The bond is what holds the diamond, and it decides what a tool is for. Resin bond tools are soft: the diamond sits in a flexible resin face over a soft backing, which conforms to the stone for smoothing and polishing, and a worn one can be resurfaced. Sintered tools carry diamond through the depth of a metal rim and keep cutting as they wear. Nickel bond and plated tools hold a single layer of diamond on the surface; they cut fast and are finished when that layer is gone. Hard tools, sintered or nickel bond, are not resurfaced.
How each bond holds the diamond
| Resin bond (soft) | Sintered (hard) | Nickel bond, plated (hard) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | Through a flexible resin layer | Through the depth of the metal rim | One layer on the surface |
| Backing | Soft backing on a core | Metal rim on a core | Metal body |
| As it wears | Face wears down to the backing | Keeps exposing new diamond | Cuts until the layer is gone |
| Resurfaceable | Yes | No | No |
| Typical grits in our range | 60 to 200,000, plus oxide polishes | 30 to 600 | 30 to 3,000 |
Which of our products use which bond
Resin bond, soft. Smoothing, pre-polish and polish.
| Product | Sizes | Grits |
|---|---|---|
| SuperNova soft wheels, made in our Orange, CA warehouse | 4", 6", 8" | 60 to 200,000, cerium, chrome, tin |
| Resin bond diamond belts, made in our Orange, CA warehouse | 6 x 1 1/2, 6 x 2 1/2, 8 x 3, and belt sander sizes | 60 to 200,000, cerium, chrome, tin |
| Resin bond lapping discs, made in our Orange, CA warehouse | 6" to 24" | 100 to 50,000 |
| SuperNova discs, 1/4"-20 | 5.5" | 280 to 50,000 |
| Diamond Pacific Nova wheels | 4", 6", 8" | 60 to 50,000, cerium |
SuperNova soft wheel, resin bond.
Sintered, hard. Heavy grinding and shaping, and sawing.
| Product | Sizes | Grits or kerf |
|---|---|---|
| Sintered diamond wheels | 6" and 8" x 1 1/2" | 30 to 600 |
| Sintered lapping disc | 6", 8" | 270 to 3,000 |
| 301 compatible sintered blades | 6" to 20" | 0.040" to 0.085" kerf |
| 4" sintered carving wheels | 4", flat, round, V | 70/80 to 400/500 |
Nickel bond, hard. Fast shaping on hard stone and glass.
| Product | Sizes | Grits |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel bond hard wheels | 4", 6", 8" | 36 to 600 |
| Nickel bond radius wheels | 6" and 8" x 1.5" | 100 to 600 |
| Nickel bond lapping discs | 6" to 24" | 30 to 3,000 |
| Nickel bond diamond belts | 6 x 1 1/2, 6 x 2 1/2, 8 x 3 | 70 to 600 |
| Diamond Pacific Galaxy | 4", 6", 8" | 80 to 360 |
Plated blades. Thin kerf, where the material is worth more than the blade.
| Product | Sizes | Kerf |
|---|---|---|
| Pro-Slicer, plated | 4" to 10" | 0.004" to 0.031" |
| Meteorite cutting blade, plated | 6" to 10" | 0.012" to 0.015" |
Which bond for which job
| Job | Bond | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shaping hard stone: outline, dome | Sintered or nickel bond hard wheel | Hard bonds hold coarse diamond for fast removal. Every six-wheel machine starts with two hard wheels |
| Smoothing from shaped to pre-polish | Resin bond soft wheel | The flexible face follows the curve of the cab. The Genie, Titan, CabKing and Barranca GP6-6 all use soft wheels at 280 to 3,000 |
| Polishing | Resin bond wheel or disc at 8,000 and up, or oxide polish | Finest grits and oxides come on resin |
| Flat work | Lapping discs: nickel bond for coarse, resin for fine | The disc range covers 30 to 50,000 |
| Thin cuts in costly material | Plated blade | Thinnest kerf in our range, from 0.004" |
| Heavy sawing | Sintered or notched rim blade | Kerf to 0.200", diameters to 36" |
Run all of them wet. Our soft wheels must be used with water, and our sintered wheels need a steady flow of water to keep the wheel and stone cool. For picking a blade, see Choosing a saw blade.
Resurfacing is for soft wheels only
A resin bond wheel is a new diamond resin face on a soft backing. When the face wears, we can put a new one on. A sintered or nickel bond wheel has nothing to resurface in that way, so it is replaced when it is spent.
Questions we get
What is the difference between soft and hard diamond wheels?
Soft wheels are resin bond, with a flexible face over a soft backing, used for smoothing and polishing. Hard wheels are sintered or nickel bond, used for shaping.
Is nickel bond the same as electroplated?
Yes, for our products. Our nickel bond wheels, laps and belts are electroplated: a single layer of diamond held on the surface by nickel. CabKing calls the same construction electroplated.
Which lasts longer, sintered or nickel bond?
A sintered rim carries diamond through its depth, so it keeps cutting as it wears. A nickel bond wheel is done when its surface layer is gone. How long either lasts depends on the stone and how you run it.
Can a hard wheel be resurfaced?
No. Only soft resin wheels.
Related: Diamond grit sizes, Grit progression for cabbing, Resurfaceable or scrap.