Tool and Cutter Grinders

[TerryWerm]

I am considering the construction of a tool and cutter grinder and I have looked at several. I first considered purchasing one of the Chinese grinders available various places on the web, but after chatting with one person who had purchased one, I decided to take a different path. He indicated that the one he purchased was much like any machine made in China, it requires work and modifications to actually turn it into a quality grinder. These machines are more like glorified kits than complete machines. Additionally, their functionality is limited as the accessories to be able to sharpen end mills or reamers are either an extra purchase or non-existent. 

Back in September I attended the Black Hills Model Engineering Show in Rapid City. Gary Martin of Martin Model and Pattern was there and he carries castings for the Quorn Mk I and Mk II. He also carries castings for a less expensive but easier to build (and less capable) grinder called the Tinker. I felt that the Quorn was a little outside of my budget, but I did purchase the instructions for the Tinker. Those plans also include instructions for building the Tinker entirely from bar stock if desired.

Another option is the Quorn Mk III. Castings, drawings, and construction notes are available from AJ Reeves in England, now known as Hemingway Kits, a seller of kits for machines and model engines. Their kit also includes all bar stock for the complete build. The Mk III has a number of advantages over the Mk i and II, and in the end the cost for each version is about the same. The Mk III also uses ER collets if I remember correctly.

The last option that I have been considering is the Bonelle Tool and Cutter Grinder which is similar to the Quorn but is built entirely from bar stock. Plans are freely available and I have a copy of them which I will be adding to our plan files section. An advantage to this grinder is that Mark Frazier built one a little over ten years ago, back during our H-M days. He did do a build thread on it, that much I have verified, but I have not yet read through it. I still have a certain lack of desire to go over there, but I might just do so at some point and read through all 54 pages of that thread.

This brings me to the grand question: Do any of you have any experience with the Quorn, Tinker, or Bonelle? If so, I would really like to hear about it.

[4GSR]

Terry, I doo not have any experience with any of these.  I do remember the Quorn T & C that Mark did. I have the drawings for it somewhere in my stuff. I recall Mark setting up a place over on IO for the projects he did.  If I can find it, I'll post a link here.
If you need any cast iron, I still have a good collection of it here to offer to anyone that may need a piece or two.  My source of getting it dried up and can no longer get any at hobby level buying.   

[4GSR]

Here's Marks Group on IO.
https://groups.io/g/homemachineshop/files?p=name%2C%2C%2C20%2C1%2C0%2C0&jump=1

[4GSR]

Here's the T & C grinder files:
https://groups.io/g/homemachineshop/files/better%20tool%20and%20cutter%20grinder/Building%20the%20Best%20Tool%20&%20Cutter%20Grinder.pdf

[TerryWerm]

Thanks Ken. I am a member of that group also and have looked at those files too. 

Harold Hall from England did a series of sharpening jigs for a lowly bench grinder with upgraded wheels that may be easier to build than a T&C grinder and may also be easier to use. The series ran in Model Engineer years ago and portions of it showed up in a couple of different books that he wrote. He also wrote a book just on T&C sharpening. For $13 a copy of that book is on its way to me right now.

Right now I do not know for sure what direction I will take, but I am keeping an open mind. End mills are expensive, so having the ability to sharpen them would be great but is it worth it for me to spend $1500 or more to be able to sharpen them? Probably not. Some of Harold Hall's solutions will sharpen the ends of an end mill, but not the sides. 

For right now I am just in the planning stages anyway, but advice from others is always welcome, especially in an area where I have almost zero experience. I did have the opportunity to use a Darex end mill sharpener about 25 years ago. It worked okay, but not great. On the other hand, maybe I wasn't using it quite right either.

[chips and more]

That family of grinder that you are looking at, to me, does not meet your objective. I have a similar design and it does an excellent job of dealing with pantograph cutters, but that's it! I also have a Cuttermaster, and that would be my recommendation. It's kinda like a floor model tool grinder but in a smaller envelope. Way more capabilities than a Quorn in IMHO. My three cents. My Cuttermaster is made in China (I think all versions are?) but it's been a great addition to my Hobby Shop! It can make a mess! Find a place that can handle the grinding swarf! A vac system and well placed rags when using the Cuttermaster would be a good idea. If you find one with a pneumatic spindle. Make sure the spindle works (turns freely) with air. If it does not, it's probably rusted inside and now just a hunk of metal, ask me how I know!