I came across a Darex TR-70 tap/reamer/countersink grinder really cheap and was thinking about picking it up with the intention of modifying it for other tool grinding. Possible? Stoopid? What say ya'll?
Darex TR-70 useful for other tasks?
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As if drill grinding was not enough? Buy it! I would love to own one and I have a tool and cutter grinder (and a Drill Dr. which works fine for small drills despite the naysayers). They have a Darex like that one in the engineering shop downstairs from my place of work and I have only fiddled with it. I would guess that one issue that determines value is the presence of the collets. If I recall correctly, they are unique.
In answer to your question though, it would not grind cutters well for the same reason some of the other homegrown solutions get shot down here:
End mills cut on more than the end. As such, touching up the end has only limited value.
Edit-- I see that is the tap/reamer/countersink grinder and that it has a tool finger to control rotation relative to the flutes....as such it might do cutters, but given the wheel they show mounted, I find it hard to imagine you could get the needed clearances on a milling cutter. Mounting a cup wheel would seem to cut down on your work envelope if I am picturing the function correctly.
nice find
PaulLast edited by pcarpenter; 12-16-2009, 11:02 AM.Paul Carpenter
Mapleton, IL
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Thanks Paul. It allegedly has all the collets with it and the owner says it runs.
I found a manual in .pdf format online and it shows 5C collets. I haven't seen it yet so it may be hopelessly clapped out. It's very cheap though...I hesitate to say exactly how cheap for fear of jinxing the deal. I want to go snap it up but am stuck at work.Milton
"Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes."
"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." G. K. Chesterton
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I picked up at auction a few years back, the Darex end mill grinder, which looks similar but not exactly the same. Unfortunately mine did not include the floating spindle, which uses 5c collets, that permits rotating the EM to grind the flutes. And the cost of that spindle assembly is something like $800 to $1000 dollars.
As for grinding the EM end, that motor slide handle has the effect of transversing the motor/wheel across the end to sharpen it.
I'm not sure the model you show functions exactly the same.
Mine included no literature, but I contacted Darex and they were good enough to send me some, Plus a VHS tape showing how it works and how to use it (at not cost).
The one I have is the E-90, shown here: http://www.darex.com/product.asp?specific=947Last edited by lynnl; 12-16-2009, 12:07 PM.Lynn (Huntsville, AL)
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Hey DB, Lane recently got one of these also - I think his was given to him! Was in pretty sad shape, looked to maybe have been stored long time with something like fertilizer - big time rusty! He managed to clean it up pretty well tho.
Said he thought he remembered that it didnt do too well and that Darex only produced it a few years.....
Hes still recouping from that detached retina and not doing much of anything except struggling through each days work, but maybe he'll look in this evening and share a few thoughts on it.If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something........
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EUREKA! Finally, a good ol' American-made tool gloat!
I just got back from picking it up. It was on C/L for $100 but I got it for $80. It runs smoothly, has all the special little collets that slide inside a 1 1/8" 5C collet (not sure why) and is very clean for a machine that was used in a busy shop. Happily, all the movements are smooth and I could find no excessive slop anywhere. I was worried about its size and if I had room for it but it comes off the attached stand and is a perfect size for my little shop. I am definitely a happy camper.
Also, I now have a machine shop with friendly folks within a reasonable distance to buy metal drops from. Man was I drooling over their equipment. Haas's, Fadals, BIG ol' jig borer, huge manual mills & lathes all over, 4 or 5 different sizes of surface grinders, huge old fellers down to smaller new ones with DRO's. They had a Monarch that looked a bit crusty at 1st glance until I looked closer and saw the crisp new VFD and DRO's. The paint was worn but all the fiddly bits were clean and shiny with obvious careful handling. He told me it came from the Oak Ridge facility a while back.
They have other stuff for sale on the Monday 12/14 Memphis, TN Craiglist if anybody's interested. I assure you it's a for real machine shop and no funny business goin' on like you get on C/L sometimes. Oh, here's a link: http://memphis.craigslist.org/tls/
I'll post some pics later when I get home from work. Can somebody distract SWMBO while I sneak it in the shop tonight? After a week or so with a tarp over it, I can safely uncover it and be able to say "What, that ol' thing? I've had that over in the corner for ages!"Milton
"Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes."
"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." G. K. Chesterton
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Yes I got a TR 70 also Gave 50.00 bucks for it un seen and was all rusted up. finely got it apart and cleaned up and working. Still do not think much of it though. But now I have all of the Darex stuff. The end mill sharpener ,the M 5 drill grinder and this tap and reamer sharpener. along with my Quorn and my 2 K.O.Lee grinders . So Hi Ho Hi Ho a grinding we will go.Every Mans Work Is A Portrait of Him Self
http://sites.google.com/site/machinistsite/TWO-BUDDIES
http://s178.photobucket.com/user/lan...?sort=3&page=1
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Originally posted by laneStill do not think much of it though.
What do you dislike about it? Doesn't do the job its supposed to do or is it a quality issue? I just now got mine home and haven't tried to use it yet but it runs smooth and all the movements seem to be slop-free.
When I first saw it, I intended to immediately try to convert it into something else but after looking at my box of boogered up taps, I think I'll study the manual and see if I can reclaim the taps and learn more about the machine at the same time.Milton
"Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes."
"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." G. K. Chesterton
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It is limited to plain 4 flute taps like hand taps And all I use are gun taps are spiral point taps . The reamers I can do a better job with my cutter grinder . But it does do single flute counter sinks nice once you figure out how. But cant complain for $50.00 . But would never have paid the real price for one . over $1000.00 new. way over priced.Every Mans Work Is A Portrait of Him Self
http://sites.google.com/site/machinistsite/TWO-BUDDIES
http://s178.photobucket.com/user/lan...?sort=3&page=1
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Thanks Lane, all my many damaged taps are straight 4-flute style anyway so I'll get some practice using it. I have a few single flute c/sinks I look forward to freshening up too.
I'm going to go through it, cleaning & lubing after the holidays and I hope seeing its design features first hand will rub off on me and help with a couple other tool-grinding projects later.
I printed the instruction manual off last night and tried the "sleep learning method" to absorb it all. You know, settle into a warm, comfy bed with a manual, put the ol' reading glasses on and wake up 5 hrs. later with one leg of the glasses up your nose and the manual partially wadded up in your skivvies. You learn by osmosis.
ps: Wow, $1000 eh? That'll help justify buying yet another ol' machine to SWMBO! (Just kiddin. Thankfully, she supports my shop activities very well. She always knows where to find me.)Milton
"Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes."
"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." G. K. Chesterton
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I spent a little time in the shop today and tried out the machine. It works GREAT! I followed the instructions and it sharpened a broken 1/4-28 tap to perfection.
I cut off the broken tip and ground a steep cone on the end before choosing the "plug tap" angle and got the below results in no time. The only trouble I had was the alignment jig wire was bent and I got the radial positioning wrong. It ground the relief OK but barely caught the edge of the next flute and dulled it. I eyeballed it to what looked about right and after that it did fine.
Does the relief angle look about right? It's adjustable but I just left it at the mid position.
Milton
"Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes."
"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." G. K. Chesterton
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