Grinding wheel shapes

[colinbParticipant @colinb]

I just acquired a GHA Tool/Cutter Grinder (Deckel clone, “D-bit grinder). Much to learn in many domains, but the biggest thing I’ve not yet found any solid explanations on is how to select a shape of wheel.

There are straight, cylinder, straight cup, flared cup, dish, saucer, tapered, recessed, etc etc etc

How does one choose which shape for which task?

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I have ta admit I have never seen any recommendations other than if getting into small spaces like tap flutes etc. I tend to use straight cup and flared cup most of the time and then I mostly do drills,slot drills ,end mills and D bits. I will say that using the correct compound is important. IMHO stay away from green grit wheels unless you grind 100yds away from your workshop!!!

[colinbParticipant @colinb]

When do you choose straight Vs flared cup then?

Aluminium oxide is definitely coming nowhere near the workshop! Most likely CBN only, with dust extraction and probably physical segregation too

[bernard towers]

On bernard towers Said:

I have ta admit I have never seen any recommendations …

Me neither.   Unlike lathes and milling machines, where several good books describe the basics, I’ve never come across anything  that explains tool-grinding in useful detail.

Might be because sharpening tools is a specialisation, and firms would start by sending the operator on a course covering the various types of cutter and how to grind them, including selecting the most appropriate wheel.   Must be a major investment because my 1948 Engineering book recommends sending tools out to be resharpened by specialists rather than buying a machine.   Presumably an awful lot of cutters had to be resharpened before it paid to do it in-house.

Does anyone know of a book or anything else that explains tool-grinding in detail?

Dave

[Andrew JohnstonParticipant @andrewjohnston13878]

The Clarkson T&C grinder manuals give examples of the most common cutter grinding operations. A straight wheel and a flared cup wheel will cover most cutter grinding operations. For grinding the lead on taps a straight cup wheel will be needed.

All my T&C grinding wheels are aluminium oxide, as are those on my surface and cylindrical grinders.

Andrew

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