Aluminum grinding wheels?

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in message news:0AwNh.10$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe12.lga... snip-----

Are you sure about that? Aluminum oxide would not be the abrasive of choice for grinding aluminum. Silicon carbide would be recommended. What color is the wheel you speak of? What does the nomenclature say?

Harold

We used to have depressed center wheels for a side-grinder, the brand name was Unloader.

The waxy stuff is probably bees wax.

James

Pretty sure. It surprised me; just read it on a tool supplier's web site, forgot where--can drum it up iffin yer really interested. I believe I was looking up welding rod, and saw the abrasives section.

Aluminum oxide would not be the abrasive of

It's more the medium that binds the abrasive itself. Given how soft Al is, if probably wouldn't really matter what the abrasive is, as long as the whole shmegeggy don't clog.

Black.

Don't know. Had a bunch, someone walked off with them some time ago, never got around to replacing them. Not a new item. Got'em bout 5 years ago, had been around for a little while back then.

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in message news:4kINh.906$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe12.lga...

That's true to a point, but some wheels dissolve readily in some metals. The best abrasive for a given job isn't necessarily the hardest, but the one that holds up the best. Aluminum oxide, for example, is far softer than silicon carbide, but it doesn't dissolve in steel, unlike silicon carbide. As a result, the softer wheel holds up markedly better. Wheels are intended to break down as they dull, not when they get loaded. Bonding strength (wheel hardness) varies to compensate for that----Also, wheel structure can be varied to discourage loading. It's really a complex science----lots to know and understand about grinding wheels.

That sure as hell sounds like Silicon carbide.

Because of the importance of running the proper wheel, they are usually pretty good about identifying the media. While I have no plans to make a purchase, I'd be interested in knowing if the wheels are, indeed, aluminum oxide. Sort of defies all the rules, but then rules are meant to be broken. Let me know at your convenience.

Harold

"Unka" posted some great posts in response to grinding Q's/diamond wheels along these lines. News to me, very inneresting.

I'm off right now to F'gHD to 1. see if *they* have any, 2. at what markup over everyone else's price, and 3. find out what the stellarly informed help/management has to say about the wheel composition. Hold yer bref.

Oh, oh, not to go too far off topic into too much of a rant, but.... Effing Staples, jack, makes HD look like a molested choir boy, bruh. I keep one of my many 1 lb jars of Vaseline in m'truck, and forgot to bring it inside Staples with me, at my last outing. When I got back in m'truck, after Staples spread-eagled me at the register had its way with me, I slapped on as much V as I could, but it was too late. Goodgawd, ahma be bleeding for a week.....

Yeah, I'll keep you posted on these wheels. Mebbe someone in sejw knows more about them.

I dont think you are going to find real aluminum grinding wheels at Home depot.

I use Rex-Cut brand discs when grinding aluminum, they work great. But they are not aluminum oxide, and they dont have beeswax on em. They make em for 4 1/2" and 7" grinders. I dont know if they make em for bench grinders, but I kinda doubt it. Most industrial users would cut to near net with saws, plasma, or waterjet first, I just cant see a big market for bench grinding aluminum- usually belt sanders are used instead.

Nearly any good welding supply shop has em.

Gunner

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I remember angle grinder disks for aluminum back in the 80s being tan or a very light brown. Much lighter than the disks for steel... Can't remember if the abrasive particles them selves were darker or lighter than the binder, but they were not black.