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Scotchbrite wheel

jpflys1

Member
Anyone have a place to by 6? scotch brite wheel for bench grinder? The one I purchased from McMaster did not last long.
 
A grinder is too fast for making the scotchbrite last IMHO. I chuck mine in a variable speed standing drill press and so far one has lasted me thru my entire build - year 5.5 now......I dont know what speed its on, but its probably no more than 500-700rpm - not super fast and for sure not even remotely as fast as my grinder......
 
The high $ 3M wheel will last much longer than he cheaper alternatives. It works better as well.

Also, working the piece across the wheel vs in line with the wheel will prevent grooves from forming. Work across the wheel for rough finishing and then switch to in line with a smooth pass and the parts will look and feel mirror smooth.
 
A grinder is too fast for making the scotchbrite last IMHO. I chuck mine in a variable speed standing drill press and so far one has lasted me thru my entire build - year 5.5 now......I dont know what speed its on, but its probably no more than 500-700rpm - not super fast and for sure not even remotely as fast as my grinder......

Ditto for me and you have better access to it.
 
Scotchbrite wheels come in many different grades (just like sandpaper and scotchbrite pads)

The rate they wear depends on the one used, and how it is used, and not so much how fast it is turned. The best tool to mount one on is a powered buffer. It has no shield to limit access to the wheel and the shaft is long to move it farther away from the motor and give good access to the wheel.
The cheap one at H.F. hold up just fine for this use.

image_22794.jpg


The wheel we use in our shop is the same one sold in the Van's Accessory catalog. We use it a lot, but it lasts a looooong time (probably a couple years at least).
 
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Agree

On Scott's recommendation, I went and bought the HF buffer as shown above. It has held up extremely well and the results using Van's or a 3M wheel are excellent. I now have a deburring wheel on each end of the buffer. One has a round profile on it and the other is flat. I imagine that I could produce two RVs without replacing wheels using this system.

I highly recommend that you purchase a box of dust masks (3M) with the nipple on the end. These are about $2 each but what is your health worth? One of these dust masks lasts for a long time.

You will be amazed at the amount of aluminum 'dust' that appears in your shop unless you use a vacuum at the buffer.:cool:
 
aluminum dust

Since the health issue was mentioned, I would like to ask about common practice around RV builders . Aluminum particles are getting more and more in the focus as possible health hazards. Also, conductive dust inside electric stuff inside the workshop worries me.

What do you do about it?
 
I can attest to the cheaper ones not lasting long. I've used up about half my wheel already (end of Fuse kit).. Generates a ton of dust. If I had a do-over, I'd just get the Van's one or a 3M.

I don't know what the equivalent 3M wheel is, but this one was "light" grade vs. medium.

This one was $45 last summer.. now $50. It worked fine.. but don't expect to build more than 1 rv-12 with it.

https://www.browntool.com/Listview/tabid/344/ProductID/2057/Default.aspx?txtSearch=deburring+wheel
 
Since the health issue was mentioned, I would like to ask about common practice around RV builders . Aluminum particles are getting more and more in the focus as possible health hazards. Also, conductive dust inside electric stuff inside the workshop worries me.

What do you do about it?

Since we work in a dusty environment on a regular basis everyone in our shop uses one of these.
3m-6291-main_1.jpg


It is way better than even the dust masks with air valves in them. You can use the same body for painting by switching between the quick change dust filters and carbon filters.
 
Unless...

Unless, of course, you are painting with product that requires a positive pressure air source.

Note the MSDS data sheet on the paint you plan to use. Compare it to the respirator performance. There are common chemicals in a lot of the paints we use that ARE NOT filtered by a run of the mill respirator...
 
Unless, of course, you are painting with product that requires a positive pressure air source.

Note the MSDS data sheet on the paint you plan to use. Compare it to the respirator performance. There are common chemicals in a lot of the paints we use that ARE NOT filtered by a run of the mill respirator...

Correct

My comment was in the context of a dusty environment from using a scotchbrite wheel for deburring (the topic of this discussion)

Protection from paint is a totally different discussion and yes the mask I posted a photo of, if used with charcoal paint filters would not be appropriate for all paints.

I have spent many hours on the breathing end of a forced air respirator system so I know that a painting respirator is not appropriate for all paints (particularly any that contain isocyninates)
 
In the Nuke world we often wore respirators. The partial face type like what is shown above were only considered 90% effective. 10% doesn?t sound like much, but it?s 10% more bad stuff than I want to breathe.
 
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