Resharpening, Recycling, Repurposing?

What are you all doing with your carbide endmills once they need to be sharpened?

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Never had any luck with re-sharpening end mills. I know that the scrape carbide can be sold, but I have never sold any. An endmill sharpener is a pretty expensive acquisition. Precise Universal Cutter Sharpener - UCS-001| Penn Tool Co., Inc

There are cheap versions from mainland China for less than 1k.

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I do have a Darex E-90 that I used on my old HSS endmills when running a knee mill. The Darex doesn’t sharpen the plunge cut end mills well and I have to set up a gash grind operation on the surface grinder for it. Guess I’m getting lazy and looking for an alternative like these guys.

https://www.sharpcutter.com/carbide-end-mill-resharpening

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Looks like a good idea to try. Looks reasonable.

Are you affiliated with them? I might send several off to see what comes back. Thanks

I always save a few end mills and broken center drills grind specialty tools to use on the lathe. We grind a lot of bits to cut snap ring grooves and o-ring grooves and such they can’t even make good turning tools

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I’m not affiliated with them. I want to find out if they document the new diameter if they touch the flutes.

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I don’t know about that shop, but… it’s not a given.

I got some tools reground at another shop, I even specifically asked them to document the new diameter, and they just didn’t.

Maybe if the place is better managed they will do that for you .

I used to recycle all of my used carbide but recently found a business close by that resharpens end mills, drills and taps. It isn’t always worth the price of a resharp, but on tools over 3/8 I find it very useful.

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I called sharp cutter and they do not provide any diameter documentation if they touch flutes. They told me I can get an accurate reading myself with a micrometer.

I am going to send off a couple end mills and see how they do. I’ll report back.

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