Small Diameter ID Grinding Wheel Source

[petertha]

Can anyone recommend retail or online suppliers of ID grinding wheels? I'm looking for progressive diameters 0.5" - 1.0" range & about .25-.50" width. Suspect aluminum oxide is fine but other flavors & various grits also of interest. I'm specifically seeking cylindrical donuts for a dedicated arbor, does not necessarily have to be recessed though.

I keep hearing Norton & Radiac but not having much luck navigating their industrial websites. Ultimately I need onsey-twosey volumes. Any leads appreciated.

I've found some in the UK like this which look good, so just assumed they must also be available closer to home.
http://www.abtec4abrasives.com/6mm-14quot-up-to-13mm-12quot-273-c.asp

 

[Swifty]

Can't help much with a supplier, perhaps specialised suppliers to the toolmaking industry. I have used those type of wheels for ID grinding when working, just a note, use thick paper washers between all clamping surfaces.

Paul.

 

[Wizard69]

Can anyone recommend retail or online suppliers of ID grinding wheels? I'm looking for progressive diameters 0.5" - 1.0" range & about .25-.50" width. Suspect aluminum oxide is fine but other flavors & various grits also of interest. I'm specifically seeking cylindrical donuts for a dedicated arbor, does not necessarily have to be recessed though.

I keep hearing Norton & Radiac but not having much luck navigating their industrial websites. Ultimately I need onsey-twosey volumes. Any leads appreciated.

I've found some in the UK like this which look good, so just assumed they must also be available closer to home.
http://www.abtec4abrasives.com/6mm-14quot-up-to-13mm-12quot-273-c.asp

Have you tried the big tool catalog companies like Travers, MSC and such. Also,check local tool supply houses that are in most bigger cities. What you want isn't always listed in the big catalogs so you need to get in contact with a rep of some sort and order from a manufactures catalog. The bad part is that you may not be able to buy in qty's of one but most likely will need package quantities.

Here is one catalog: http://radiac.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/RA-ISC-2014-complete.pdf

 

[BaronJ]

I use Abtec for all my abrasives and you get good service from them.
Disclaimer, I'm just a happy cutomer?

 

[petertha]

Here is one catalog:

Bingo. Thanks Wizard69. PDF shows smaller sizes/grits on page-16. That's exactly what I was after.

Yes I looked at the typical Travers/MSC/KBC catalogs. The odd wheel but not a huge selection. At least I can now inquire with specific PN to determine if they can obtain. And yes the min qty/package was pointed out to me by one of them, so still not out of the weeds

 

[petertha]

I use Abtec for all my abrasives and you get good service from them.
Disclaimer, I'm just a happy cutomer?

Thanks for info. Just got a reply & their shipping/min order is reasonable. I think its worth a try.

 

[petertha]

I have used those type of wheels for ID grinding when working, just a note, use thick paper washers between all clamping surfaces.

Paul.

Noted Paul, thanks.

 

[MachineTom]

I have purchased, small qty of those on ebay. Sometimes the description suck, but they are cheap enough that it does not concern me. Buy em, then see if you can use them. I make nuts specific to each wheel as the recess vary's in size between makers.

Start the grinder with a slow pulley setup to true the wheel. You can not dress a wheel stuck on a 3" spindle extension, at 30K rpm's. Flip the pulleys MTR/SPD and it should be slow enough to dress it round. After the wheel is round I then dress a 1/8-1/4" area to be the cuttting surface, this by twisting the spindle to work angle 5+ degrees or so.

 

[petertha]

Referenced some Radiac part numbers with local distributer for quote. The minimum order package quantities are 40 per unique wheel. At 4-7 $/pop + shipping... that's a dead end.:wall: Going to look into Abtec now.

 

[petertha]

I
- small qty of those on ebay
- start the grinder with a slow pulley setup to true the wheel.
- I then dress a 1/8-1/4" area to be the cuttting surface, this by twisting the spindle to work angle 5+ degrees or so.

