Greasy grinding wheel

[Tim Clarke]

So, has anyone soaked a greasy filthy grinding stone in something like solvent or purple cleaner successfully? If so what did you use?

Thanks, Tim

[Doozer]

Dress it.

-D

[dian]

will not do much. even in an ultrasonic the result will be mediocre. may depend on how open the wheel is.

[aliva]

Try white gas ( Naphtha). Soak it for a couple of hours then put in a container of oil dry ( sorball). Be sure its fully covered. Leave it here for a day or 2. I used to do this with oil soaked brakes shoes, always worked for me

[J Tiers]

It is probably worth noting that wheels differ.

The advice so far has been appropriate to a vitrified wheel, which the OP appears to have, but there are other types of bond used aside from vitrified type bonds. Lye based or solvent based treatments may not be appropriate to every wheel type that may be encountered.

It is possible for certain solvents to weaken or damage the wheel bonding and make the wheel dangerous, either for a certain time if the solvent may be temporarily absorbed, or potentially permanently, if the solvent actually dissolves and carries away some of the bond material. I am thinking here of "rubber" and so-called "shellac" bonds, but there may be others.

Some of the affected bonds may have fallen out of use, but we, as generally hobby users, may have rather elderly wheels that may be of older and no longer popular bonding types.

[Bob Engelhardt]

What I would do is put it in water and gently boil it for a while. The heat will melt the grease and it will float to the surface. I would use soap in a second run if needed. Easy, cheap, gentle, no lasting ill effects.

[reggie_obe]

How did it get greasy? Was someone using something like: https://www.abrasivesupply.com/Cutti...ants_s/627.htm
I see it's also missing the blotter, is this a wheel you are trying to salvage?

[lakeside53]

What's wrong with just dressing it? real dresser....

[elf]

Why risk an exploding wheel when they're so inexpensive?

[reggie_obe]

Why risk an exploding wheel when they're so inexpensive?

Because it's HSM..

[elf]

Because it's HSM..

He's Squished Meat

[Doozer]

You people are nuts.

-D

[Tim Clarke]

This was a question based on curiosity rather than actual need. And yes, I know all about blotters, and checking for cracks. In this case the blotters self destructed when I took the wheel off the grinder, which was given to me.

And yes Reggie, this is the home shop machinist board. HSM's are known to hang out here.

[reggie_obe]

This was a question based on curiosity rather than actual need. And yes, I know all about blotters, and checking for cracks. In this case the blotters self destructed when I took the wheel off the grinder, which was given to me.

And yes Reggie, this is the home shop machinist board. HSM's are known to hang out here.

......and noted to do thing that demonstrate the adage, "Penny wise and Pound foolish".

[J Tiers]

yeah.... were it me, that wheel would be in the trash. Looks coarse, gray, and has a non-standard hole (for my shop anyhow). Three strikes, and it's out. PLUS its likely off balance as a result of the gunk.

Not liking pieces flying past my head (those are better than the ones that don't make it past, though), I'd pitch that sucker. With all that greasy stuff, it likely will not "ring", and any wheels that do not ring (but should) go O.U.T. here.