blacksmith-450 Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 I got hold of these two wheels, one of 11 inches, the other of 18 inches. I also have a 1 inch shaft mounted on 2 bearing pillow block. I want to do the Andy Alm's set-up. My first test made me realize that the wheel was spinning too fast and that the center was not perfectly centered, which made the wheel bump and gave a lot of virbrations. To hold the wheel I turn on the lathe 2 bushing from hockey puck. What are your tips for centering and balancing the wheel? the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Natural stone wheels MUST be run VERY slowly!; If you have an electric motor on it you need to gear it way down like 1" pulley running to commercial dryer pulley. Otherwise you may very well be looking at your death or maiming! NOT JOKING!---Death or Maiming! Centering and balancing: have the wheel fastened to the axle and running free so you can spin it with your hand. Mark the spot that always ends up with a piece of chalk. Loosen wheel on axle and adjust till axle is slightly further away from the chalk mark. Wipe off the chalk mark and repeat. Continue till there is no preferred up side. Then you dress it and recenter it. Remember never store it in standing water! Also wheels that size were not meant to grind knives or tools to shape just to put an edge on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmith-450 Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 Ok... so Andy doesn't use natural stone, because he runs at 1100 RPM... ?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Sorry I know a dozen Andys and none of them run natural stone wheels fast. If you are referring to a specific Andy; you might want to be specific! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmith-450 Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 I wrote it in the first post, Andy Alm facebook @AndyAlmDesigns I found on his FB page that he used, 14 inches, 60 grit aluminum oxide wheel made by SAIT... so I think that my project won't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 3 hours ago, blacksmith-450 said: I got hold of these two wheels, one of 11 inches, the other of 18 inches. I also have a 1 inch shaft mounted on 2 bearing pillow block. My first test made me realize that the wheel was spinning too fast and that the center was not perfectly centered, which made the wheel bump and gave a lot of virbrations. To hold the wheel I turn on the lathe 2 bushing from hockey puck. What are your tips for centering and balancing the wheel? This is you first post in this thread NO ANDY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmith-450 Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 1 hour ago, blacksmith-450 said: .... I want to do the Andy Alm's set-up.... End of the first sentence.... It was there ! Anyway, you made me realize that I don't have the right wheel,.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 3 hours ago, blacksmith-450 said: Your post 261, starting this thread, viewed on google chrome running on Kubuntu Plasma (NOT WINDOWS!) on my desktop computer does not have an Andy line leading off Anybody else have the same experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Nope. Andy Alm's is right there. 2 hours ago, blacksmith-450 said: I got hold of these two wheels, one of 11 inches, the other of 18 inches. I also have a 1 inch shaft mounted on 2 bearing pillow block. I want to do the Andy Alm's set-up. Chrome too Shiny? Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Odd, as my previous full quote of it doesn't show it but I can see it now as well. Anyway he has chosen wisely! One less thing to worry about... Historically the way they got higher surface feet per minute to do grinding was to make the natural stone wheels *LARGE* that way even a slow speed could produce substantial SPF Below one of the Anvil manufacturers in Columbus OH, USA; you can see some of the wheels they rolled into the river when they got too small for grinding anvil faces---still 4' in diameter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 I have seen an old-school method of truing these that uses a length of about 1-1/2" dia pipe, roughly 2-3 feet long for the control it gives. While the wheel is turning, hold the end of the pipe on a tool rest, square to the wheel face, and it chews it true pretty quickly. You have to be careful and not let the pipe wiggle or you will make things worse. Roll the pipe a bit side to side so you get the whole face of the wheel. YMMV...and I can only say I've seen it done this way and it seemed to work well, not whether it's a great idea. Slow like mentioned above... as in no more than about 60 RPM operating speed..and they were meant to be used with a little water trickling over the surface, not dry. 60 RPM on a 16" wheel is about 250 surface feet per minute and is plenty to put an edge on an axe or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 On 6/25/2018 at 7:48 PM, blacksmith-450 said: Ok... so Andy doesn't use natural stone, because he runs at 1100 RPM... ?!? That's correct. If you look at his FB page the grinder he is using is not the soft sandstone wet wheel but is emitting lots of sparks. My wet wheel is 26in in diameter and 3 in thick. It turns at approximately 100 rpm with a water drip system. I true the wheel when needed using a diamond dresser clamped in an adjustable drill press vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 There was someone else you tried that and posted pictures here. The sandstone wheel came apart and almost got him in the process. If you feel the need for speed get the right equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmith-450 Posted June 28, 2018 Author Share Posted June 28, 2018 Thank you everyone ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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