On 2010-10-03, Buerste wrote:

"RS at work" wrote in message
...
While your question is more one of how can you make a buck off 300
lbs. of dull end mills, I for one will choose a reground end mill most
of the time. I have several reasons for this.

If I am milling on the edge of a piece of material it makes no
difference to me if the end mill is .005 undersize.

[ ... ]

The issue I see is that if you use an edge finder or a dro, you've got more
math to do. It's too easy to screw it up. But, resharpened mill certainly
have their place and value, just not so much in a production or precision
situation. What's the cost of a part that needs to be fixed or pitched?

And -- if it is a three-flute or a five-flute end mill -- how do
you measure the diameter?

Yes -- there are special V-anvil micrometers for such
measurements, one for the three-flute and one for the five-flute. Do
*you* have them? (I do -- but I collect tools, so I perhaps don't
count. :-)

But these special micrometers are expensive too -- especially if
you need to purchase them new. :-) (Unless you need the three-flute and
the five-flute versions to measure ground cylindrical surfaces for lobes
taking them off truly cylindrical. A standard micrometer won't see
these particular errors.

Of course --you could skip the edge finder and find your zero
with the old cigarette wrapping paper trick instead, which would include
the change in diameter in the setting -- for that *one* edge. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

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