Shortening Shanks of Small Carbide End Mills.

What it says in the title really.

I have a few solid carbide end mills, mainly 4mm or 1/8" shank.

I use some, including broken ones for boring small holes.

Shanks are generally around 40mm long and I would like to shorten them by about half.

Any suggestions please?

Steve

Yikes. Something harder than carbide such as a diamond saw.

Never tried to cut solid carbide but as it's brittle I'd try nicking it with a saw, and snapping it whilst held in a vice with a sharp hammer blow.

Dave

Tidiest way is a diamond slitting saw.

Quick way is to clamp it in the vice between two blocks of wood at the point where you need the shank to end, with the unwanted bit sticking out.

Then just clock it with a small hammer. it'll snap off very easily.

if you try snapping anything very hard and brittle that might splinter, put a piece of cloth over it. Apart from helping it stay somewhere visible, it will contain flying splinters. Eye-protection, advisable too.

As you must be grinding them to a cutting tool shape just nick the edge with your grinder (green grit ? ) and then hold in vice and snap

+1 for diamond slitting saw.

This need not be as exotic as it may sound. Tiny diamond saws are readily available for Dremel type machines and they cut solid carbide (of small size) quite easily.

Just use high speed, care, and cover with cloth as advised above.

Rod

Jason, I don't grind them, just set one cutting edge to centre height and they cut a treat. For holes from 1mm to 6mm, I only use these.

I thought about snapping with a hammer but was worried about how it splintered.

I have some diamond files, I suppose I could use them to nick the shank.

Diamond slitting saws sound interesting. I will have a look at those.

Cheers

Steve

I use a diamond cutoff wheel in a Dremel. They don't last long but they are cheap.