Tungsten sharpening and cbn grinding wheels

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tungsten sharpening and cbn grinding wheels

Posted: 4/5/2021 7:37:32 PM EDT

Can you sharpen tungsten on cbn wheels? What are some good cbn wheels? I'd like to get one and a low speed grinder for tool sharpening.

I have been putting a cheap 8 inch wheel on a cheap grinder to sharpen my electrodes, but it's a PITA because it doesn't run true and even if I get it Close it shifts over time and doesn't stay balanced or true. So I got a cheap 6 inch grinding wheel and a 1/2 shaft to 1/2 thread adaptor and put it on my drill press motor. Always in place, not used for anything else, and the small wheel and low speed motor mean no need to balance it. It even runs true. Now I can ditch the grinding wheels on my grinder for good!

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Posted: 4/26/2021 8:38:06 AM EDT

[#1]

I just 3d printed an adapter for my dremel that allows you to use a diamond wheel to sharpen your tungsten. The adapter has different sized holes for different sized tungsten and holds them at the correct angle for grinding. I still have to get the correct diamond wheel. I bought the one at Harbor Freight but its mount for the large wheel doesn;t fit the dremel. Plenty of examples on Thingiverse.

Posted: 4/26/2021 10:50:03 AM EDT

[#2]

I've never had a problem using a standard silicon carbide wheel for my electrodes.

CBN would probably work better and I should get one, just never did...

Posted: 4/26/2021 3:16:39 PM EDT

[#3]

To follow up, this wheel is complete shit. A tungsten tears it up so far it's like a sandblaster. So soft it's unusable.
I got a different chinesium wheel that has been laying around forever, it's much harder and works fine on tungstens. It's just a cheapie grey/black wheel.

The speed is nice - my drill motor is 1700 rpm and the wheel is around 60 or 80 grit, so it leaves a nice finish and doesn't grind too quickly.

Posted: 4/27/2021 10:34:38 PM EDT

[#4]

I bought a diamond wheel - once you get one you'll never look back.

Posted: 4/29/2021 10:17:33 AM EDT

[#5]

I got one of these, worth every penny I spent on it.

https://usaweld.com/collections/tungsten-grinders/products/htp-america-tungsten-grinder

Posted: 4/29/2021 11:51:02 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
I got one of these, worth every penny I spent on it.

https://usaweld.com/collections/tungsten-grinders/products/htp-america-tungsten-grinder

View Quote

I have a Sharpie corded for several years now. It's one of my favorite tools.

Posted: 4/29/2021 2:24:38 PM EDT

[#7]

I use the same cheap green wheel I use for sharpening my carbide lathe tooling.

Posted: 4/29/2021 8:12:03 PM EDT

[#8]

So why does the wheel I got suck? It's silicon carbide and it's green.
It's completely unusable, it just throws off grit while the tungsten is on it and doesn't grind a usable point on tungsten.

Posted: 5/1/2021 11:55:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
So why does the wheel I got suck? It's silicon carbide and it's green.
It's completely unusable, it just throws off grit while the tungsten is on it and doesn't grind a usable point on tungsten.

View Quote

Wheels are made with different binders. The abrasive determines what/how it will cut. The binder determines how quickly it sloughs off abrasive exposing new, sharp abrasive. Generally a "soft" wheel will wear quickly but will also cut quickly. Tungsten is tough stuff.

I'm not sure why your wheel won't cut, maybe too fine of grit?

Posted: 5/1/2021 12:10:18 PM EDT

[#10]

It's not cutting quickly because your drill press motor doesn't have even close to the same rpm as a grinder it was designed to go on. It is a fast enough speed to throw shrapnel in your face and really fuck your day if it decides to fall apart when you're drilling a hole or trying to grind tungsten though. At least put a guard on it, that's some straight up dangerous hill billy engineering.

Posted: 5/1/2021 7:27:43 PM EDT

[#11]

I tossed the green wheel, it was worthless. 80 grit I think? Same performance at 1700 or 3500 rpm - crappy tungsten grinding and sandblast of grit coming off the wheel.

The grey chinesium 60grit wheel works great on the drill press, it just grinds slower because the rpm is so much lower. With tungsten in an electric drill it take maybe 5-8 seconds to sharpen it. I like the slow speed because it makes a finer finish on the tungsten and is easier to grind since the tungsten doesn't disappear so quickly.

I don't leave the wheel on the drill - just spin it on when needed, sharpen a bunch of tungsten, then remove it.

The hard wheel grinding so nicely is why I wondered about a cbn wheel - it's much harder so I wondered if it would grinder nicer and last much longer?

Posted: 5/1/2021 8:01:05 PM EDT

[#12]

Nice drill press. I have the same one but the floor model.

Posted: 5/1/2021 10:11:35 PM EDT

[#13]

Get some of these and a Dremel tool or die grinder of some sorts. Its basically the same as this Milwaukee tungsten grinder, that's what I use and so far I really like it, but you could achieve the same results with a $15 Dremel diamond wheel freehand. Remember, hillbilly shit = bad

Posted: 5/1/2021 10:30:58 PM EDT

[#14]

I chuck my tungsten in a cordless drill and rip a point on my 2x60 Burr King with a 320g belt. Done in seconds and I prefer freehand control over the angle.

Posted: 5/4/2021 11:38:18 AM EDT

[#15]

I have a benchtop belt sander that has a 6" sanding disk on the side. It's the only thing I use the disk for. It works great, and lasts a long time. It never gets out of shape or balance.

Posted: 5/23/2021 3:16:40 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
I just 3d printed an adapter for my dremel that allows you to use a diamond wheel to sharpen your tungsten. The adapter has different sized holes for different sized tungsten and holds them at the correct angle for grinding. I still have to get the correct diamond wheel. I bought the one at Harbor Freight but its mount for the large wheel doesn;t fit the dremel. Plenty of examples on Thingiverse.

View Quote

Sounds like a DIY version of the Arc-Zone Sharpie, which is awesome.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tungsten sharpening and cbn grinding wheels

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