Norbide dressing stick...

[Robin S.]

I picked a Norbide dressing stick up at work, used, for a song. I'm quite
sure it's at least 25 years old. I looked around on Google and it seems to
be used for dressing AlOx grinding wheels.

Any suggestions on specific techniques on using this thing? I thought I
could use it to quickly true wheels at work as I'm sometimes too busy or
lazy to move the rest and use the star dresser.

How hard should I push? How fast should I go? Should I quench it (I'd assume
not)?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Regards,

Robin

[PrecisionMachinisT]

Post by Robin S.
I picked a Norbide dressing stick up at work, used, for a song. I'm quite
sure it's at least 25 years old. I looked around on Google and it seems to
be used for dressing AlOx grinding wheels.
Any suggestions on specific techniques on using this thing? I thought I
could use it to quickly true wheels at work as I'm sometimes too busy or
lazy to move the rest and use the star dresser.
How hard should I push? How fast should I go? Should I quench it (I'd assume
not)?

Probly shouldnt quench it.

Norbide is what I use to true / shape the white wheels I use for grinding
HSS , although Ive found a green ceramic insert works just as well, other
than being a bit harder to hang onto.

As to use, not much to it, and nothing to be afraid of......pretty self
explanitory--you will get the hang of it in about ten seconds.

Post by Robin S.
Thanks for any thoughts.

Thoughts ???

Heres one :

Dont drop it on the floor, unless you want 2 smaller ones instead of 1
large.

[Harold & Susan Vordos]

Post by Robin S.
I picked a Norbide dressing stick up at work, used, for a song. I'm quite
sure it's at least 25 years old. I looked around on Google and it seems to
be used for dressing AlOx grinding wheels.
Any suggestions on specific techniques on using this thing? I thought I
could use it to quickly true wheels at work as I'm sometimes too busy or
lazy to move the rest and use the star dresser.
How hard should I push? How fast should I go? Should I quench it (I'd assume
not)?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Regards,
Robin

Norbide stick, perhaps 1/4" X 1/2" X 3"? That's a $20 US stick, if so.

If that's what you got, they are boron carbide, and are not great for
dressing wheels, but very good for shaping them. Just like a diamond, when
it's sharp it does wonders for a wheel, but performs poorly when dull. The
typical boron carbide stick is so hard (harder than silicon carbide, in
fact, the hardest substance made by man next to synthetic diamond) that
prolonged use only rounds them off, polishing the corners. I have one that
is over 40 years old that was used daily for over 4 years and then as needed
since, and it's still full dimensioned, although the corners are rounded and
it performs poorly now. That being said, the problem with using them for
dressing wheels is because they are so hard, when they get rounded off,
instead of displacing bits of the wheel, they just dull them instead, so the
wheel cuts very poorly. A sintered dressing stick, which has small
individual pieces that present sharp corners to the wheel will do a much
better job of dressing the wheel. They are typically 1" square and 6'
long. Cost about $2 US.

You can bear down pretty hard with the Norbide stick, but be careful that
you don't end up in the wheel if it slips on you, or it breaks. My
experience with mine was that they conduct heat poorly and you're usually
finished using it before heating becomes a problem. When you bear down hard
enough, they shuck off wheel faster than a star dresser. I'd suggest you
not quench on the outside chance is isn't capable of withstanding thermal
shock. Dunno. For all I know, it could be as stable as fused quartz.

Harold

[James Crombie]

The norbide stick is great for truing the wheel but as stated, if the
corners get rounded it will dull the wheel. So, true with the norbide
and then dress with a star wheel dresser or the 1x1 dressing sticks to
expose the sharp edges.

Post by Robin S.

Post by Robin S.
I picked a Norbide dressing stick up at work, used, for a song. I'm quite
sure it's at least 25 years old. I looked around on Google and it seems to
be used for dressing AlOx grinding wheels.
Any suggestions on specific techniques on using this thing? I thought I
could use it to quickly true wheels at work as I'm sometimes too busy or
lazy to move the rest and use the star dresser.
How hard should I push? How fast should I go? Should I quench it (I'd

assume

Post by Robin S.
not)?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Regards,
Robin

Norbide stick, perhaps 1/4" X 1/2" X 3"? That's a $20 US stick, if so.
If that's what you got, they are boron carbide, and are not great for
dressing wheels, but very good for shaping them. Just like a diamond, when
it's sharp it does wonders for a wheel, but performs poorly when dull. The
typical boron carbide stick is so hard (harder than silicon carbide, in
fact, the hardest substance made by man next to synthetic diamond) that
prolonged use only rounds them off, polishing the corners. I have one that
is over 40 years old that was used daily for over 4 years and then as needed
since, and it's still full dimensioned, although the corners are rounded and
it performs poorly now. That being said, the problem with using them for
dressing wheels is because they are so hard, when they get rounded off,
instead of displacing bits of the wheel, they just dull them instead, so the
wheel cuts very poorly. A sintered dressing stick, which has small
individual pieces that present sharp corners to the wheel will do a much
better job of dressing the wheel. They are typically 1" square and 6'
long. Cost about $2 US.
You can bear down pretty hard with the Norbide stick, but be careful that
you don't end up in the wheel if it slips on you, or it breaks. My
experience with mine was that they conduct heat poorly and you're usually
finished using it before heating becomes a problem. When you bear down hard
enough, they shuck off wheel faster than a star dresser. I'd suggest you
not quench on the outside chance is isn't capable of withstanding thermal
shock. Dunno. For all I know, it could be as stable as fused quartz.
Harold

