Raptor CBN wheels

[Justin Stephen]

Looks like D-Way has some competition from Craft Supply.

http://youtu.be/urM-5P8_t4g

The video points out that you can use them without removing your grinder guards (wheel is 1" wide instead of 1 1/2", not sure how this is a good thing) and that you can side grind with it. Looks like it only comes in one grit, "170/200 Grit (ASTME)". Price is $196 but that includes the bushing, so it is about the same price as the D-Way wheels.

[Roger Chandler]

I have seen one of these and used it on a bowl gouge.........I prefer my D-Way with the 1-1/2" wide surface......just my opinion.

[Justin Stephen]

I have seen one of these and used it on a bowl gouge.........I prefer my D-Way with the 1-1/2" wide surface......just my opinion.

I'm inclined to agree with you. I was just pondering picking up a second CBN (180gr) to go with the 80 I already have. I'll get another D-Way just so I have a matching set. :) I love the 1 1/2" surface and I won't miss the grinder guards.

[Steve Peterson]

Its great to have a second choice. I already have a D-Way and like the 1 1/2 inch wide surface, although side grinding is a nice feature of the Raptor. I think I will keep a standard wheel on one side for grinding normal steel.

Steve

[Brian Libby]

The newer D-ways now have a side grinding feature .

[Reed Gray]

I got used to the 1 1/2 inch width of the D Way, and I have to try most things out there. I bought one of the Cuttermaster wheels which is 1 inch wide, and has a side grind option. I still prefer the 1 1/2 inch wide wheels. I talked to Dave about the side grind, and he said that the carvers love it, but it does not appeal to the turners as much. Don't think I will try this wheel. Though if I wanted the side grind option, I would want it wider like on the Optigrind or the Craft Supplies wheels.

robo hippy

[Larry Pickering]

I'll stick with my 11/2 D-ways

[Bob Bergstrom]

I am quite spoiled by that extra width on the D-Way. Great for long side grinds on gouges and sharpening skews.

[Roger Chandler]

I am quite spoiled by that extra width on the D-Way. Great for long side grinds on gouges and sharpening skews.


+1 on this observation......the side grind can be done by canting the gouge to the right or left and the entire wing can be sharpened at once.........makes for a fine edge which makes fine shavings on a shear cut or shear scrape with the wing......more surface for the skew as well!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I will stick with the D-way. Like the 1 1/2" width.

[Jeff Moffett]

The newer D-ways now have a side grinding feature .
Brian, can you elaborate on your statement? I don't see any mention of side grinding on the D-way website. I'm considering making a purchase and that would seal the deal. The advantage of the D-way seems to be the wheel width and the advantage of the Raptor is the side grind. If D-way has both, the choice would be easy.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Brian, can you elaborate on your statement? I don't see any mention of side grinding on the D-way website. I'm considering making a purchase and that would seal the deal. The advantage of the D-way seems to be the wheel width and the advantage of the Raptor is the side grind. If D-way has both, the choice would be easy.

Well, Dave has said that to me a couple times, including at dinner last night.

Personally, given that I know Dave, his wheels are wider, have more options (two grits) and are cheaper, I would still say go with D-Way

BTW, Craft Supplies approached Dave about wholesaling to them, he declined.

[Justin Stephen]

BTW, Craft Supplies approached Dave about wholesaling to them, he declined.

I figured they had. I suspect that once he declined, Craft Supply spent a fair amount of effort trying to find an alternate source for CBN wheels.

[Chris Chavis]

Brian, can you elaborate on your statement? I don't see any mention of side grinding on the D-way website. I'm considering making a purchase and that would seal the deal. The advantage of the D-way seems to be the wheel width and the advantage of the Raptor is the side grind. If D-way has both, the choice would be easy.

He mentions it in the video posted on his site at the bottom of the CBN wheel page - first video at about 2:16 that he has CBN material on the edges and I believe he mentions it later on too.

[Jeff Moffett]

He mentions it in the video posted on his site at the bottom of the CBN wheel page - first video at about 2:16 that he has CBN material on the edges and I believe he mentions it later on too.
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris. I don't see where Craft Supplies or D-way gives a size specification on the side grind. Just from looking at the pictures/videos, the D-way looks pretty small (maybe 1/4"?) whereas the Raptor appears to have somewhere around 3/4" to a 1". I've never used a wheel with the side grind feature, but it seems like an added bonus to provide more flexibility in grinding. I'd be curious to hear from anyone using a side grind wheel. Is it one of those things that once you have it, you don't want to live without it, or is it just an unnecessary feature that never gets used?

[Ted Calver]

Just measured the side on my new D-Way...it's 1/4"+/-

[Ralph Lindberg]

Thanks for pointing that out, Chris. I don't see where Craft Supplies or D-way gives a size specification on the side grind. Just from looking at the pictures/videos, the D-way looks pretty small (maybe 1/4"?) whereas the Raptor appears to have somewhere around 3/4" to a 1". I've never used a wheel with the side grind feature, but it seems like an added bonus to provide more flexibility in grinding. I'd be curious to hear from anyone using a side grind wheel. Is it one of those things that once you have it, you don't want to live without it, or is it just an unnecessary feature that never gets used?

