rubber contact wheels or steel?

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kbog

Joined
Apr 11, 2004
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I have a KMG that is less than a year old. I ordered the top 2" contact wheel with rubber. The wheel is nearing the end of it's life. It has warn out very unevenly too with one half of the wheel wearing about 2mm faster than the other half. I must be using it unevenly somehow. With a belt on it, it is hard to notice but with the belt off, it is obvious.

Now I liked the feel of the rubber overall and used it frequently, but is there a reason to stay with the rubber or is the life span not worth the coin? What have the more experience folks found?

Thanks,

Keith
 
If it is being used as a contact wheel stay with rubber. Hard wheels like steel or aluminum don't work well as they tend to chatter if you grind against them. Also since there is no give at all they are prone to belt bump every time the belt splice passes by. I have also been told that using a metal wheel as a contact could damage it but I don't know how true that is.
 
Wow. That is some grinder he built.

Thanks for the tips. Rubber is the way too go. I agree with the chatter premise as I do use the lower still wheel a bit for handle shaping and it does indeed chatter. Wasn't sure that f that was technique or position or something.
 
chemistguy,
Please don't recommend things and materials you have no experience with at all.

Build some knives. Get some experience under your belt. Get or make a grinder....and then give grinder building advice.


kbog,
If the wheel is a contact wheel, it needs to be rubber coated. Get a high durometer wheel for longer life. You can order them from several suppliers, of call Rob at Beaumont and get them from him. If used as a roller only, steel or aluminum will be OK.
 
bladsmth said:
kbog,
If the wheel is a contact wheel, it needs to be rubber coated. Get a high durometer wheel for longer life. You can order them from several suppliers, of call Rob at Beaumont and get them from him. If used as a roller only, steel or aluminum will be OK.
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I second that!
 
chemistguy said:
I saw a video on youtube where a guy used skateboard wheels and trucks... pretty sweet and cost effective if ya ask me. (but not sheriff they will attach easily to your KMG
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You should put that video in the youtube sticky thread, That grinder is a testament to redneck engineering, it looks like it came out of a tim burton movie ;0)
 
bladsmth said:
chemistguy,
Please don't recommend things and materials you have no experience with at all.

Build some knives. Get some experience under your belt. Get or make a grinder....and then give grinder building advice.
Click to expand...

hey man I'm just sharing what I've seen, I'm not claiming to have experience with it or anything.

edit: ok, I take your advice. thanks.
 
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If you don't know anything about the question....just don't answer it. Someone who does know will answer it, and you can read and learn from his post.
 
Thanks. I'm thinking that a 70 duro qualifies? To be honest, I'm not too sure what the duro rating was for the wheel Rob sold me when I bought the grinder...his website is under construction so a phone call might be in order...
 
kbog said:
I have a KMG that is less than a year old. I ordered the top 2" contact wheel with rubber. The wheel is nearing the end of it's life. It has warn out very unevenly too with one half of the wheel wearing about 2mm faster than the other half. I must be using it unevenly somehow. With a belt on it, it is hard to notice but with the belt off, it is obvious.

Now I liked the feel of the rubber overall and used it frequently, but is there a reason to stay with the rubber or is the life span not worth the coin? What have the more experience folks found?

Thanks,

Keith
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I had a 2" wheel do the same thing. Tracked it down to all the wheels where not exactly dead center to each other. My drive wheel moved on the motor shaft, unknown to me. It was compensated for with the idle wheel which but a uneven stress on the top 2" wheel and it wore uneven.

check your wheels.
 
AVigil said:
I had a 2" wheel do the same thing. Tracked it down to all the wheels where not exactly dead center to each other. My drive wheel moved on the motor shaft, unknown to me. It was compensated for with the idle wheel which but a uneven stress on the top 2" wheel and it wore uneven.

check your wheels.
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Interesting. I think I understand what you are saying, but I'm not totally confident. Am I checking to see that all the wheels are aligned from left to right with each other? In other words, a wheel may be "sticking out" farther than another wheel and causing the issue?
 
If there was one part of a grinder I did NOT skimp on, it would be the contact wheel. Save money elsewhere... buy a good contact wheel that was designed to be a contact whell (not a skateboard wheel, not a wagon wheel, not a hand truck wheel). I know it it tempting to look at the delta in price between, say, a $12 harbor freight hand truck wheel and a comparably sized $120 Beumont contact wheel. But guys, this is literally where the rubber meets the steel. You want TIGHT tolerances, not sloppy tolerances. You want speed rated bearings, not loosely packed vaguely speroidal BBs.

Save money elsewhere. Get a good contact wheel.
 
kbog said:
Interesting. I think I understand what you are saying, but I'm not totally confident. Am I checking to see that all the wheels are aligned from left to right with each other? In other words, a wheel may be "sticking out" farther than another wheel and causing the issue?
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For example.... From Beaumont metals the tracking wheel is 2.5" wide, 4" drive wheel is 2.25" wide and contact wheels are 2" wide.

So be very careful because they are all different widths.
 
Hey Keith I'm pretty sure I've used my grinder a little more than you've used yours and my 2" rubber wheels still look brand new. I would talk with Rob and send him a pic. If my wheel wore out that fast I would be upset.
 
AVigil said:
For example.... From Beaumont metals the tracking wheel is 2.5" wide, 4" drive wheel is 2.25" wide and contact wheels are 2" wide.

So be very careful because they are all different widths.
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Reference the frame of the kmg. Realize all wheels widths are NOT the same. Find center of each wheel and make that point the same distance from the frame for all the wheels. I would guess the flat platen idlers and contact wheel and tracking wheel to be very close already. The drive wheel could be off. Hope that helps.
 
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PT Doc said:
Reference the frame of the kmg. Realize all wheels widths are the same. Find center of each wheel and make that point the same distance from the frame for all the wheels. I would guess the flat platen idlers and contact wheel and tracking wheel to be very close already. The drive wheel could be off. Hope that helps.
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I just added a temporary shim to the level to make up any difference while setting the wheels in place.
 
I run my KMG the same way with a rubber contact wheel on top. I got the wheel from them as well. I have had it about 10 months and run it everyday at a min. and some days for hours at a time. My wheel is in like new condition. Are you getting debris behind the belt and it is acting as a reverse sandpaper and grinding down your wheel little by little ? I think those wheels run about $80 bucks so it would be wise to check all factors before you start running another one. Or just move back to the aluminum ones they come with standard.
 
I agree that there must be something wrong with the rubber wheel, the position of it or your technique?

I have gotten over 10 years of nearly everyday use out of 2" 70-90 Durometer rated contact wheels.

Are you sure this wheel isn't Nylon?

As tryppr stated, Contact wheels are not the area to skimp on.
 
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