End mill sharpening jigs

Hello,

Just wondering if people sharpen and re shape milling cutters? I've now a draw full of blunt or chipped milling cutters I guess over £400 worth I do occasionally hand grind the flutes free hand with good results but these are usually good for the roughing cuts where the accuracy doesn't matter.

What is everyone doing, surly not always buying new?

I was hoping to find an off the shelf fixture for the task, hopefully a good investment.

Thanks,

Chris

Look at Harold Hall's workshop practice books. They have designs for sharpening jigs for the home workshop. Milling projects and tool and cutter grinding spring to mind. Harold has a good website showing photos of his designs. I expect someone will add a link to this thread.

If you have £400 quid's worth and counting you might find it convenient and economical to look at the EMG-12 from Arc Euro Trade.

See this thread:

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=106060

Neil

HH article.....

http://www.homews.co.uk/page121.html

I'll second Neil's suggestion of the EMG-12, does what it says on the tin unless you have totally worn the edges as well as the tips.

I've made the jigs as described in Harold Hall's workshop practice books and I'm delighted to say they work perfectly. A little practice is required when sharpening the edges but by the sound of it you have enough worn out cutters to perfect your skills on. The jigs also make an interesting project in their own right and at a fraction of the cost of a commercial cutter grinder.

I have also made HH's end mill jig/lining tool for engraving dials/dividing head and various jigs for sharpening lathe tools etc. Harolds web site is excellent his instructions clear with no waffle and I am a dedicated fan. Chris as already mentioned make his end mill jig and get sharpening there is a lot of machining techniques to learn as you progress

Mick

Thanks John, Richard and Mick

Chris, You could also consider my off hand grinder attachment here

This only sharpens the end cutting edges but in most cases it can considerably improve the cutters performance. Personally, I think it could give the EMG-12 a run for its money, but I may be biassed.

For my Sharpening book and the Milling milling book, both of which have details of the more able grinding rests, see here and here

Harold

Edited By Harold Hall 1 on 18/10/2015 16:55:56

If you want to be a bit more this century and need to resharpen cutters
and get them correct every time you could make one of these .

Photo's in album Cnc cutter grinding.

This Cnc cutter grinder was published in MEW in 2008 143 through to
147.This simple 3 axis cnc machine was made mostly from scrap material
,eg the base is made from 6 inch wide channel iron with a few angle iron supports
welded in and uses studding for leadscrews .Requires no skill other than being able
to set and read a clock gauge to zero to set up . Is possible to set the
clearance angle to 1/20 th of a degree accuracy .Only made to sharpen the
fluted edges of cutters from 3 mm dia upwards ,i only use it for maximum
16 mm shank cutters but is possible to do larger with a different mounting .
Uses Quorn grinding wheelhead.
Photo of 3 mm and long series 16 mm sharpened endmills.
Will also easily sharpen end mills to tapered form to about 5 deg .

Photo of two 6mm endmills resharpened with 3 deg taper ,1mm
radius end done on Quorn grinder.

Photo of model engine compressor wheel machined tapered vane

Much more sophisticated machine seen here...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxU0K-TmEvI

They use the same method as i do to measure the cutter but their
system is much easier to use.
At a guess i expect it will cost a little more than an EMG 12.

John

Thanks everyone for the input. As I mentioned I have sharpened them by hand quite sucessfully so maybe Harold's fixture is a sufficient improvement for the investment of time. The ends are the simple part to sharpen, I think most of the "dull" draw is ones with sides that are chipped or blunt.

I have a few of Harolds books in my workshop, I can say I have made a few things from them already such as a broaching tool and a drilling jig. Interesting to see Harold uses the forum, they're the only books I've bought in the past 15 years.

John, you're idea looks good for doing the sides can I commission one?

The emg 12 would definitely make a talking point as it looks like it found life on Mars but for size range and lack of flexibility it's probably something to consider when the dull draw is two draws.