Flap Wheel 2" x 1/2" Mounted Aluminum Oxide, Pack of 10

Deburring the edges of laser, plasma and saw-cut parts is a job for a narrow, fast-wearing abrasive that follows the edge without rounding the face beside it, and a 2" x 1/2" flap wheel is built for exactly that. The 2" diameter gives long, soft flaps and more cutting surface per revolution than a 1" or 1-1/2" wheel; the 1/2" face keeps the work confined to the edge, slot or weld toe you aim it at.

Aluminum oxide cloth flaps on a 1/4" steel shank, pack of 10, one grit from 40 to 320 per pack, in plain shank or 1/4-20 thread shank. Sheet metal and plate shops, HVAC fabricators, machine builders and anyone breaking edges on a die grinder or drill will get through a lot of these.

• 2" diameter: long flaps, more abrasive per pass and longer life than smaller wheels
• 1/2" face stays on the edge, slot or weld toe without touching the adjacent surface
• Aluminum oxide cloth flaps keep exposing fresh grain as they wear
• Plain 1/4" shank for collets and drill chucks, or 1/4-20 threaded shank for mandrels
• Eight grits, 40 to 320, from dross removal to satin edge finishing
• Pack of 10, converted in Anaheim, California; bulk pricing on request

Plain or threaded shank, and which grit for edge work?

Same wheel, two ways of mounting it.

• Plain Shank: straight 1/4" steel shank for a die grinder with a 1/4" collet, a drill chuck or a flex shaft handpiece. The right choice for nearly every buyer.
• 1/4-20 Thread Shank: a 1/4-20 threaded stud for a mandrel or extension arbor with a matching tapped hole. Choose it if your bench is already set up with threaded mandrels or you need the reach of an extension.

For deburring and edge finishing, grit selection follows the edge condition:

• 40 and 60 grit: plasma dross, heavy saw burrs, flame-cut slag and mill scale at the edge. Fast, but they leave a scratch you must chase.
• 80 and 100 grit: laser-cut edges, sheared burrs, standard edge break before paint or powder coat. The everyday grits for this size.
• 120 and 180 grit: refining a broken edge, cleaning up stainless and aluminum cut edges that will be visible.
• 240 and 320 grit: satin finishing exposed edges and weld toes on stainless, brass and aluminum; pre-polish before a buff.

Grit guide for deburring and edge finishing

Never skip more than one band; a 40 grit dross pass followed by 240 leaves deep scratches under a satin sheen.

What tools does a 2" x 1/2" mounted flap wheel fit?

• Straight die grinders with a 1/4" collet, air or electric. Ideal for running along the edge of a part clamped on the bench.
• Right-angle die grinders with a 1/4" collet, for edges you approach from above and for weld toes inside frames.
• Electric and cordless drills. A 2" wheel has enough diameter to cut well at drill speeds, so this size is a good match for a drill on site or in a maintenance shop.
• Flex shaft handpieces with a 1/4" chuck or collet.
• 1/4-20 threaded mandrels and extension arbors, with the threaded shank version.

This is a 1/4" shank wheel, not an angle grinder accessory; it does not mount on a 5/8-11 spindle. Keep stick-out short, and run within the RPM marked on the wheel or your tool's rating, whichever is lower. A 2" wheel is rated lower than a 1" wheel because the flap tips move faster at the same RPM.

How to get the most out of it

1. Run along the edge, not across it. Travel parallel to the cut edge with the wheel tilted slightly so the flaps wrap the corner. This breaks the edge evenly without gouging the face.
2. Deburr from the burr side. Approach so the flaps push the burr back over the edge and off, rather than folding it flatter onto the face.
3. Light pressure. A 2" wheel has long flaps that only cut when they flex. Pressing hard stands them up, glazes the grain and tears cloth.
4. Keep the flaps trailing. Move the tool so the flap tips drag across the surface. If the wheel grabs an edge, you are feeding into the flaps; reverse direction.
5. Watch the speed. Stay within the RPM marked on the wheel or on the tool, whichever is lower. A 2" wheel on a fast die grinder is the most common way to throw flaps.
6. Clear it with air. Paint, zinc coating and aluminum load the flaps; blow them out and drop pressure instead of pressing harder.
7. Store them flat and dry. Cloth flaps take a set if a wheel is left leaning on its face in a drawer; keep them on their shanks or in the pack.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Deburring and edge-breaking laser, plasma, waterjet, sheared and saw-cut sheet and plate
• Cleaning dross and slag off cut edges before welding or coating
• Blending weld toes and grinder marks on frames, brackets and weldments
• Finishing slots, notches and the gaps between ribs, fins and gussets
• Satin finishing exposed edges on stainless, brass and aluminum
• Sanding grooves, rebates and moulding profiles in hardwood and softwood

Don't use it for

• Angle grinders; this is a 1/4" shank wheel for die grinders and drills
• Grinding welds flush or heavy stock removal; use a flap disc or a belt
• Cutting or notching
• Wide flat surfaces, where a 2" x 1" or 3" x 1" wheel covers more area evenly
• Bores smaller than about 2", where the flaps cannot flex
• Speeds above the RPM marked on the wheel

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All flap wheels, mounted and unmounted
• 2" x 1" Mounted Aluminum Oxide Flap Wheels, pack of 10 (wider face)
• 3" x 1/2" Mounted Aluminum Oxide Flap Wheels, pack of 10 (larger diameter, same face)
• 4-1/2" x 7/8" Surface Conditioning Flap Disc for angle grinders
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days