I've been busy making pens for christmas. Last week I discovered that my barrel trimmer would no longer cut.
I tried to sharpen it but it only seemed to get worse and I became concerned that that it would nolonger be square to the barrel of the pen.
I'm assuming others have had this problem. How did you solve it?
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I don't know what you used to sharpen it, but I've "touched up" mine several times with a small flat file and have not found a problem with the "squarness."
Since the Part that goes into the barrel aligns the reamer, you will get a square end.
The main problem I had was that the only version I could get was the threaded one. I use mine in a drill and the threaded section is not strong. I broke several, before finding the ones designed for a drill.
Good Luck,
The Other Bruce
A) Not having a small file available, I use the flat on a small cut-off wheel mounted in a flex shaft to sharpen mine. The wheel came with a Dremel knockoff and the flex shaft came with the grinder I use to sharpen lathe tools. B) Where, oh where, did you find the trimmer made for a drill? All Woodcraft had to offer was the threaded version, which I have been chucking up in my DP and feeding the work to. It seemed steadier than trying to hold the wood and the hand drill at the same time. Bill
I have the BT that Woodcraft carries, it has two allen screws to hold the trimmer to the shaft (below the threaded portion). I removed the trimmer and touched it up with a diamond hone, just a couple passes on both the front face and the back bevel.
I chuck up my BT in a Morse-taper Jacobs(type) chuck in the headstock, saving the drill press for drilling.
mike
I used to buy a new one when the old one got dull. After amassing a collection of a dozen mills, I decided I just HAD to find a way to sharpen them. I remove the mill from the shaft and simply hold it steady (one flute at a time) against my Tormek wheel (at a slight angle). Repeated on the other 3 flutes. Now all my mills are as sharp as new.
Peter Teubel Milford, MA
of a dozen mills, I decided I just HAD to find a
steady (one flute at a time) against my Tormek wheel (at
I've collected quite a few barrel trimmers too. Thanks for this suggestion. I know my brother and I will find it useful.
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