Import Tool & Cutter Grinder

pic is a copy/paste of one currently on ebay.
That's a healthy piece of iron! Here I was wondering what table I was going to strap a little import T&CG model to, ha-ha
 
I've never seen anything made by Pratt & Whitney that wasn't top shelf and made to be able to be rebuilt to new condition . Most don't even realize the quality of there machinery. There machinery builders , not copiers if you need proof it's all over the net and YouTube . If I ever had the chance to pickup anything built by them I'd jump on it. My only drawback is I've been disabled for forty years almost . I've always kept my shop with what I've had in it. But if ever one was offered I could trade or barter I'd get it . There'd be no copy or knock off . If you take your time to look you can find what you really want you may have to pay what the new copy cost but it's up to you.
Seems American Made only worked fifty years ago. Buy cheap then throw away. I admit I'm a culprit of the age too. Harbor freight has gotten my business for years why my income . Some things I use grinder cut off wheels , at the prices they hold up well.
I wouldn't doubt that before long they will be selling more machinery . As long as we keep having to paying thru the nose for insurances doctors hospitals and all the hogs on the gravy train we will buy China copies. But I'd still buy the used machine over New. Just my thoughts , I'd jump on Darryls machine if I could.
 
Short reply, it works and does the ends nice. I have the attachment to do the flutes and haven't needed to do them yet. It's not perfect, it could use more length to get larger mills chucked up bu I've managed to find a simple workaround for everything so far and have saved all my bits and they work great. I got the one with R8 as that's what I have for my mill and so I can chuck up any size end mill router bit or drill bit which the metric won't. I've been able to sharpen my carbide router bits too. It came with a stone and a diamond wheel.

But I had to go through a LOT of mucking about with the eBay seller to get thing ironed out. And because of the language barrier and time lag it took months to get it squared away. But of course after I got it some American made units started showing up but never for what I've got into it and all needed work. I needed a small machine and it fits the bill.
 
Thanks for input. You brought up another good point. I have a line on a Taiwan T&CG through Canadian distributer that uses ?forgot the style? slimmer collets typically found on these units & original Deckel's & such. The grinder is more expensive, possibly offset by quality, not sure on that yet.

But I have a full set of R8 collets for my mill & thought it would sure be nice to use those vs. purchasing yet another system dedicated to this & essentially does the same thing. There are units as you've indicated that use R8 but they seem to be rarer & typically confined to Chinese origin, not Taiwan? I'm guessing that is an integral part of the spindle collet holder just like a mill so you have to choose that up front & live with it.

Can you highlight some of the issues or shortcomings you experienced?
 
I wasn't sure how much info you wanted as this turned into a very involved process.

I was told it would chuck up .750", when it got here it was the Deckel collets and I think they only go to 14mm. No Bueno. The other thing is this thing is HEAVY, almost 120lbs. The box with styrofoam was totally inadequate for cross country to the Left Coast from Canada. The foam in the bottom was beat to dust. There was some minor damage amazingly. When I pointed this out to the sales person it didn't go as large as she told me, she said I could send it back and exchange for an R8, as they have two show rooms here in CA, in LA , SF. But it would take 3 weeks There was no way I was going to ship it again when I showed her the damage that had already been done to the box because it would end up damaged.

So I asked if the R8 head fits on the Deckel style slides and she said no problem, just send $60 for shipping. 3-4weeks later it shows up and nothing lines up. No Bueno. So she said there was a R8 machine at their LA show room and I could drive down and swap it. No offer of paying my gas, it would be another $100 because the other machine was more expensive. By now I've been doing this for 2mo. LA traffic was stupider than usual, turned out graduation was going on :(
Got the machine home and it wasn't finished as nice as the other machine, but everything was there and worked. Then because they had told me they could make me " such a deal" on the attachment for the flutes for $60 I went for it. That took another 4wks+ and the sent me the attachment for doing drill bits instead!! So they of course we're sorry and said keep it they would send the flute attachment. That took another month but this time was right. It's pretty crude but my R8's fit. I can't say they didn't try, but if I'd been hurting for the machine it would have been very frustrating.
 
Thanks for the input Keith. Nope. I do not have a surface grinder. That sure would be a nice shop addition. maybe one day! I have a bench grinder & lathe/toolpost grinder.

I've thought of different ways to reconfigure these existing machines into something that could profile special HSS cutters, sharpen drill bits, maybe even end mills (although that seems to be debatable as to how good or what kind of flutes etc.) It seems to me the magic is in the traversing assembly, not so much the grinding head. You need to be able to vary X, Y & Z and also facilitate a rotational component. I think that's the more expensive guts of the T&C grinders. I have seen some nice builds on this & other forums where people have ingeniously repurposed assemblies harvested from other applications like X,Y tables with fixtures. Or on the other extreme, scratch built / casting sets like a Quorn T&C. I suppose its like most things & boils down to personal decision - do you want to invest the time to make the machine and that provides satisfaction, or do you want to 'get' the machine & spend time making things from it. There is no right answer, just 'your' answer. :) When I look at those Asian units (which I think are largely based on Deckel's) there are a lot of castings, components, electrical, machined parts & maybe specialty spindle/bearings that would likely be hard to replicate from bar stock scrap for the selling price. I guess I just need to ask myself how often I would use it & for what purpose. Curious you don't see many used ones for sale that aren't beat to death. maybe the message there is when people get them they tend to keep them?

Look up ATCO tool and cutter grinder on the internet, and you can find plans to build your own unit designed around a bench grinder. I bought the plans for about $36 US and spent about 3 months and about $600 for materials to build mine from the plans. The only thing I have modified from the original drawings is converting the end mill spindle fixture to an air bearing design, plus a different tooth support for end mill flute sharpening. I do all my drill bits, end mills, and carbide lathe tooling on the unit and have been very happy == Check it out -- Jack
 
Petertha, having any luck/fun yet? Just curious. I'm starting to see the same machine being sold on CL in LA & SF for more than I paid for mine. Definitely the R8 machine is more expensive and harder to find
 
Perfect timing. Availability through this particular vendor comes in mini batches, so I was on back order until recently. I just got delivery yesterday but had to source a dolly to wheel it. I'll open the shipping box here shortly & report findings.
 
That's hilarious, my spidy sense was tingling I guess! Hope everything goes smooth.
 
Like many items I've ended up with two Pratt Whitney Tool Cutter Grinders.
I'll be keeping the larger R8. However, I've got the little sister she is an R6 with OEM collets similar to the one in the attached pic. Good condition! Price is negotiable and fair.
Eventually, I'll get around to actually taking pics and posting it here. Likely not for a few months as I'll have more time to try to sell accumulating stuff come spring. Meanwhile she is kept warm and dry. If interested let me know. Delivery might be available this summer as she'd very easily fit in the bed of the pick up as the wife and I begin our summer camping travels. Or you could come here and spin the cranks.

Daryl
MN

Note: This pic is a copy/paste of one currently on ebay. This is not the machine in my garage....

Daryl,

I assume that anything you have would be top notch and even better than the eBay offering. Beautiful example of American Iron. That thing looks huge :)

Mike
 
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