To all,

Just curious what you use for sharpening your cutting bits?

I have heard some use grinding wheels, others use belt sanders with proper grit belts.

What do you use in your shop?

Thanks,

50

I use grinding wheels. Works great for me, on either HSS or Carbide tools (Use the appropriate wheel, of course, accordng to the material of the cutting tool.) I assume by "bits" you ARE referring to cutting tools?



AC

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=161-2060

This is a $200 Asian copy of a $700 Baldor grinder.
It grinds on the flat end of the wheels, not on the round tangent.
It says "carbide" but it comes with the white wheels for HSS and Cobalt, not the green wheels for carbide.

I have seen someone grind high speed steel or Cobalt lathe bits and then cut perfect threads on a barrel. When I try the results are terrible.

I got the $200 grinder, and others will use the little miter that comes with it. Those are the little object show sitting on the tables in the photo. I made my own miters. . Changing the angle of the grinder table and changing the angle of the miter together gave me the compound angle I needed for the bit facets.

Adjusting the table angle on the $200 cheapee grinder takes a few minutes when it would take a few seconds if the machine were built better. It really is the minimum quality to get the job done.

But now my threads are beautiful, and I am happy.

Do your grinding outside the shop, and keep that grit off the lathe and mill.

--
A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

I hand grind everything on a standard 10" grinder, and then finish them by hand with a "india stone". I do all my lathe tools (bits, hooks, boreing bars, and rifleing cutters) this way. It dose not take as much time as one would think. For very small inside radius's, use a Dremal tool Try it.

SZ

I use Buchsenschmeid's method, or he uses mine.

For rough sharpening carbide I use a 60 grit green wheel, then finish with a 180 grit diamond wheel.

For HSS or Colbalt I use a 46 grit white wheel to rough it, and then the diamond wheel to finish it up.

Have been looking at the double end grinder because my employees have trouble keeping the angles the way they should be.

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith