Bench grinder wire wheel

Over the years I've had a few wire wheels on my bench grinders. They're ideal to remove rust and paint from steel/cast iron parts; or to quickly clean up some threads. While I don't recommend using them on softer materials, like aluminum (parts will get scratched), a wire wheel is very useful and you'll find a use for it, if you have one.

However, I've had some bad ones that let go their wires easily, especially when working with odd shapes, which creates a safety problem (always wear safety glasses). So, be careful when you buy one of these, there's no need to save a buck or two in something that can easily hurt you.

These OSBORN wheels have been my choice in the recent years, they seem to last for a long time and hold the wires really well. They usually come with a set of adapters to fit different arbors.

Safety note: while these can be extremely useful, they can be dangerous. If you take a corner of a part to the wheel at the wrong angle, the wheel will kick it and take your hands with it. Be very careful when using spinning tools and always wear safety glasses. In doubt, don't use them and chose other methods, like media blasting in a proper blasting cabinet.