[ICT]

I regrind my rounded off Norbide sticks with a diamond cup wheel (cuts like
butter). You gotta be careful squeezing Norbide in a vise because it is so
brittle it'll crack and break just by thinking about it. I use a couple
wafers of plastic (UHMW?) as a buffer to the vice jaws.
I do remember once 'bout 12 years ago I was dressing a vitrified wheel to a
sharp vee; the Norbide broke and my thumb was stuffed so far into the wheel
that I ground bone. It only took .0037 of a second for me to discover that
my thumb makes a lousy dressing stone. But I'm much better now <g>.
Darrell at ICT

########################

That being said, the problem with using them for
dressing wheels is because they are so hard, when they get rounded off,
instead of displacing bits of the wheel, they just dull them instead, so the
wheel cuts very poorly.

[Robin S.]

Post by ICT
I regrind my rounded off Norbide sticks with a diamond cup wheel (cuts like
butter). You gotta be careful squeezing Norbide in a vise because it is so
brittle it'll crack and break just by thinking about it. I use a couple
wafers of plastic (UHMW?) as a buffer to the vice jaws.
I do remember once 'bout 12 years ago I was dressing a vitrified wheel to a
sharp vee; the Norbide broke and my thumb was stuffed so far into the wheel
that I ground bone. It only took .0037 of a second for me to discover that
my thumb makes a lousy dressing stone. But I'm much better now <g>.

Thanks to all for the info. I was thinking about the diamond grinding idea,
but you answer my question before I had time to ask it.

I'll heed your warning regarding breakage. Very good to know.

Regards,

Robin

[Bing]

Post by Robin S.
Thanks to all for the info. I was thinking about the diamond grinding idea,
but you answer my question before I had time to ask it.
I'll heed your warning regarding breakage. Very good to know.

Anna, says if you put the stick up yer ass first before using it it will
last longer and you will not git that polished look.

Hey dont kill me....:)

Bing

[Harold & Susan Vordos]

Post by ICT
I regrind my rounded off Norbide sticks with a diamond cup wheel (cuts like
butter).

Great idea. I have a wet diamond wheel that I use for sharpening brazed
carbide which would serve extremely well without even holding the stick in a
vise. It's in storage right now, but when I get the shop set up again I'll
certainly take advantage of your tip. Just removing a bit from each end will
make mine quite serviceable again. I'm at a loss to explain why I hadn't
thought to try that long ago.

Harold

[Harold & Susan Vordos]

"ICT" <Sales at IndustrialCarbide dot com> wrote in message news:***@news1.prserv.net...
snip--.

Post by ICT
I do remember once 'bout 12 years ago I was dressing a vitrified wheel to a
sharp vee; the Norbide broke and my thumb was stuffed so far into the wheel
that I ground bone. It only took .0037 of a second for me to discover that
my thumb makes a lousy dressing stone. But I'm much better now <g>.
Darrell at ICT

In keeping with your comments, and those from Gerald, I couldn't resist
adding my comments. I recall "slugging" a running wheel on an old B&S
cylindrical when a part came off a pin I was checking for size (long story).
Amazing how fast it goes from a perfectly good skin covered joint to exposed
bone! That sucker took months to heal up, and was sensitive to cold for
years. I have only a strange looking spot on the knuckle now. Peace at
last. <g>

Harold

[Robin S.]

Post by Harold & Susan Vordos
In keeping with your comments, and those from Gerald, I couldn't resist
adding my comments. I recall "slugging" a running wheel on an old B&S
cylindrical when a part came off a pin I was checking for size (long story).
Amazing how fast it goes from a perfectly good skin covered joint to exposed
bone! That sucker took months to heal up, and was sensitive to cold for
years. I have only a strange looking spot on the knuckle now. Peace at
last. <g>

A guy at work was using a pneumatic drill to drill sheet metal for a scrap
chute. He was holding the piece in one hand, the drill in another.

The drill grabbed the sheet and took a sizable chunk out of his hand (the
chuck was subsequently found on the floor nearby). He was told to take the
chunk with him to the hospital. After closer inspection, said employee
decided that the chunk was too dirty to be of any use and discarded it in
the nearest trash can.

Upon being seen by the doctor, the employee finds out that there is nothing
the doctor can do as he has nothing to put in the wound. Apparently the
wound took months to heal and was oozing fluids of different colours for
much of that time. And he got yelled at by the doctor.

Regards,

Robin

[Beecrofter]

Post by ICT
I regrind my rounded off Norbide sticks with a diamond cup wheel (cuts like
butter). You gotta be careful squeezing Norbide in a vise because it is so
brittle it'll crack and break just by thinking about it. I use a couple
wafers of plastic (UHMW?) as a buffer to the vice jaws.

Wrap them in a few turns of paper.
I break them in half and make two.