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CBN Wheel vs. Jet wet wheel?

Well, you won't be in our debt, but probably will owe the CBN wheel makers....

Still not enough 'real' time on the 600 and 1000 grit wheels. I have to get back into bowls here soon for my one remaining show in July. I have been turning some dry Myrtle, and using the different grits on gouges and scrapers. For sure, I get a some what cleaner surface with the finer grits, but neither of the fine wheels is any where near 'broken in'. I have been doing scoops lately...

robo hippy
 
robo hippy said:
Well, you won't be in our debt, but probably will owe the CBN wheel makers....

Still not enough 'real' time on the 600 and 1000 grit wheels. I have to get back into bowls here soon for my one remaining show in July. I have been turning some dry Myrtle, and using the different grits on gouges and scrapers. For sure, I get a some what cleaner surface with the finer grits, but neither of the fine wheels is any where near 'broken in'. I have been doing scoops lately...

robo hippy
Click to expand...
Please 'splain "broken in."🙂
 
The CBN wheels when brand new cut really fast. I would say that a 180 grit CBN will out cut an 80 grit standard wheel. I don't know what exactly happens to them, but my old ones, the first ones I got from D Way still cut as fast as a 120 grit standard wheel, but they leave a much more polished surface. You can hardly see any scratch marks. This takes a month or six depending on how much you use them. With my fine wheels, I can't easily see any difference in the scratch patterns on the edges. The only thing harder than boron is diamond, so the abrasives don't break down. The wheels are colored, and that does not come off, so it may be some build up of metal. It seems to get to a certain point, and then doesn't go beyond that. I have scrubbed them with Ajax and a bristle brush, and applied a very hard aluminum oxide stick to them to clean them up, and the color does not go away. I have yet to try a lubricant on them to see if that clears things up any. I do have 3 grinders that are all 8 inch slow speed ones. 2 are now dedicated to my lathe tools. One has 80 and 180 grit wheels, the other has 600 and 1000 grit wheels. Since I only turn 200 or so bowls a year now, rather than 800 or so, it will take longer to break in my new wheels.

robo hippy
 
Zach, I have had a 600 grit CBN wheel from Ken Rizza on my Tormek for some time. It does an excellent job and cuts well. The edge does not appear to be as fine as I got with the water wheel. I'm waiting to hear more experience with the 1000 grit wheel.

I did buy some of Rizza's CBN flat hones including one 1200 grit. So far I like that for honing larger tools but haven't tried it with lathe tools yet. I can tell you it put a beautiful face and edge on some of my small farm shears, especially one I use for trimming llama and alpaca feet. I'm wondering if a 1200 grit CBN on a Tormek would be even better than the 1000. But it's a bit pricey to experiment with these things!

I just put a 600 grit on one of my slow speed grinders so I should be able to compare the edge from these in a few months. I have some other coarser CBN and like mentioned, they sure cut fast! Maybe even a little too fast if you are not careful!

JKJ
 
Jamie Straw said:
Please 'splain "broken in."🙂
Click to expand...

I think that he is using an automotive analogy ... the break-in" on a new engine is the period where all the moving parts wear just enough so that they are all moving smoothly. The "break-down" is where all the moving parts are moving loosely ... like pistons swapping cylinders, etc. 🙄

John K Jordan said:
... I'm wondering if a 1200 grit CBN on a Tormek would be even better than the 1000. But it's a bit pricey to experiment with these things!...
Click to expand...

I am also interested in finding out how well a 1200 grit CBN wheel would work ... or maybe even 2000 grit. After reading feedback about the 600 grit wheel I'll stick with the Tormek stone. I don't see any point in downgrading the performance of my Tormek. The standard Tormek gray stones have lasted about 9 years apiece which isn't too bad. I've been contemplating getting the Tormek black stone, but I need to find out what others think about it.
 
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