What is a Diamond Grinding Wheel?
Diamond grinding wheels are super abrasive tools that are made of synthetic diamond which are extraordinarily durable and hard-wearing. This type of wheel is known for its usability in grinding hard-to-tough grinding applications such as cemented carbides, marble, granite, and stone. Diamond grinding wheels guarantee precision on surface finishes, especially on hard materials. But the question is, how to clean a diamond grinding wheel? In this blog, we will be assisting you in knowing the possible cleaning tips to clean a diamond grinding wheel.
How to Clean Diamond Grinding Wheels?
Just like any other grinding wheel, we cannot prevent the sticking of foreign materials on the surface of the wheel. Likewise, knowing the perfect, rightful, and appropriate procedure for cleaning your diamond grinding wheel is very essential in keeping its optimal operating condition.
Here are some tips on how to clean a diamond grinding wheels:
Use of Common Cleaning Tools
- There are few ways on how to clean a diamond grinding wheel. One is to use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the debris present on the surface of the wheel or use a wet cloth and gently wipe the wheel’s surface.
- If your diamond grinding wheel is a bit dirty, you can clean it using soap and water. Make sure to rinse it off properly afterward. This is a common way of refreshing the wheel. You may also use a hose to spray the wheel with water.
- Make sure that there is no clogging happening in the wheel. Clogging in any grinding wheel happens when there is a lot of dust and metal shavings that have built up at a certain point. This might cause the wheel to stop turning. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck up any debris. You may also use sandpaper for keeping the surface smooth and free from scratches and dings.
- For those diamond grinding wheels that are covered in grit and oil, you need hot soapy water, a soft cloth, and some dish soap. Make sure that the cloth is very wet before you use it to wipe the wheel. Wipe the wheel by spinning it around quickly in a circular motion. Observe extra safety and avoid hitting the wheel with the cloth as it might cause damage. Lastly, use dish soap to clean off the wheel.
Dressing Method
- The dressing is one way of maintaining cleanliness and avoiding clogs in a diamond grinding wheel. Dressing cleans the build-up of debris which are the result of cutting operations that block the abrasive surface. How to clean a diamond grinding wheel by dressing method? Some use a dressing tool or a dressing stick to cut through or remove the present debris and expose a new diamond surface which restores the sharp abrasive edges of the diamond coating.
- Dressing sticks are designed for truing, cleaning, and dressing diamond grinding wheels. It can be categorized into three materials: Silicon carbide dressing stick, aluminum oxide dressing stick, and boron nitride dressing stick. For diamond grinding wheels, it is recommended to use aluminum oxide dressing sticks as it is designed and specifically formulated for offhand dressing on diamond tools after truing. Here are some sample specifications for aluminum oxide dressing sticks that you can purchase on the market.
| Abrasive Material | Grade | Length | Thickness |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 4 inches | ¾ inches |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 4 inches | ¾ inches |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 6 inches | ½ inches |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 6 inches | 1 inch |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 6 inches | 1 inch |
| Aluminum Oxide | Fine | 8 inches | 1 inch |
| Aluminum Oxide | Very Fine | 4 inches | ¾ inches |
- The dressing is done by simply making a straight cut through the dressing stick or bar, cutting off a thin section per pass. You can do this twice as it only needs one or two cuts through the sticks.
- When you are dressing the wheel, make sure that you are following the proper rotation direction indicated in the wheel. You can make an arrow mark on the wheel showing the rotation direction to avoid confusion. Dressing a wheel in opposite or both directions might damage the wheel.
- How to dress angles grinding wheels? You can also use dressing tools that have a series of angles surfaces for diamond grinding wheels that have angles surface. You may also use a series of rolls or an abrasive belt in dressing the angled surface.
Cleaning your grinding wheel is a very important part of its care and maintenance. If you want to keep your grinding wheel for a longer time, follow these cleaning tips on how to clean a diamond grinding wheel. Tired of watching DIYs? Ask the professionals how to clean diamond grinding wheels. Visit our website at agrindtool.com for more amazing grinding wheel cleaning tips.