Dave added it due to requests from carvers, it appears that some of the tools they use a side grind is useful.

[Jeff Moffett]

Just measured the side on my new D-Way...it's 1/4"+/-
I spoke with Craft Supplies this morning and they indicated that the Raptor side grind area measures 5/8", but it's only on one side of the wheel whereas the D-Way has 1/4" on both sides. Bottom line, you're getting 1 5/8" of CBN material on the Raptor and 2" of CBN material on the D-Way for about the same price when you include the D-Way bushing. Since I don't have a strong need for the side grind, I'm leaning towards the D-Way due to the wider wheel and the choice of grit.

[Reed Gray]

The Cutter Master, and the D Way both have 1/4 inch side grind. The Optigrind (1 1/2 inch wide wheel) has about 5/8 like the Raptor. I guess given a preference, I would find the 1/4 a bit small, but have never found a use for it.

robo hippy

[Reed Gray]

I was chatting with Dave (D Way) about the CBN wheels, and what happens when the wheels load up from attempting to grind softer non heat treated steels or things like aluminum and brass. Craft Supplies states that if you attempt to do this, you will cause permanent damage to the wheel. Dave commented that the wheels can load up a bit, and the way to clean it is by taking a good old heavy scraper and sharpening it on the clogged wheel. This will effectively clean the wheel. I guess the main problem would be with sharpening some thing like a lawn mower blade or an old cheap machete. I don't think I have done that one yet, though I do have an old softer carbon steel continental type gouge from Sorby, and had no problems with it. I won't try brass or aluminum on this wheel, at least not for a bit.

robo hippy

[George Brown]

The Cutter Master, and the D Way both have 1/4 inch side grind. The Optigrind (1 1/2 inch wide wheel) has about 5/8 like the Raptor. I guess given a preference, I would find the 1/4 a bit small, but have never found a use for it.

robo hippy

Can you tell me where you purchased the optigrind wheel, any US distributors or did you order directly from them in England?

Thanks

[Reed Gray]

George,
When I got mine, I picked it up directly from Deitmer down at the Symposium in San Jose. This is a link to their web site. They are in Michigan I think. I did need an arbor/insert for it as my grinders have 3/4 inch shafts. There were some problems mounting them on some grinders because of the short shafts. They are intended to mount with the side grind to the outside, but the arbor is about 1/2 inch short on the inside (side away from the side grind), so even if your shaft was long enough, you had to add spacers to get it out far enough to spin, and this would not leave enough room to put a nut on to keep it on the grinder. I mounted mine both ways, and it didn't make any difference to me which side it was on. Really, once you get used to the 1 1/2 inch wide wheels, you don't want to go back to the 1 inch wheels.

http://www.optigrind.com/

robo hippy

[Mike Cruz]

Dave now has a wheel with rounded corners that allows you to sharpen around the sides a bit. Not sure if that is what the optigrind does or not...

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Can you tell me where you purchased the optigrind wheel, any US distributors or did you order directly from them in England?

Thanks

I have the optigrind. ( love it) I ordered it direct from the UK. They do have a warehouse they ship from here in the states though.
Also the last I knew Johannes Michelsen at www.hanneseool.com carries them here in the states too.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Dave's new wheels have side grind. There's also a new wheel Dave developed with David Ellsworth with a radiused edge. It's a 1/4" radius; it allows you to sharpen hollowing tools and scrapers without having to swing them in a huge arc. There's a video on the D-Way website that shows them in use. http://d-waytools.com

Side grind is available on all wheels now (I believe) radiused side grind on 8" wheels only.

[George Brown]

Thanks all for the info, I will be getting the optigrind since it is wider and has a larger side grind section. I'll call the company to make sure they have the 180 grit. I have some powdered metal turning tools that should be sharpened on something harder than the standard wheels.

[Rick Markham]

I bought an Optigrind wheel (8") at the symposium this year, I would have bought one of Dave's if he had been a vendor there. It's a great wheel, sure puts the Tormek to shame on the CPM 10V tools. I want my second one to be one with a radiused side grind from Dave. (I didn't even have a slow speed grinder when I grabbed the CBN wheel... I had to get a brand spanking new Baldor 8100W to spin it, boy I tell you I love the Tormek sharpening Jigs on this set up!) :cool:

[Reed Gray]

Rick,
You will love the Baldor as much as you do the wheels. One problem with mounting the wheels on that motor. There is a pin in the motor shaft for the flanges that work on the standard type grinding wheels. Those flanges do not work on the CBN wheels. I could not figure out how to pull the pin other than grinding it off, so I left it in, just in case I need it some where down the road. This means I had to put spacers (5/8 inch thickness worth) in to go up to the pin and over it. First attempt was to use the stamped washers from the big box store. They are very uneven, and the wheels had a small amount of side ways run out in them. This was reduced to almost nothing by the time the wheels got up to speed. I went to a machine shop and had them machine a washer that would slip onto the shaft, and used my jig saw to cut a slot for the pin. Now, almost no run out. I tried this on all the wheels and got the exact same results. You will also notice that it is almost impossible to slow the Baldor down.

robo hippy