Thanks Tom

I looked on ebay too. Not quite what I was after. I also checked Aliexpress or some such site. That's one confusing place. Wouldn't surprise me if some NAm stones originate from there I don't need a box of 100 even at a good price. Do you think there is any danger in 'unknown' stones? I'm less concerned with wrecking a part but a fragmenting stone is something I don't want to mess with. Does the 'ring' test even work on the little guys?
Good tip on the slower dressing rpm

Now when you say twist spindle 5 degrees, the stone is now dressed round but it is grinding on a leading edge a bit? Is this for more aggressive cuts or? Wouldn't a parallel running stone be applying more even cutting action across the ID wall?

 

[Wizard69]

Referenced some Radiac part numbers with local distributer for quote. The minimum order package quantities are 40 per unique wheel. At 4-7 $/pop + shipping... that's a dead end.:wall: Going to look into Abtec now.

If you can't find a dealer willing to sell token lot quantities you may want to consider buying mounted points. Yes I know this is a problem if you don't have a suitable spindle on your grinder. However mounted points are available widely in a huge number of types, grades and configurations. To get around the grinder problem you might be able to rig up a die grinder or router to drive the point.

While this is hit or miss and a timing issue consider going to model engineering shows like Cabin Fever. One guy had a whole shipping container (oversized Gaylord) filled with grinding stones. Other vendors had stuff in limited quantities. The problem here is that you have no idea what will be on sale at any one show.

 

[MachineTom]

The issue with using the full width of the stone is two parts. First part is power, to use 1/2" of grinding wheel width is the pow er of the grinder, you need at least 1/2 HP to do so, Thats a big TP grinder, I do have one that size, but then comes the second issue rigidity or the lack of same. That spindle extension 3, 5, 8 " is not that stiff, it deflects very easily, so the surface looks like it was hammered round, when using a wider wheel. This very much depends on the hardness of the item to begin with. You will learn what works and what doesn't.

Good Luck,

 

[petertha]

Thanks Tom. Can you confirm this is the sort of ID boring alignment you are talking about? If so, I can visualize the 5-deg pre-set will have kind of a leading edge cutting effect (assuming 90-deg cylindrically dressed initially). Almost like a lathe bit has back relief? But wouldn't wear occur relatively quick on this edge & the wheel would develop a minor flat, anyway? Or maybe that's when re-dressing should occur? In any event, I still don't follow why say a .75" diameter wheel would come in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2... width flavors if its only going to use a small portion of flank. Obviously more to this ID grinding business than I first thought!

Another question. I doubt I have the resources & probably cost prohibitive, but just wondering out loud. On another forum a well respected engine guy ID grinds his hard chromed liners. He makes some of his wheels from discarded surface grinding wheels. I tried drilling & cutting a scrap 1/8" thick Dremel wheel I had. Not sure on composition, maybe brown aluminum oxide? That was mighty tough sledding. So either he has a different composition or better cutting method. I wonder.. if all I wanted was 'donuts', could a water jet cut them from a chosen wheel? I've seen pictures where they zap though all sorts of ceramic & stone with very thin & perpendicular kerf. Again I see danger flags if this compromises the wheel in any fashion. I wonder if commercial wheels like this are cut like this or molded. For sure the recessed style must be molded me thinks.

 

[petertha]

The issue with using the full width of the stone is two parts. First part is power, to use 1/2" of grinding wheel width is the pow er of the grinder, you need at least 1/2 HP to do so,

Actually this makes total sense I I understand. A 1/2" wide ID grinding wheel set parallel to the ID bore axis would see a 1/2" long tangent contact. I guess that's no different than a surface grinder with a 1/2" wide wheel (larger disc diameter but that's more an rpm thing). I think surface grinder wheels might be slightly wider, but point taken - those look to be some hefty motors from the pics I see.

So possibly you are saying even though a .75 dia by 0.50" thick wheel might be 'available' it corresponds to a beefy tool post grinder power wise?