Tool and Cutter Grinding

Book excerpt: The cutting edges on engineering tools must lie at precise angles to ensure effective cutting, and sharpening must recreate the original geometry of each tool. This book provides an understanding of what is involved in sharpening typical lathe, milling, drilling and threading tools. With over 550 photographs and illustrations this new book covers sharpening techniques for the most commonly used engineering tools, screwdrivers and gravers, lathe, milling, reaming, drilling and threading cutters. It identifies the two principal types of workhead, and discusses the ways in which their geometry affects typical sharpening setups. It teaches how to use the three basic movements of swing, tilt and rotate to position a tool against a grinding wheel to ensure correct tool angles and sharp cutting edges. Contains useful tables for setting cutting and clearance angles and provides general advice on tool and cutter grinders, and includes examples of the use of workholders to suit a range of tools. Includes information on abrasive materials and the types and shapes of grinding wheel suitable for use on a tool and cutter grinder. Finally, it shows photos of accessories that can be made to simplify setups, including workheads, toolholders and fixtures used to hold circular saws, parting tools and dies, as well as an angle gauge to quickly set clearance angles on reamers and milling cutters.