What kind of diamond wheel i/ lap would the forum recommended?

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Hi, I will need to sharpen occasionally some carbide gravers / cutters at some point. My research has led me down the route of using a diamond wheel followed by a fine diamond lap. However when I look online at diamond wheels they come either as a solid disk like a standard grinding wheel or as a cup with a diamond external ring.. Can someone explain my best route and what is the different uses of these wheels. Also are the Ezelap stones good, do they need water or oil and what grade(s) would be a good choice.

Chris

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Chris I have a flat faced square cup wheel and an adjustable angle steady. I can grind most tips and carbide faced turning tools.

David

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi Chris, I would use 400 or 600 diamond laps to finish with and water with the merest hint of detergent in.

Best wishes Noel.

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Posted by David George 1 on 04/11/2019 20:57:01:

Hi Chris I have a flat faced square cup wheel and an adjustable angle steady. I can grind most tips and carbide faced turning tools.

David

Hi David, what is the point or should I say why are cup wheels made as opposed to the solid diamond type? Is it to fit particular types of machines or something else?

Chris

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

My latest research is to buy a set of 50mm dia lap wheels which I could mount on my Sherline lathe and run at a slow speed. I would need to cover / protect the table from debris and also make an angle secondary table to give me the angles required. It's not as good as David's but for occasional use is it a sensible idea?

Chris

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

I use the lap wheels at 400rpm for sharpening carbide scrapers. You could probably go up a bit in speed for a 50mm wheel. Use some kind of solvent to cool/clean the disk as you use it.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Chris I find that you get a better flat angled face for the cutting face as a wheel with a curved face gives you curved face and you cannot controle the angle on the tool to get a finish. Also when you grind or regrind a tip the shape is better.

David

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi again Chris Just thinking about what you are saying about solid diamond wheels my wheel is just a different shape to a round wheel but diamond wheels are all bonded on to an alloy wheel base as a diamond substrate would not have enough strength for speed and pressure and would cost a fortune in diamond material.

David

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Thanks David,

Yes I have learned more since I posted, these external cup rings if off the right quality are the way to go.

Chris

[David Davies 8Participant @daviddavies8]

Hi-jacking the thread, David, how do you dress your diamond cup wheel? I believe an aluminium oxide stone is used ? I assume your machine is a RJH 'Ferret' or a copy of one.

Regards

Dave

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Dave I only very rarely dress my diamond wheel after fitting it in fact I have not have to touch it since fitting it yet. I borrowed a diamond dressing attachment from a friend local being one of my apprentices from a while ago. It is a soft blue grinding wheel on spindle which rotates when in contact with diamond wheel which removes high spots to true diamond wheel. A dusty job which needs dust extractor.

 

 

 

Edited By David George 1 on 06/11/2019 07:12:26

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I mount it on a small angle plate and slide it across face of wheel.

David

[David Davies 8Participant @daviddavies8]

Hi David,

Thanks for the info!

Regards

Dave

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Thinking about mounting diamond laps yes you can use your lathe but I just don't like the idea for reasons of accessibility and possible ingress of debris.

having said that a machine such as the Accu-Finish is expensive so for my limited use I am now minded to build a cheapish stand alone sharpener. I will investigate whether it is best to use say a converted electric drill already with a chuck or an electric motor that I can adapt. Any ideas on this front always welcome.

Chris

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I was lucky to pick it up for about £18.00 on ebay and made a better rest for grinding lathe tools. The original wheel was damaged with a chunk out as though someone had jammed a cutter. It was local and had been used in a shop to sharpen engraving tools for making labels and as I could pick it up so no carriage. You never know what is out there.

David

Edited By David George 1 on 06/11/2019 22:25:48

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