Clarkson Tool & Cutter Grinder

[Don1966]

Gray I am with the rest of them please post. And like Jo said, did I mention we like photos.

Don

[Graham Meek]

Hi Don,

I have as Jo and Dave asked started a new post "Getting the most out of a drill grinding jig, or Perfect twist drills every time" I hope you and others benefit from my findings.

My best regards
Gray,

[Steam Haulage]

I'm nervous of posting this when the attantion in the UK is on the Guildford show this weekend. I hope those going will not use their valuable time on this subject and I wish them a successful  exhibition.

Of course I have been following along with this thread, some might recall I had decided to give up the idea of getting a fully fledged T&C grinder. But although I acknowledge that it looks an expensive way to go I have spent some time looking at both the cost of machines and of cutters.

The economics are not all one way. As part of my reincarnation in ME I decided that I am no longer prepared to spend an inordinate time waiting for machinery. As I get older I can feel time ticking away.   So sharp cutters are a given.

If a assume any machine in good order is  going to cost me perhaps as much as £600 which by the time I have paid the VAT, and postage could well add up to £750 then is the amount I need to offset.

As has been said on this site and others there are cheap sources of cutters on the web. I have based my comparisons on an 8mm normal length. I have recently had some costing around £3 a time, some around £15 and an industrial quality around £20. To those sourced from EU suppliers must be added the vicious added tax, currently 20%. Imports should carry duty. The best quality which can with stand the heat can be £40 ++, say £50 each. So you then only have to use 15 or so to spend the same money. Not that I have got 15 cutters of one size anyway!

The pondering continues.

Jerry

[Coopertje]

Hello Jerry,

Decisions are not easy and not always (or most of the times) rational. Thought to share my point of view, maybe it will help you in your considerations..

I have 2 drill sharpening machines and a universal Tool and cutter grinder. Spend more or less 2.000,- euros on these 3 machines together. I could have bought a lot of tooling for that money. But in my opinion you should not see the money spend as gone, at least if you buy a quality machine like the Clarkson. If you by a known brand, used machine, in a fair condition you will get your money back whenever you sell it again!! I have bought and sold again several machines over the last years and the only time that I lost most of what I paid was with an Asian produced machine. With all the other ones (European, UK or USA brands) sometimes  I lost a little and many times I even got more then I paid for it! Considering this I cannot buy any tooling because I am sure that whenever I decide to sell my grinding machines again I will get my 2.000,- euros back!!

A second Pro to get yourself a nice grinder is that you can buy used, but high quality drills, mills etc (Dormer, Fraisa etc). I normally buy them at model shows for a few Euros and sharpen them at home. In this way I have quality cutters for less then a rubbish Asian one! Since I have a decent drill grinder (Swiss made Optimum) I have thrown away all my Asian produced drills.  The geometry of the drill simply is not good, the middle of the drill is out of centre, impossible to grind a symmetrical 4-facet point.

Another advantage of owning a nice grinder is that normally tooling dulls / breaks when you are in the middle of a job. Since I am working 5 days a week it means my work is over for at least that evening and most of the times for week when I cannot resharp my tools. Further I noticed that whenever I get the feeling a cutting tool is getting slightly dull I regrind it immediately. Before I had the grinders I would keep pushing it resulting in a broken drill bit for example because I was putting too much force and with that ruined my workpiece.... 

If you have the budget available, get yourself a nice used, but known brand (I recently sold my Clarkson MK1 grinder for 3 times the price I have paid for it) grinder. You will have the benefits of owning one and you will get (most of) your money back when you sell it again.

Good luck with your considerations!

Regards Jeroen 

[Steam Haulage]

Thanks for your positive comments Coopertje,

You are putting into words exactly how I feel about it. I know from past experience that in most cases like this if I get a buzz that an acquisition is a good idea and I can't get away from it that I had better get on and do it.

Your 3 pro points have convinced me. So I have gone from  to  on the idea.

Now all  I have to do is find a good example of the Clarkson.

Jerry

[Coopertje]

Glad it gave you that little push in the right direction. Try to convince myself in this way as much as possible that I really need all that machines    Now the most difficult part starts.... patience....waiting....looking.... just until the right machine comes along with the right price!

Regards Jeroen

[pgp001]

Glad you like my Union.

If I can be of any assistance just ask, I have a few bits of literature on the Union grinder you might find useful if you haven't seen it.

Phil

[stvy]

Hi,

Did you find a nice Clarkson?

2 years back I was wondering the same things. I ended up getting a MKII clarkson. For what it is worth I have some tips:

1. Focus on what standard tooling it comes with. I'd recommend a nasty well used example with tooling over a vgc example without.

The reason being is that the basic machine is very simple. The machine can be stripped down into the constituent parts in just a few hours. Each casting is not so heavy, and it can then be cleaned up. It can also be scraped in if it has excessive wear. Its a pretty simple machine.

2. Consider what attachments you will be needing. They seem to go for more than the grinders. Look for a sale that includes what you want.

3. Keep your eye on the usual places for any missing tooling. In the last 2 years I've seen pretty much everything come up at least a few times. Apart from MKIII items.

4. Stay away from a MKIII unless it comes with ALL the tooling you want. It seems to be very rare.

Steve