Getting cutters sharpened in Canada?

[torker]

Peter...anybody...know where I can get my slab cutters sharpened?
Thanks!
Russ

[Evan]

I talked to the owner of Tasco about cutter resharpening here. He said they don't bother because the only economical way to do it is to have a bunch all the same type and size to avoid excessive setup costs on each kind. Depending on the cutter it can cost as much as half or more the price of a new one even in bunches and more for a one off. I don't know where to have it done but If you send it to me I'll give it a shot on my CNC as long as you don't complain about the performance later. I have to resharpen my slabbing cutter for my horizontal since it ran into some slag on a plasma cut chunk of aluminum. I'll try it first so I can duplicate the mistakes on yours.

[Oldbrock]

used to get my cutters ground in Red Deer. Basic tool and die. 403-309-2264. Can't check the number right now as Noeline is on the phone to Wales and she and her sister usually talk for at least an hour. My brother and I usually run out of topics in about 5 mins. Had a tool and cutter grinder in the Stettler school and used to sharpen them there. Don't know any one around here with one. Could check with Castlegar machine where they get theirs done. Peter

[camdigger]

Russ

I'm learning how valuable Google is...

http://www.basictoolanddie.com/contactus.htm

http://www.bctoolgrinding.com/servicios.htm

Cam

[torker]

Thanks Cam..I gotta go out and measure those cutters and email them guys to see if they can do it.
If not...they are going on the first dogsled to Williams Lake

[Teenage_Machinist]

Possibly we should have an HSM Cutter grinding request thread? I think there are some users with grinders where you are.

[Evan]

Slabbing cutters require flute grinding which is difficult to do unless you have a CNC machine.

Speaking of dogsleds Russ, we had a foot of snow in the last few days and now we are having heavy rain today. The poor Land Rover is earning it's keep, again. What a mess. Freezing rain in the forecast for the next three days. Blech.

[John Stevenson]

Slabbing cutters require flute grinding which is difficult to do unless you have a CNC machine.

Bollocks,
Mount cutter on mandrel between centres.
Use the face of a dished wheel.
Set tooth rest up 44 thou per inch of cutter below the cutter centre, rest first tooth on the rest and pass by the wheel whilst keeping the pressure on the tool rest.

44 thou per inch will give you a 5 degree cutting angle.

Grind all teeth.
Then drop the tooth rest 125 thou per inch of cutter and repeat to get the clearance angle if needed, the recommended land with of the 5 degree edge is 1/32" to 1/16".

.

[oldtiffie]

Its easy enough

John's got it.

Note that there is no set way - just the one that does the job.

Note too, as in John's example, that a bit of "Shop Math 101" is required although a lot of it can be put on "tables" and printed out if required.

Same as end-mills except that they may require a good "quill" but they (too) can be done by feeding the table - as is done when a job is on a mandrel.

And yes, you do not need a quill (air or otherwise) to sharpen an end-mill!! - just use the table and attach the "finger/guide" "off-table".

Parallel/straight-toothed cutters (side and face cutters, "profile" (gear, radius or "shaped") can be used with the "finger/guide" "on-table".

I think that Evan may be referring to a "roughing" (aka "Corn-cob") cutter which has to be sharpened on the "front face" of the spiral flutes or else you will grind off the "bumps" if you sharpen it as/for an ordinary spiral-toothed cutter.

T&C grinding is talked about as if there are "big mysteries" and special skills needed. Not always as the mechanics, principles and processes are simple enough. Most of it could or was done by a Tool-Room 2nd. Class Machinist or an Apprentice if a Tool-Maker was not available (or thought it beneath his dignity!!).

[LES A W HARRIS]

Cutter Grinding Visuals.

Ditto, a couple of visuals:

Disc wheel:


Cup wheel:



Cheers,

[torker]

Geez...now there's an option I'll have to add to my Rube Goldberg(or insert hillbilly) T&C grinder
I'd have to go out to the shop and find out which drawer I hid all the rountuits in tho...
Evan...sounds like the same mess we had here last year. Got over two feet of snow in one night...then it poured rain...then went down to -25 for two weeks.
I had to literally chop the snowmobiles out of the ice. The water ran over the tracks as they sat on the ground...then the whole mess froze over top of them.
That's how I buggered my back...trying to jerk one of them free. I got a backhoe for that this year!!!
Russ
Holy smoke..I just noticed I have over 5000 posts now...no wonder I never get anything done...

[Evan]

Looks simple enough to me too.

&%$%^ satellite internet has been down since yesterday. After long discussion with tech support they finally admit that the signal strength is only half of what it should be from my transmitter and has been for a long time. Of course, it is off warrantee. However, we have a deal for you Mr. Williams, just sign up for 3 more years and we will reinstate your warrantee.

GRRRR.

You should see the mess in my driveway. When it freezes again there will be all sorts of solid little icebergs sticking out to trip up my plow blade.


Grrrr.


All this rain on top of the snow cause a minor flood in the basement.


Grrrr.


The power has been going on and off like turn signals. No CNC today.


GRRRRR.

[John Stevenson]

Evan,
About time for an inverse Sterling engine that runs off lumps of snow ?

Joking apart it's not funny having to deal with weather related problems only for them to disaoear later on their own after it has cost loads of wasted man hours.

.

[Blacksmith]

"cost loads of wasted man hours."

That's a new term for a coronary!

So is this kind of thing something one could do with a Quorn?

[66glide]

Torker, please google "Spence Distributors." They are located in Winnipeg, and they do sharpen cutting tools. I saw their machine in action...very impressive...at least to a noob like myself!