Silicon carbide wheels out of balance/round

[rockhoundmikey]

I seem to have a couple wheels out of round and unbalanced. My stones bounce off a lot. Could it be due to RPM too low, and using to large a stone, or too much pressure?
-mikey

[catmandewe]

Silicon carbide wheels need to be run for a few minutes after you turn off the water supply to drain all the water out of them, if you don't then the water settles in the bottom and makes them out of balance and they can grenade on you causing serious harm.

If they are really out of round you can dress them with a dressing wheel that knocks off the high spots, you can get a dressing wheel at most parts stores that carry SC wheels.

Good luck............Tony

[rockhoundmikey]

Thanks for the advice! I'll drop by Harbor Freight and grab a dressing wheel. I also plan on getting a diamond dressing bar.
2 of the wheels are out of round, that is why they are off balance. I will investigate the method to using a dressing tool to get them back in round.  I will also be sure to spin-dry those suckers from here on in!
I know they weren't out of round when I put them on, so I think it was too much pressure on some chalcedony I was playing with. 

Can anyone recommend a silicon carbide wheel manufacturer?  I am looking for a post here on 'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about SiC Wheels But Where Afraid to ask'.

THANKS!!!!!!!
mikey

[john likes rocks!]

They need dressing pretty often if your working hard rock it seems ... I use a diamond "T" dressing bar on a tool rest, an an easy touch, to get them pretty round.

[johnjsgems]

Kingsley North had pretty good prices last time I looked.  I don't know if the industrial suppliers wheels would be the same or not but probably less expensive than through a lapidary supplier. 

[rockhoundmikey]

Well, I am back. Would any of you recommend these:
http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/abrasives-8-x-1-x-1-bench-pedestal-grinding-wheels-gc100i-lva-95248-rdm95248?gclid=CI64152szccCFQoLaQodoRcHJw&kpid=1065

Or not? I wonder about the BOND. That's a big thing.

-mikey

[johnjsgems]

I would call them and ask if they can be used wet and if they have them in 1 1/2" width.  Also what grit are they?  Fine, medium, coarse doesn't really compute to 100 and 220 which is the most common lapidary wheels. 

[PhilNM]

You need to always run them dry for at least 5 minutes after each use to spin out as much water as you can. Leaving the wet causes "rot" or a soft spot and that them wears away faster then the rest of the wheel. Not good. Can also cause the bond to deteriorate and them fly apart.