Abrasives

Industrial Abrasives

Industrial abrasives include products or tools that are used to shape or finish the surface of a product by cutting a portion of the surface with a textured material through direct contact. Abrasives are used for sanding, polishing or buffing of materials to create a smooth or shiny surface.

Industrial Tool Supply offers a wide variety of industrial abrasives for a variety of applications and materials. We have broken them down into a few basic categories to help you select the right abrasive for your project.

Carbide Burrs:

These tools are small rotary files that are attached to a drill or electric motor and run at high speed to remove material much like a dentist drill. Carbide steel is used because of the high speed at which the burr rotates to ensure both effective abrasive qualities and for safety.  Interestingly carbide burrs can be used on most any material including steel, aluminum, ceramic, plastic and wood.

Industrial Tool Supply offers burrs with an end cut for sharp cuts used on edges and ball ends which are great for deburring and getting into recessed areas or the workpiece. These burrs are ground from solid micro-grain carbide which delivers longevity and quality cutting properties.

What speed should you use with your burr? Below is a list of some approximate speeds for different diameter size burrs:

Grinding Wheels and Flap Discs:

Both of these products are used to provide a smoother finish typically on a metal workpiece. The grinding wheel uses a rougher abrasive material to remove a larger portion of the surface which generally is the first phase of smoothing out a surface. The flap disc usually has a finer grain grit and is used to provide a smoother surface, generally, the flap disc is used after the grinding wheel to provide a more finished surface especially if the workpiece is to be painted or coated.

Applications:

Grinding Wheels are used on all ferrous materials like structural steel, rebar, and pipe and commonly used to smooth and clean up welds on workpieces. Our grinding wheels feature a dual grit aluminum oxide grain that provides a more aggressive material removal and long life.

Flap Discs are an excellent choice for rust removal and light deburring on all ferrous and non-ferrous metals. These are recommended for a lighter finishing of a surface. Our flap discs feature a fiberglass backing material and resin on resin bonding allowing for a high cut rate as well as fast cool cutting.

Handling & Care:

Abrasive grinding wheels and flap discs must be handled, mounted and used with the right amount of precaution and protection.

Your abrasive wheels and discs should be stored so they are protected. The room in which you store them should also have a consistent temperature and humidity control to protect the backing material and bonding so that the abrasives do not become brittle and or break.

Always inspect your grinding wheels or flap discs when they arrive to make sure they have not been damaged in transit. It is also a good idea to inspect the wheels/discs after each use to identify if any damage has occurred, never use a cracked wheel!

Check the spindle rpm of the machine you're using to ensure it doesn't exceed the maximum safe speed of the grinding wheel and always use a wheel with a center hole size that fits snugly and freely on the spindle without forcing it. Never attempt to alter the center hole.

Check to make sure the spindle nut is secure, not too tight and not loose.

Industrial Abrasive Shop Rolls:

Aluminum oxide abrasive shop rolls are great for shops and areas that do a lot of polishing, finishing and grinding. These bulk rolls have a flexible cloth backing allowing you to cut the exact length you need in a convenient bulk box saving you space and protecting your materials.

Wire Wheel Brushes:

Wire wheel brushes are industrial abrasive tools that use wire strands attached to a hub to remove material from a project in order to smooth or finish a surface. The wire strand abrasive, when turned at high speeds, removes material from the workpiece.  Industrial Tool Supply offers a wide selection of wire wheel brushes each designed for specific applications.

Wire wheel brushes offer an advantage over grinding wheels and flap discs in that the wire abrasives are flexible and can easily contour to irregular shapes and curves whereas grinding and flapper wheels are flatter and cannot accommodate a wider variety of surfaces.

Wire wheel cup brushes are a type of wire wheel with filaments that are placed at an angle thus creating a cup shape. These two different styles of wire wheel brushes offer unique advantages for finishing applications.

 Applications:

Wire wheel brushes are commonly used for cleaning, polishing, deburring, edge blending, and finishing because of the shape. Cup brushes are best used for deburring and surface finishing, as well as the removal of rust, paint or scale.

Need Help? Industrial Tool Supply is always here to help you select the right industrial abrasive for the job. Feel free to call or contact us online if you need any assistance.