End Mill Sharpener?

[Arnak]

Hi Folks,

Has anyone had any use of one of these :-

www.jlindustrial.co.uk/IFX-35004B/SEARCH:CATEGORY/product.html

A Value end mill sharpener?

Looks good for the price but is it any good?

Thanks,

Zuxo

[spurley]

Hi Zuxo

I can't really comprehend what that is. Is there more missing that I cannot see?

Cheers

Brian

[kneedeepinswarf]

It looks to me like it is meant to be used in conjunction with a surface grinder for grinding the side teeth of an end mill. The grinder's cross feed would need to be used to apply the cut. As it appears to have no means of angular adjustment from the horizontal, it might not be able to grind the front teeth.

Lionel

[alanstepney]

Is that cheap?
For what it can do, it isnt to me.

One of the T & C grinders could be built for less, or not much more.
OK, probably not the Quorn, but IMHO, that is more complex than most people need, but the Stent is much more basic but will do all that most of us require.

[Steve M. W]

They have had this on offer in the past at £135.80 + VAT I have it on my wish list to go on my Eagle surface grinder. :)if it does all it say on the sheet it should be worth the money.
Alan I think on the one hand you are correct about the price, but if like me you get limited time in the work shop, I would rather pay for tools and spend the time making models ;D
Has anybody got one and could give us some feedback.

Steve

[Arnak]

Hi Folks,

I have enquired further and it apprears that it will only work on imperial end mills and the height cannot be varied.

So it's back to considering a different approach.

I agree that the stent or similar would be a way to go but it requires a lot of precise building which I do not consider my skill level to be adequate if I am honest.8-((

In addition I would assume that they are relatively expensive as well?

Arnak

[Shawki Shlemon]

I think the issue is value for money , one has to estimate how much will he/she is going to spend on end mills/slot drills in his modeling time and make the right choice . I looked at this issue a long time ago and concluded it is cheaper to buy the end mills/slot drills and save the time for building locomotives . I know people who spend a lot of time on building , improving , acquiring equipment preparing to one day they will build a locomotive but they enjoy doing this and for that reason I respect their opinion and understand their feeling . Not for me ! I have and do sometimes make special tools or jigs for special purposes and they always are simple , do the job , not much for looks.

[russell]

All you need for grinding the front teeth of an endmill is a piece of square bar carefully bored centrally to take the end mill with a grub screw for fixing. This can then be used on a bench grinder fitted with a good adjustable rest with a fence.

Grinding the sides a a bit more difficult.

Russell.

[Tel]

That's where something like thes MT2 collet blocks come in 'andy

[Arnak]

Hi,

Yes, the sides would seem to be a bit of a problem but what about a shop made version of the type you can buy?

I would guess that pushing / pulling the rod holding the mill causes the rod to turn on a slow spiral?

Not beyond the realms of the home constructor?

I remember seeing a demonstration some time ago at an engineering exhibition where a slow spiral was cut in the lathe manually but turning the lead screw by the rear handle.

It took a while but it looked good in the end!

I think that was for a tool sharpening device if I recall correctly?

Arnak

[russell]

Harold Hall describes a device very like the one referred to by the original poster in his book "Milling, a complete course". It looks quite straightforward to make.

Russell.

[Arnak]

Hi,

Does he now!!!

I've got that book, I'll go and get it out.

Thanks Russell

Arnak

[Staffordshirechina]

If you want to get clever, the device being serialised in ME Workshop at present would do similar. The spiral motion being generated by CNC instead of trembling fingers.
Les

[russell]

I've been meaning to make one of these jigs for some time now. We've had a few days of high winds here (up yo 100km/h) that have made it impossible to use the outdoor brazing hearth so I have grabbed some time in the workshop and made one more or less to Harold Hall's design:

It works very well for sharpening the ends but I have found the movement a bit sticky when sharpening the edges. It works but is not the easiest thing in the world to use. I will case harden and polish the tooth rest and try again.

Russell.

[drjohn]

users.skynet.be/modelbouw.wilfried/tekeningen/end%20mill/resharpen.htm

works fine for me and costs nowt.

DJ

[spurley]

I'll give that a try, thanks DrJ!

Cheers

Brian

[russell]

I too have used Wilfred's method in an emergency on small broken mills (they always break when you are in a hurry and you haven't a spare) but of course it doesn't sharpen the edges.

Russell.

[havoc]

I looked at this issue a long time ago and concluded it is cheaper to buy the end mills/slot drills and save the time for building locomotives .

Same tought here. I prefer to spend an hour extra on a setup I will only use once than to spend a few weeks making a tool so I can gain 5 minutes.