Bench grinder

[Jerry Thompson]

I have had an 8'' Craftsman bench grinder I purchased years ago from a Web site. It has only been used to grind lawnmower blades.
Today I installed a white 1'' stone on it. When I manually spun it it has a lot of run out or wobble to it.
I thought maybe the shaft was bent as the other 3/4'' stone did the same.
I went to Harbor Freight and got another 8'' grinder, put on the stone and it still does what it did on the other grinder. Do you think it will balance out when I fire it up?
I am doing this to grind plane irons. This I have never done and need to as the micro bevels are large and there is a chip or two in three.
That is something I have never done. I have a LV jig and the other piece that attaches to it. Any advice on the foregoing will be appreciated.
Thank you.

[Myk Rian]

I use a diamond card hone to true up my wheels. Works better than the carborundum dressers. Leaves a nice flat surface, and the wheels balance out when done.
226661

[Ronald Blue]

Any grinding wheel has to be "trued". Either by a wheel type dresser or a dressing stick. Grinding wheels are not precision by any definition until "trued" up. To function correctly they have to break down slightly as they grind. If a wheel is to hard or fine of a grit it will glaze and burn, to soft and it needs redressed often. Myk, how do you hold your diamond hone to safely dress a wheel? Is it not designed to cut on the flat surface?

[Myk Rian]

I just hold the flat surface against the wheel. You can start doing the wheel with a dresser or carb stick. Finish it with the card.
It will bounce on an uneven wheel if you hold it too hard against it. Just light pressure gets it done.

[Ronald Blue]

If your comfortable with it that's all that matters. I would be nervous even with the tool rest properly adjusted of what can happen if it were to slip. I have witnessed and even had a couple close calls personally of what can happen with a grinding wheel. As with saw blades and other rotating or reciprocating devices our reflexes aren't nearly quick enough.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Hey Jerry -- Hold a pencil on the tool rest and apply it lightly to the spinning wheel. It it's seriously unbalanced you'll see a bumpy, disconnected pencil line pattern on the wheel after it stops. I prefer the T-handled diamond dresser for truing wheels but you'll use what you have. With the wheel spinning again, very lightly apply your dressing tool to it...a very light touch. Check the pencil marks and repeat until new pencil marks show a continuous line around the wheel. The diamond dressers are sold by Woodcraft in case you have a store near you. About ten or twelve bucks last time I bought one.

[Bill White]

Gotta start with a good wheel (Norton is what I use) then, true. I use a carb stick from Norton, and I've had it for YEARS. Got it for use on a die grinder tool. I have the old style star wheel trueing device, but only use it for a quick wheel cleaning-not trueing.
ALWAYS start a new wheel by standing to the side and using the shield 'cause the last thing I need in my life is a wheel exploding on the grinder.
I'm a dino 'cause I only have a high speed grinder. Works well in my shop. If I were to buy a new grinder, it would be a 1750 rpm jobby.
I will use a very light touch when beginning to true a wheel. Once trued, you're good to go.
Bill

[Jerry Thompson]

I don't understand "truing." Do you mean using a carbide dressing wheel? It is the wobble from side to side thst concerns me. It is a stone I purchased @ Woodcraft.

[Ronald Blue]

Trueing means to make it run concentric with the arbor (motor) shaft. As Bill mentioned stand to the side anytime you start a grinding wheel for the first time. (New Wheels) Make sure the tool rest is adjusted close to the wheel but not rubbing. Readjust after dressing. To big of a gap is a recipe for disaster. They make wheel type dressers, stick type which look like a really course grinding wheel but are about 1-1/2 inches square and probably 6 inches long, and the diamond style mentioned by Charles. +1 on Norton grinding wheels. They are amongst the best in my experience. There is little if anything you can do about side to side wobble but for general use it has no effect on the function of the wheel. I am sure you still have questions but I hope this makes some sort of sense to you.

[shane lyall]

I don't think you can fix side to side as I know of. I have a Porter-Cable 6 inch and use it to grind every edge in my shop so it get worked hard. It came with a little T-handle deal to flatten and true the stones. It has worked well and I've used it on several wheels and it looks like new still. I've never had one to be out side to side so I can't help there, sorry. +1 on the Norton stones. The white fryable (sp) stones are top notch but none I have used from any manufacturer have been dead true out of the box.