Sharpening Milling bits

WDG

WDG

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Feb 26, 2013
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Does anyone sharpen milling bits? I'm looking into buying a machine to sharpen mill bits but they're expensive and I have no experience. I don't know if there would be enough business to pay for the machine and to make some money and I don't which machine would be the best to buy. I think I"m getting in over my head as money is tight and I don't need any lessons on how to become poorer. I would like to make a little extra money though.
 
I have a Monaset http://www.cinmac.com/CutterToolGrinder/Monaset.html

With eBay pricing, you can't begin to re sharp endmills. I own the machine and don't even bother. Grinding is an extremely slow process. An exception here would be to just re sharp the end of the endmill. This can be done on a surface grinder with 5C collet fixture.

Now, if you need custom cutters, a tool and cutter grinder is the only way to go. T&C grinders go cheap used, industry don't use them anymore, not much hobby demand.

My 2 cents
 
$_12.JPG There was a fixture similar to the one shown to the left that was mounted on an angle plate and used on a surface grinder with a cup wheel. The angle plate had notches on the locking bar for angles needed and the fixture had an air bearing instead of the beads. We used to grind the sides of end mills or teeth of cutters in about 5 minutes tops. The bottoms were done in a different machine though.
 
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I wish I had the right machines to do work like that. But unfortunitely being on a fixed income that won't happen. I have the know how, just not good enough equipment. I miss the days when I had a whole shop at my disposal.
You do good work Billy.
 
The equipment is only limited by the person operating it. I built that Cutter grinder using only a Jet 9X20 lathe and a Clausing 8520 Mill. Both are considered small. It doesn't take a shop full of expensive equipment. You already stated you have the know how. You make due with what you have. Come over any time and use mine if needed. My door is always open.

"Billy G"
 
Billy,
My mill is nothing more than a drill press with a cross slide. And it is sounding like it needs bearing lately. About 5 year ago a guy I knew promised me an older small bridgeport for $200. He said he'd call me when it was ready to be moved. Well it seems he just gave away a week later. I still won't talk to him or do him any favors.
 
The offer of my shop will never be revoked. Don't be a stranger. You are only a few miles away. Here is my Cutter Grinder.

102_0653 (700 x 465).jpg
 
when the weather warms up a bit I will take you up on that offer.
 
I've been working on an end mill grinding setup using a 1/4hp
electric motor. The motor had some end play so I took it apart and washered it up so it has no end movement endwise. I made a set of ways and
mounted the motor on that so I can incrementally move it forward and back.
I used my home made 5c collet fixture and added a slide underneath it as
well to move the end mill in and out. The collet fixture is mounted on
a jig that can be set at any angle and now moved forward and back.
I have ground a dozen or so various end mills and they cut really well
but still need to figure out how to grind to center cut better. I'm powering the motor with a variac and using some grinding wheels that were originally
used to sharpen large tooth wood cutting band saw blades used in
Wood Mizer type machines. All in all for the time I have involved,
it has been quite fruitful.
 
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