Part Two: Coolant, Dressing and Storage

In the first part of this guide we looked at the four application rules that decide whether a diamond grinding wheel performs or fails: matching the wheel to hard materials, static balancing on the flange, machine rigidity and the choice of grinding parameters. This second part covers the three care rules that determine how long the wheel will actually last in daily production — coolant practice, dressing, and correct storage and handling.

5. Always Grind with Coolant

Grinding with a suitable coolant is not optional in diamond grinding. Coolant performs three functions at once: it removes heat from the grinding zone, flushes abrasive debris and chips away from the wheel face, and lubricates the contact area between the diamond grit and the workpiece. The result is higher grinding efficiency, a better surface finish and noticeably lower wheel wear.

Commonly used coolants for diamond grinding include kerosene, light diesel oil and light gasoline. In practice, kerosene is generally the best choice: it has good lubricity, low viscosity so it penetrates the grinding zone easily, a suitable flash point for workshop safety, and it does not attack the resin bond of most wheels.

• Supply coolant as a flood directed at the grinding zone, not as a drip or mist.
• Keep the coolant clean and filtered — carbide and glass sludge recirculating onto the wheel face is a major cause of loading and scratching.
• Maintain adequate ventilation and fire protection, especially with oil-based coolants.

6. Dress the Wheel Correctly

A new diamond grinding wheel must be dressed before it is used for the first time, so that it obtains the correct form, concentricity and a free-cutting surface. The standard method is to use a WA180L5V oilstone clamped in a bench vise, and to feed the rotating wheel gently against it in small increments until the required shape and a uniform, open wheel face are obtained. Never force the wheel into the oilstone; light, controlled passes are what produce a true form.

During production, the wheel face gradually becomes dull or loaded (the pores become packed with workpiece material). When this happens, the wheel no longer cuts freely and the surface finish deteriorates. In that case the operator can hand-dress the working surface lightly with a silicon carbide stick, holding it carefully and applying only light pressure, to restore the free-cutting condition and continue grinding.

1. First use: dress with a WA180L5V oilstone (clamped in a vise) to establish the correct profile.
2. Routine maintenance: when the wheel is dull or loaded, hand-dress lightly with a silicon carbide stick.
3. After dressing: wash off loose abrasive and debris with coolant before resuming grinding.
4. Check balance again after any significant re-profiling of the wheel.

7. Store and Handle Diamond Wheels with Care

A diamond grinding wheel is an expensive precision tool, and careless storage shortens its life or destroys it outright. Wheels should never be thrown loosely into a tool drawer or stacked against other tooling.

• Do not expose the wheel to moisture — damp storage attacks resin bonds and promotes corrosion of the steel core.
• Do not expose the wheel to corrosive substances — acids, alkaline solutions and solvents can damage both bond and coating.
• Do not allow impact or dropping — a diamond layer is brittle, and even a light knock can cause invisible cracks or edge chipping.
• Keep the wheel away from high temperature — heat degrades resin bonds and weakens the joint between the abrasive layer and the core.
• Store flat or on a dedicated rack, preferably still mounted on its own flange, in a dry, ventilated place.

Summary

Long diamond wheel life is the result of disciplined practice: grind only hard materials, balance on the flange and leave the wheel mounted, use a rigid and precise machine, select sensible grinding parameters, always grind with the right coolant, dress correctly with a WA180L5V oilstone and a silicon carbide stick, and store the wheel dry, protected and free from impact. Applied together, these rules reduce tooling cost per part, hold surface quality stable and protect the machine spindle.

Our technical team assists customers with wheel specification selection, coolant and dressing recommendations, and process troubleshooting for carbide, ceramic and glass grinding. Please send us your workpiece material, required surface roughness and machine details, and we will propose a specification and care plan for your process.