A soft diamond wheel that has stopped cutting, feels glazed, or shows bare patches can usually be resurfaced, as long as it is not worn through to the core. The wear pattern also tells you how the wheel has been running: a wheel worn in a band rather than across the face is usually running off center. Here is what each sign means and what to do about it.
The stages
What you see, and what it means
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A new wheel that barely cuts, or leaves a smeared finish | Excess resin on a new wheel that has not been broken in | Break it in: 2 to 4 minutes on agate or similar material, longer on finer grits. See Breaking in a new soft wheel |
| A wheel that used to cut and now glazes or slides | The diamond layer is worn smooth | Resurface it |
| Bare spots, the backing showing in patches | The diamond layer is worn through in places | Send it in now. We judge it when it arrives and resurface it if we can |
| Wear in a band, not across the face | The wheel is running off center, usually a bore too big for the shaft or a missing bushing | Fix the fit first. See Arbor and bore sizes. Then resurface the wheel |
| A bore worn oval | The wheel has run loose for a while | Resurface it. We fit a new bushing so it runs true |
| Diamonds coming off the face | Normal. Diamond releases from the face as the wheel wears | Keep using it, and watch how much face is left |
| Worn through to the core | Nothing left to resurface | Scrap. Replace it with a new SuperNova |
Do not run it to the very end. The wheels we see come in are usually worn out across the face. Stop just before you think the wheel has reached the end of its life. Running the last of it can damage the wheel so that it can no longer be resurfaced.
Run it wet. Our soft wheels must be used with water as a coolant. That is in the product instructions for every SuperNova wheel.
Before you send it in
- Check it is a soft wheel, not a hard one. See Resurfaceable or scrap.
- If it wore in a band, fix the fit on the machine before the wheel goes back on.
- Decide what grit you want back. It does not have to be the grit it was. See Changing grit when you resurface.
- Wash it, write your name and the grit you want back on the side, and ship the wheel only, without bushings.
A worn soft wheel. This is what we resurface.
Questions we get
My wheel is worn through to the foam. Can it be saved?
Often. We judge it when it arrives. If it is worn through to the core, no.
My new wheel is not cutting. Is it defective?
Probably not. New soft wheels have excess resin on the face and need breaking in. Run agate or similar material across it for 2 to 4 minutes, longer on the fine grits.
Why is my wheel worn in a stripe?
Usually because it is running off center. Check that the bore matches the shaft, or that the right bushing is in.
Diamonds are coming off my wheel. What do I do?
Some diamond loss is normal as a soft wheel wears. Keep an eye on how much face is left, and send it in before it is worn through.
Related: Resurfaceable or scrap, Arbor and bore sizes, Breaking in a new soft wheel.