Tool Sharpening.

[l u k e]

What is the most economical way to sharpen End Mills for a home shop?

[jetski]

What type of tool? Drill, end mill, ball mill, straight, or helical? Carbide or High speed steel? How accurate will it need to be?

[l u k e]

End mills of all sorts, I'm guessing it will take a diffrent grinder for each type..

[jetski]

The old way was to use a cupped grinding wheel and a steady rest, and some type of collet with a bearing to hold the cutter and progress it on the steady rest. You could probably do a cupped wheel on a bench grinder bolted down to the mill table (with a little creativity). Mount a guide or steady rest to the table. Put the cutter in the mill collet and turn it by hand against the steady rest and sharpen the cutter that way. Just uset the quill and the old fingers to turn the cutter to follow the helix. If all of that is too complex there are normaly cutter sharpeining shops in most major cities.

[Mcgyver]

get a tool and cutter grinder, commercial economics has made used grinders affordable for the home shop. imo fixtures that allow to grind the ends of are a waste, if you can't sharpen the flutes (where most cutting is done), whats the point? to sharpen the flutes you need an high quality spindle, a tooth rest, way to advance in towards the work, ability to index the cutter for each tooth and using the tooth rest, a way to pull it across the wheel - i kind of just defined a tool & cutter grinder. an air bearing fixture on surface grinder would also do.

prior to acquiring one, I'll getting one seemed a bit of a luxury, but after having one for awhile i wouldn't want to give it up; its very economical (to be able to resharpen all cutting tools rather than toss them) and it improves workmanship in that sharp cutters, accurately ground or even specialty cutters are readily available.

[stimpsonjcat]

Macgyver, got a model number/make?

Thanks!

[Mcgyver]

yup its a

CHEVALIER FCG-610 TOOL & CUTTER GRINDER

here's a pic

http://www.bellmachineryltd.com/new_chev_tc.htm
http://www.heinmanmachinery.com/specs23.pdf

thats a new one, mine was $1000 used in excellent shape with the air spindle. I'd been sort of looking for a few years and when one popped up grabbed it. Always figured I'd end up with a full sized one but have been happy with this bench top unit.

[mc_n_g]

Another option you may want to look into is either a Darex E-90 endmill sharpener or a Cuttermaster endmill sharpener. You can find both used. The Cuttermaster seems to be a nicer system overall between the two.
I got a Darex used for $500 with new airspindle. Do not but anything without an airspindle. You will be sorry.
Both of these machines are most simplistic for basic end and side mill resharpening. You will not be able to create you own cutters from these without some ingenious contraption you would need to make. Resharpening only.
I can not complain about the Darex as it was only $500. It does a very good job providing you take your time and understand how it works. You have to know when to resharpen an endmill before it becomes abused.
A full tool and cutter grinder is desired. If you can find one will attachments for a few grand get it. I had a chance at a Cincinnati #5 T&C grinder with all attachments (worth thousands) for $2500 but did not have the money at the time. Oh the tools I could have made and resharpened!
Do not buy a T&C grinder without attatchments (unless you get for free). You will damn near go broke trying to get them to fit out the grinder.

mc_n_g

[Mcgyver]

Originally Posted by mc_n_g Do not buy a T&C grinder without attatchments (unless you get for free). You will damn near go broke trying to get them to fit out the grinder. mc_n_g

either that or make 'em i do agree on the air spindle, thats all mind came with and would be the most difficult accessory to make. i made this universal vice and drill bit V block, puts a very accurate faceted point on them. the v block is replaced with a tool bit holder for lathe threading tool bits, (regular lathe bits see the bench grinder). i have a set of centres i could modify for this machine, maybe one day if i get a universal mill I'll need them, until then the univise and the air spindle gets me through 99% of it. it would be nice to do the ball endmills I guess, but not worth making a special attachment given how infrequently it would be used

[tam2009]

Hi guys,
I'm having a bit of trouble fine equipment names as well information on grinding micro endmills and ballnose, sizes 1mm to 4mm etc. I live in a rule area and the cost to send to Sydney or Brisbane is out of control. I'm looking designs tto build one or bye one.
So if anyone can help with information ideas that would be great.