Grinding wheel question

admin

I just bought a Dewalt 5" angle grinder that came with a 1/4" grinding wheel (DW4619).  The instruction booklet talks about "surface" grinding and "edge" grinding, and then cautions not to use an edge grinding wheel for surface grinding.However, neither the booklet, the Dewalt site, or other vendors sites differentiate between the various grinding wheels as "surface" or "edge".  Can someone educate me so I don't shatter the thing first time out?Thanks
Reply:its how the abbrasives are molded togetherwhen you go pick up some wheels they will be marked surface or edge and usualy you can tell , the egde wheels are usualy thinner much the same as a chop saw, and surface wheels are thicker 1/4 to 3/8 give or take and are porus looking .
Reply:This wheel isn't marked, nor are any of the accessory wheels on Dewalt's site designated as surface or edge.
Reply:I like to use 1/8" wheels for knocking down tacks, back gouging and cleaning up welds. I like them because they keep a nice square edge unlike the 1/4" wheels. However, they are consumed at a pretty fast rate. I think with grinding discs, you get what you pay for...so long as you don't try grinding with a zip cut you should be safe. All that nonsense about edge grinding and surface grinding is just that...Nonsense. Let's face it, it's grinding not rocket science...so long as there are sparks shooting off of it, you're doing okay
Reply:Edge wheels will be labeled cutting, surface wheels will be labeled grinding.  that is the more conventional terminology.  Grinding wheels are generally 1/4 inch thick, cutting wheels are generally 1/8th inch and thinner.
Reply:Thanks GMC, that was the info I was looking for.
Reply:1/8" is edge grinding and 1/4" IS SURFACE GRINDING, BECAUSE OF THE REENFORCEMENT. The thinner wheel, under to much pressure will explode and you don't to be there or see that, I have.