UFO identified

[soundman]

I can see both sides of the reversing argument.

The result would be variable with the type and quality of wheel.

I have in the past turned a wheel arround and yess it proceeded to shed like a golden retriever comming into summer. it was a cheep soft straight laid wheel.

however if we we're talking about a heavy twist knot wheel I can see that it would wear unevenly & reversing it probably wont bother it because the base of the wires wont flex a hell of a lot.

The type of use may also cause differing results.
If the wheel was mounted on a bench grinder and always used with a light touch AND the wheel was good quality it probaly would not make a blind bit of difference either way.
If however the wheel was mounted in a hand held power tool and used in a heavy application (such as descaling plate steel) and the wheel was of cheaper manufacture things may be completely different.


It occurs to me that there is good reason for the generaly accepted workshop dogma, BUT I also occurs to me that modern qulaity manufacturing may overcome previous valid concerns in many matters.


Personaly I wouldn't reverse a soft straight laid wheel on my bench grinder.
If its getting that bad I would probaby replace it. They are cheap enough these days.

BTW any experienced wire wheel user will tell you the most wires are often shed in the first few hours of use.


cheers

[Shedhand]

I forgot to say that it's a twisted wire wheel.

[soundman]

:eek: yikes Twist knot wheels are prety damn agressive.
I don't think I'd be game to work hand held to a bench grinder with one on it.
For a wire wheel to use kleening stuff up in the workshop particularly if you are dealing with relativly small parts I'd be going for a soft straight laid wheel.

Twits knot wheel...... man I want to have all my body parts a safe distance from that.

Now I'm not saying that I'd clean the dirt from under my fingernails with a soft wire wheel but, minor accidental contact with the wheel is not a major crisis.

A twist knot wheel on the other hand will rip big chunks out of you.


Keep some body filler handy

cheers

[Shedhand]

Sound advice Soundman (no pun intended). Its a pity the guy who sold it to me didn't warn me. I bought the twisted one because I thought it would last longer and throw less wire out as it wore down. Guess I'll by a soft untwisted one and keep this one for tough stuff.
Thanks