Wheel for Sharpening Drills on Gorton 375?

[Chips O'Toole]

I bought a Gorton 375 grinder, and then I failed to do anything with it other than putting a mobile base on it and getting the bearings cleaned up. Now I would like to start using it to sharpen drills.

I'm attaching a photo of the wheel it came with. I have no idea whether this is a good wheel for drills. I'm not sure if the wheel originally looked like this, either. I don't know whether it was always this shape or the cup part is just gone.

What's a good wheel for this thing? Does anyone make CBN wheels for it? I like CBN.

 

[pacifica]

Dress the wheel and it should be fine for drills. Higher grits (over 100) will loose temper in the drill bit faster. Set it up so it is simple and easy to sharpen a bit. I find the cutting lip edge of a bit needs to be sharpened often. Check it some time with a 10x or 20x magnifier and you will see what I mean.

 

[Inflight]

An Aluminium Oxide wheel of about 60 grit is fine for drills 3/16 and larger. An 80 or 120 grit AO wheel is better for small drills. For example, I run an 120 grit Norton wheel dressed with a diamond to sharpen drills down to #70 and run a 60 grit wheel for larger bits. For your Gorton, wheels are available through companies like MSC. I would only consider brands such as Norton or other made in the USA companies.

Matt

 

[Chips O'Toole]

Thanks for the help. Is there a particular shape I should get?

 

[Chipper5783]

More information. Remove the wheel, what markings are on the existing wheel? What are the dimensions of the existing wheel? Does it grind on the face or the periphery? Attached are pictures of the wheel and grinder of my Pine Drill Grinder. I find it to be a bit on the hard side (tendency to burn the drill). I have changed to a "J", it is better. It was difficult to find a 6" diameter, recessed hub, wheel with a 1-1/4" bore (numerous suppliers said it would be a custom). I ended up getting a 7" wheel (sold as being for a surface grinder) - and dressed it down to 6" dia (that took some time). If you need a smaller bore, you can get a wheel for a Sterling drill grinder (6", recessed hub, and I think it was a 1/2" hole).

Is it possible / likely that the existing wheel you have is totally not the correct or original wheel? It appears from your photo that the wheel is much smaller than the guard (either it is really worn down, or it is not the wheel the machine manufacturer intended). Do you have, or can you find, documentation on the manufacturer's recommendations?

I looked into getting a CBN wheel - that is a significant investment! What is your application? If it is simply sharpening HSS drill bits, it is hard to beat a regular aluminum oxide wheel (a drill bit sharpened with a CBN wheel isn't going to drill better).

 

[Chips O'Toole]

CBN is wonderful. It makes me happy just thinking about it. Never needs dressing. Lasts for years. Doesn't heat things like ceramics. Safe, so you don't need a guard. I spent a lot on my CBN bench grinder wheels, and I have never regretted it.

It looks like the Chinese have smashed the aluminum oxide cartel, though. I'm seeing white wheels WAY cheaper than the ones I originally had.

The only thing I know of that ceramics do better is to cut custom shapes after being dressed for the purpose.

 

[Inflight]

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

Heck that's a great price for those wheels. $1.93 each. hahaha
Sure would like to run across a 375 that was affordable.
Joe

 

[Chips O'Toole]

Thanks for posting that page. Very helpful.