use a single point Diamond tool, as it's what I thought was best at the time, but I'd advise anybody buying now, to go for a flat multi point tool as sold here

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Diamond-Tools/Diamond-Dressers

Cheers
Aled

Aled,
It's not the flatness of the stone I am concerned with but the trueness of the wheel when spinning, if it is off balance, as mine is at the moment, it causes the grinder to vibrate excessively when starting up, this cannot be doing the bearings etc much good plus the tool is only touching in certain places and 'bounces' off the wheel.
I have ordered one from Tilgear and plan to make a little holder for the single point diamond which will be clamped in the rest.

Chas,
Is that a home-made jig you have there?

 

[CHJ]

....Chas,
Is that a home-made jig you have there?

Yes, but if you have any sort of block to hold and adjust the protrusion of the diamond that can run in a good fit in the rest guide or against the back face it should be fine, as I said unless your tool rest is very firmly fixed with no flex trying to true with a thread feed is not all that easy.