12E549 - Walter 8-Inch Green Silicon Carbide Bench Wheel 80 Grit

Precision Grinding for Carbide and Non-Ferrous Metals

The Walter 12E549 is a high-performance bench grinding wheel engineered specifically for the demands of sharpening carbide tooling and grinding non-ferrous metals. Measuring 8 inches in diameter with a 1-inch face width, this wheel provides a substantial surface area for stable and consistent grinding operations. The wheel is constructed using premium-grade Silicon Carbide abrasive grains. Unlike standard aluminum oxide wheels used for steel, silicon carbide is harder and sharper, making it the abrasive of choice for extremely hard materials like tungsten carbide or softer, gummy materials like aluminum and brass that tend to load up other wheels.

With an 80-grit rating, this wheel falls into the medium-fine category, making it excellent for final sharpening, honing edges, and general-purpose finishing where material removal needs to be controlled and precise. One of the critical technical advantages of this Walter wheel is its cool-cutting characteristic. Grinding hard tooling often generates significant heat, which can ruin the temper of the metal or cause micro-cracking in carbide. The friable nature of the silicon carbide grain ensures that dull particles break away to reveal fresh, sharp cutting edges, reducing friction and heat buildup during the grinding process.

Installation and compatibility are seamless due to the inclusion of a complete set of nested reducer bushings. While the wheel's core bore is designed for larger industrial shafts, the bushings allow it to be safely and securely mounted on bench and pedestal grinders with 1-inch, 3/4-inch, 5/8-inch, or 1/2-inch arbors. This universality reduces inventory complexity for MRO cribs and ensures that the wheel can be moved between different machines in a workshop environment if necessary. The wheel is balanced to strict tolerances to minimize vibration, ensuring a smooth finish on the workpiece and reducing wear on the grinder's bearings.

Technical Specifications

This Type 1 straight wheel is designed for peripheral grinding. Users should ensure their bench grinder guards are properly adjusted to accommodate the 8-inch diameter and 1-inch width. The 12E549 is optimized for dry grinding applications but can be used with coolant systems where applicable. It is essential to match the wheel's maximum RPM rating with the grinder's speed to ensure safety and optimal performance.