Which tool and how do you "dress" a grinder?

[paul ashman]

I have the Woodcraft Slow Speed grinder, it came with white wheels. I am using the wolverine system. I am noticing the marks on the wheel from use and wonder about how to dress it to true? Also which tool, I am seeing many different kinds out there, mainly in two categories, a "wheel" type and a flat diamond impregnated type. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I turned my third bowl tonight!

Thanks!

"blow up your TV, throw away your paper, move to the country, and build you a home...."
John Prine

[Tim Malyszko]

I use the following diamond tip wheel dresser from Woodcraft (item c):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=223 and have been satisfied with it. Before purchasing it, I used a wheel dresser (item a) and was never all that pleased with the result. I found the Diamond tip wheel dresser rather idiot proof.

[Keith Burns]

Paul I got the dimond dresser from Oneway that is made for the Wolverine. Not only does it dress the wheel but it makes it round.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use the same on Tim does and he is right. You just about can't get it wrong. I am also looking at the one by Oneway that goes with the wolverine jig like Keith mentioned. Either way diamond is the way to go.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Paul......A diamond dresser is the way to go.I'd advise the one that Oneway/Wolverine sells and here's why. When you install the Wolverine base unit you want to try and make it absolutely centered under the grinding wheels of your grinder and exactly perpendicular to the axis of the shaft/arbor to which the grinding wheels are mounted.IF you are human and don't get them mounted exactly perpendicular to the shaft/arbor.....the back surface of the "cup" or pivot point on all of the Wolverine attachments won't be exactly centered to the center of the grinding surface of the wheel. The rear most face of the cup won't necessarily be parallel to the grinding surface of the wheel either. If you freehand dress the tool, you won't necessarily end up with these two surfaces parallel. If you use the Wolverine dressing tool because it uses the Wolverine base unit as it's pivotal axis, it will make the surface of the grinding wheel perpendicular to the axis of the Wolverine base unit and results in the surface of the wheel and the rear face of the pivotal cup being parallel. Small thing maybe, but it result in a more uniform grind on each side of a gouge or skew with less effort.But then again....there's a lot of folks who freehand dress quite well. I'm just one who tries to remove all possible operator induced error out of it ....since I'm so inclined to induce errors.JMHO

[Richard Madison]

Paul,
Having used both the wheel type dresser and an inexpensive T-shape diamond, can suggest that the former is fine for your regular shop grinder to remove impregnated material, true the wheels a bit, and expose fresh abrasive. The latter is definitely better for cleaning and trueing your lathe tool sharpening wheels. Suggest a firm support on a tool rest, and a very light touch against the wheel. I think that Ken's approach is excellent, and/but a bit of overkill for some.