end mill sharpening

[john mullen]

anyone have a simple way to sharpen end mills? I can't justify the cost of the sharpeners I am seeing on the e/pay. I don't mind sending them out for sharpening just don't like the turnaround time Anyone made a home made sharpening tool for end mills.

 

[Terrywerm]

You might want to get a copy of the book "Milling. A Complete Course" by Harold Hall. It is part of the 'Workshop Series' and is available on Amazon and a few other places. In that book he has plans for a sharpening system that will allow you to sharpen your own end mills. I don't know if it allows sharpening only the ends, or if it sharpens the sides too. His dimensions are all metric, but converting them over isn't too bad if you need to do that. I do not yet have a copy myself, but it is on my list of books to get.

 

[john mullen]

Thanks for the information Mr. Wormie Ill look at the local library first and see if they might have it ..John

 

[Don B]

You might want to get a copy of the book "Milling. A Complete Course" by Harold Hall. It is part of the 'Workshop Series' and is available on Amazon and a few other places. In that book he has plans for a sharpening system that will allow you to sharpen your own end mills. I don't know if it allows sharpening only the ends, or if it sharpens the sides too. His dimensions are all metric, but converting them over isn't too bad if you need to do that. I do not yet have a copy myself, but it is on my list of books to get.

The grinding fixture in these plans do allow you to sharpen the sides of the end mill, it's a simple design but well worth looking into.

Depending on how much work you want to get into here's a different option "Bonelle Tool and Cutter Grinder"

Bonelle Tool and Cutter Grinder Pictures and Drawings

Also you might want to look around for "Brooks-Stent Tool & Cutter Grinder" I'm fairly curtain the plans are free for that as well )

Don

 

[DMS]

There was a series in HSM about an updated design for the Brooks grinder by Gadgetbuilder. I have those set aside for my own build. You could also take a look at BillGrubby's recent build of a T&C grinder (project of the month this month)

If you want simple, take a look at the Tinker, or Mini tinker grinders. I think they only do the ends though.

 

[Don B]

If you want simple, take a look at the Tinker, or Mini tinker grinders. I think they only do the ends though.

This is a good idea, I had forgotten about the Tinker, this was one of the ones I had considered for myself, if I remember correctly there's a set of castings available for the larger one but it can be built from bar stock as well, I think the larger version is capable of grinding the sides of end mills.:thinking:

 

[Andre]

I made one to sharpen the ends, out of a dremel drill press, craftsman grinder/buffer arbor and a TV stand/swivel. If you want pics let me know.

Great results, and you can tailor the relief for different materials. Cant do flutes though.

 

[Don B]

I made one to sharpen the ends, out of a dremel drill press, craftsman grinder/buffer arbor and a TV stand/swivel. If you want pics let me know.

Great results, and you can tailor the relief for different materials. Cant do flutes though.

Not my thread but I'd like to see the picture, I enjoy seeing how people use what's at hand to get the job done, to me that really is the quintessential definition/description of a Home Shop Machinist.)

 

[Andre]

Not my thread but I'd like to see the picture, I enjoy seeing how people use what's at hand to get the job done, to me that really is the quintessential definition/description of a Home Shop Machinist.)

I'll set it up and take a pic (hopefully, you know how that goes...) tonight. Need one sharpened anyway.

 

[Andre]

Better yet, a video...

[video=youtube;YWRjnS7Is14]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWRjnS7Is14[/video]