Drilling specific angles on round stock in mill

[rwm]

I should have started my reply by saying: being a poor TIG welder I have had the experience of grinding a lot of tungsten!
The experts will tell you that you should never use a grinding wheel that has been used on other metals. They insist you need a dedicated tungsten grinder. That is why I have one. I'm not sure that makes perfect sense to me because many times when I'm grinding the tungsten it's because it has steel or aluminum attached to it. Those metals would then contaminate the grinding wheel. How would that be any different from using a bench grinder that you also used to sharpen tools?
Robert

 

[schemer]

I also use a cheap Harbor Freight bench grinder with AO for grinding electrodes. That's all I use that one for. And I spin the electrode with a cordless drill.
Aaron

I have a grinding wheel with a groove down the center just like that. I usually spin the electrode with my fingers but have used a pin vise and a drill too. Actually I made a prototype of a clamp-on tungsten grinder fixture some years ago where you could set any angle. Too bad the tungsten that was contaminated didn't fit through the hole all the time.

 

[schemer]

I should have started my reply by saying: being a poor TIG welder I have had the experience of grinding a lot of tungsten!
The experts will tell you that you should never use a grinding wheel that has been used on other metals. They insist you need a dedicated tungsten grinder. That is why I have one. I'm not sure that makes perfect sense to me because many times when I'm grinding the tungsten it's because it has steel or aluminum attached to it. Those metals would then contaminate the grinding wheel. How would that be any different from using a bench grinder that you also used to sharpen tools?
Robert

I guess it is more important if you are welding for NASA or making nuclear reactors and your welds are being inspected. It seems to me a diamond wheel is less likely to become contaminated as an aluminum oxide wheel. And depending on the size "blob" I cut out of the contaminant and then grind the point.

 

[rwm]

NASA has never complained about any of my welds.
Robert

 

[schemer]

NASA has never complained about any of my welds.
Robert

Mine either.

 

[schemer]

Stumbled across this in my travels and ordered one. It is exactly the best of both worlds for my project (and many others), and the price was really good.

 

[rwm]

I have wondered about the fit and finish of those little dividing heads. Please let us know how that works for you and how the quality is.
Robert

 

[schemer]

I have wondered about the fit and finish of those little dividing heads. Please let us know how that works for you and how the quality is.
Robert

I did some research and there are some youtube videos out there that show how to disassemble them and clean them. They also show what, if anything to watch for or modify etc. For $223 shipped I can't go wrong from what I read, I think the most important thing is to disassemble, clean, debur and lube and all is well. Any backlash can be easily removed by adjustment. Here is a 3 part series from down under that I am referring to.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I too have sharpened all my tungstens in the past and currently on a bench grinder and weld fine like that. But I have noticed some days I must get lucky and sharpen one better and it welds so much nicer so I figured consistency on my grinding is needed.

Once you have eliminated the grind as the cause of the inconsistency, what will be left to blame it on? Some things are better left unexamined.

 

[schemer]

Once you have eliminated the grind as the cause of the inconsistency, what will be left to blame it on? Some things are better left unexamined.

Tough crowd here. I sometimes wish I wouldn't have even posted this except I know welders like to mess around with each other. I have welded many times with a blob on my tungsten as I didn't want to sharpen it and the weld was perfectly fine. But, my birthday is in a few weeks and I was thinking about buying a bass guitar. But I thought twice and decided to buy a tool instead. This tool will help with many projects. My welding will either be the same (perfectly fine) or better after I spend the time to play with the sharpening more. I watched videos of all the different points and if you know how to weld it really doesn't matter all that much. I have seen a video where the guy doesn't even sharpen a new tungsten and still welds ok. Anyway, I am making the sharpener and nobody is going to talk me out of it!
Carry on...