I've been absent for a while, due to busy work, but....
Do diamond wheels also need to be cleaned?
If so, what is a good and practical method?
Thanks in advance!
This morning read the answer at Tormek itself:
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You can handwash your diamond wheel with washing up liquide and dry it.
I have done this and it works fine.
If you got some thing that sticks on the wheel you can use sort of glue remover/acteone(nail polish remover) to get it of the wheel.
Some persons have used erasers and say it works fine also.
The diamond sits in a coating very firm so the will not be affected.
Hope this answers your question and if you have any other question , just contact me.
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https://faq.tormek.com/org/tormek/d/diamond-wheels-536c/
Wim,
I don't recall cleaning diamond wheels becoming an issue until one of the CBN vendors posted a video on how to clean CBN wheels (which had been used dry). The Tormek philosophy is to use a minimum of strong chemicals, in this case ACC. ACC forms a barrier on both the diamond wheels and the tools to prevent rust. It works most effectively if it is allowed to air dry, rather than being dried off. I question how much cleaning of diamond wheels is really necessary.
When CBN wheels are used dry, the vendor recommends occasionally scrubbing them with a chemical solvent.
Ken
That's a good point Ken,
I might start by brushing off diamond wheel with an old toothbrush and see how much dirt comes out dry.
Using a brass or stainless brush is just fine.....I use a small stainless barbecue brush, which has short, but fine bristles on both diamond and cbn wheels..If the wheels get gummed up, it's recommended to use a solvent like white spirit,petrol or cellulose thinners to soften, then brush off..
These wheels are really tough.....I've seen videos where they use an old high speed drill moved across a running wheel to get rid of stuck on metal chips..
I have cleaned my diamond wheels just as I would my flat diamon sharpening plates. The flat plates require much more cleaning maintenance than the wheels. I use one of the non-abrasive cleaners with a wire brush and water. Bon ami is one cleaner that is safe. Barkeepers Friend is another. They work well. My Tormek diamond wheels don't require a lot of cleaning since I mainly use them for sharpening turning tools which is mostly just touch up.
I am curious, not critical. Are you guys using your diamond wheels with the recommended ACC solution or dry?
In the T1 online class, Samuel recommends using acetone to clean the T1 wheel, which can only be used dry. In an email with support, they told me that ACC in addition to preventing rust also forms a surface on the wheel to keep it clean. Also, that air drying helps to preserve this cleaning, rust preventative surface.
Ken