3 years I spent using the wrong grinding wheel on stainless steel

I was working on a pressure vessel job down in Baton Rouge last week and this old timer walks over and watches me grind for about 30 seconds. He says "son you're burning the metal" and hands me his wheel. I had been using a standard aluminum oxide wheel for 3 years on stainless. He showed me a zirconia one and the difference in cut speed was insane. No more blue heat marks on my welds now. Has anyone else been running the wrong wheel this whole time?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_patel12d agoMost Upvoted

Did you check the color of your sparks before he called you out? Gray sparks mean you're burning the chromium right out of the stainless.

lopez.quinn12d ago

Man @elliot_patel probably checked my sparks while shaking his head the whole time.

murphy.abby12d ago

Nah man gray sparks just mean you're getting after it, that's a good sign.