The Home Machinist!

Sorry, but I am not well versed on those discs. The information I've provided is based on the knowledge learned from working in precision grinding, where wheel type is ultra critical for proper results. That said, the information applies in pretty much all grinding scenarios, as the basic reason is that wheels that contain silica are dissolved in steel at high temperatures, quickly dulling the grain. Dull grain equates to greater heat, so there's a cascading affect on wheel performance, with rapid reduction in grinding ability. The reduction in performance is very noticeable when running a surface grinder.

One thing to look for if you find letters in the code. Aluminum oxide wheels will have an A in the code, usually at the beginning. On a grinding wheel, say one made by Norton, it might start out with something like 38A60XXXX, the A designating aluminum oxide, with the 38 a designation of the type of aluminum oxide. If the wheel is made of silicon carbide, the A would be substituted with a C.

Unfortunately, I do not know if that coding applies to wheels for chop saws.

H

Anyway, thank you very much Harold for taking the time to answer. At least now I know what to look for, most sellers just want to sell you a disc and don´t care what is the composition of it.