End mill sharpening

[petro1headParticipant @petro1head]

Doesanyone know of somewhere I can send my end mills to to get sharpened or am I just better off buying new?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Google is your friend.

http://www.raynortools.co.uk/regrinding-and-sharpening-services-mt.htm

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Probably not worth it for smaller sizes 6mm and below. Might break even 8-10mm . Larger sizes you may save money over buying new.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

JB, Is that just for HSS or are you including solid carbide in your response?

[petro1headParticipant @petro1head]

Cheers John and Jason

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

As Jason has said small ones , not worth the effort. Bigger ones, possibly. Someone with a Clarkson T&C grinder may be able to help you for a few beer tokens ? Noel.

[noel shelley]

On noel shelley Said:

As Jason has said small ones , not worth the effort. Bigger ones, possibly. Someone with a Clarkson T&C grinder may be able to help you for a few beer tokens ? Noel.

Beer tokens sounds good to me

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I can get carbide for the same sort of money FC-3 disposable HSS sells for so to me not worth it for either. Have not bought HSS milling cutters for several years now I just get carbide and use that on the manual mill as well as the CNC.

[mgnbukParticipant @mgnbuk]

Former work only used to have large diameter, long series end mills sharpened.

Large diameter here being 25mm or larger – anything smaller was more cost effective to buy new (Cutwel usually, occasionally MSC)

When Cromwell had local reps. (before they were taken over) we used to collect up half a dozen or so cutters & the rep took them away to get reground. Turnaround was about a fortnight.

Can’t recall how we got them done after the reps went, but do recall packing them up to be couriered somewhere.They didn’t need doing often, as roughing out was done with inserted cutters & the long HSS end mills were only used for full depth finishing passes where a good finish was required.

Nigel B.

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

Abbco Tool and Cutter grinders of Nottingham . They adjacent to the old Myford Nottingham factory.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It would be helpful if those suggesting grinding services could give an idea of what they have been charged which would make it a lot easier for Petrolhead to decide if he is better off buying new or getting things sharpened.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

It would be helpful if those suggesting grinding services could give an idea of what they have been charged which would make it a lot easier for Petrolhead to decide if he is better off buying new or getting things sharpened.

It would also be handy if Petro1head said roughly where they live.
If near Buxton, they could come round, drink coffee, and learn to use a Quorn or Clarkson (with some poor home made tooling.
I might even learn something myself.

Bill

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Not just a Clarskon T&C Grinder. The Stent is designed for sharpening the cutting edges of fluted tool, too. I think so is the Quorn.

The Kennet won’t. It’s not designed to do so. It grinds the straight edges only.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I made a version of Harold Halls jig for sharpening the bottom of end mills. It works very well on larger end mills.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

He is in Newcastle …… if he has not moved.

[petro1headParticipant @petro1head]

Cheers NDIY. Not moved, still in Newcastle upon Tyne which is miles away from everyone

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

For those of us with a cutter grinder its another skill to be learned and enjoyed, its not all about the money.IMHO. Oh and the pleasure of using a sharp cutter.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

One point:

Petrolhead –

Did mean sharpening the flute edges as well as the radial ones? An end-mill is supposed to cut on its side as well as end, and many of the suggestions here refer to sharpening only the end.

[Julie AnnParticipant @julieann]

As Nigel says, despite the name endmills are designed to cut on the side. The end teeth are ground slightly hollow and take no part in normal sideways cutting. The end only cuts when the endmill is plunging, or ramping, into the work.

Many newer types of endmill have one tooth on the end that goes to the centre, so in theory the endmill can plunge cut. Albeit at a much reduced feedrate as the cutting speed in the centre is zero when plunging. The tooth reaching the centre is really intended to improve ramping and helical cuts on a CNC mill.

Julie

[Julie Ann]

On Julie Ann Said:

As Nigel says, despite the name endmills are designed to cut on the side. The end teeth are ground slightly hollow and take no part in normal sideways cutting. The end only cuts when the endmill is plunging, or ramping, into the work.

Many newer types of endmill have one tooth on the end that goes to the centre, so in theory the endmill can plunge cut. Albeit at a much reduced feedrate as the cutting speed in the centre is zero when plunging. The tooth reaching the centre is really intended to improve ramping and helical cuts on a CNC mill.

Julie

On Nigel Graham 2 Said:

One point:

Petrolhead –

Did mean sharpening the flute edges as well as the radial ones? An end-mill is supposed to cut on its side as well as end, and many of the suggestions here refer to sharpening only the end.

Yes, thinking of the end to get sharpened

 

[Martin Johnson 1Participant @martinjohnson1]

A good few years ago, I got a price in for a local(ish) company to sharpen a batch of 20 15mm endmills (3 fluters).  It was cheaper to go and buy new.  Given that setting up a T&C grinder is most of the battle, and most people won’t possess that many cutters in a single size, the only routes left are buy new or get your own grinder.

Martin

[petro1headParticipant @petro1head]

I finally got my finger out and spoke to Dan at Raynor

i asked if I could post the costs.  Obviously prices may change,

there are 2 cost: full sharpen and end only.  The prices are for carbon steel, HSS will be slightly cheaper.

8-10mm £8.84 £6.34

10.1-12 12.25. 10.07

12.1-16 15.17 11.16

16.1-20 18.97. 13.15

I have asked for a price for HSS end only 10×2, 12×2, 14×3, 16×3, 18, 20 and will let you know so you get an idea for bulk

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I have started grinding my own sometimes as mainly bottom of cutters need sharpening or drill edge needs a better than hand eye coordination, as I get older. The Grinder that I modified does most sharpening. I made the tool holder my self and gets me out of a hole or two occasionally.

I can grind most angles and also sides of milling cutters quite acceptable and also mod cutters to cut a taper if i wish but it takes time. I ground a carbide endmill to cut a slot with a 5 degree angle to make a lead in on a square aperture with round corners in tough steel block for a punch guide for a jewellery friend.

David

 

 

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Neat design, David.

Can you sharpen 3-flute as well as 2 and 4 flute cutters?

I find the Worden T&C grinder is limited to 2 and 4 edges only, as its indexing is by the tool-holder block’s square cross-section, but a second block of equilateral-triangular section to fit the existing guides would overcome that.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I index the teeth for the end by using aa collar with holes in. And by unclamping the side clamp pull back the collet holder, rotate to next hole, push back to depth and re clamp and wind over face of grinding wheel and repeat till all faces are ground. II haven’t made a collar for three hole yet but should I need one it wont take very long. There is a dowel in the end of the body and aa set of holes in the collar which is held on by a grub screw to the shaft of a collet set which holds the cutter or drill and also sets depth when sliding out off the location dowel rotate and push back to locate next hole ready to sharpen next face.

David

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