Thread: Tungsten Carbide rotary Burrs

I have had tungsten burrs so hot that theyve melted the solder joint, just silver soldered it back on and away it went......but not so hard. go slow if youre using it on aluminium as it will melt the ally and clog the cutting edges hard. they really work best in a sturdy electric drill (you know, the ones you plug the lead into a power socket)as they have better bearings and dont chatter as much. once you get a set youll use them so much youll wonder why you didnt get them earlier.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

I have had tungsten burrs so hot that theyve melted the solder joint, just silver soldered it back on and away it went......but not so hard. go slow if youre using it on aluminium as it will melt the ally and clog the cutting edges hard. they really work best in a sturdy electric drill (you know, the ones you plug the lead into a power socket)as they have better bearings and dont chatter as much. once you get a set youll use them so much youll wonder why you didnt get them earlier.

A drill won't run tungsten carbide fast enough to cut efficiently. You need a die grinder that runs 10,000 rpm or more. A 1/4" diameter TC burr in steel should be running at least 10,000 rpm. I have four, a long nose 1/4", a short nose 1/4", and two 1/8" pencil grinders. I also have an electric 1/8" flexible shaft grinder. The 1/8" Desoutter with proper air flow runs 40,000 rpm. Aluminium and many plastics will clog double cut burrs. you should buy aluminium cut (single cut) burrs for these materials.

Something that helps stop double-cut burrs from clogging with softer metals is to rub a bit of wax on them (beeswax or candle wax). You have to repeat regularly but it makes a huge difference.

Steve

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Ther ones I quoted are "Star USA" which brand is usually for US made tools packaged under their house brand. Star Tool Supply has another house brand "Meda" which are imports from anywhere in the world.

I will e-mail and ask where their TC burrs are made.

Got a reply. They are made in either California or Michigan and packaged as "Star USA".

Star Tool Supply and Machine Shop Discount Supply are joint venture companies of Michigan Drill and the Bacharach family businesses that moved from The Bronx and Yonkers to the Michigan Drill facility in South Hackensack last year.

they arrived this morning , haven't had a chance to put em thru the proper test yet but I used one this morning and holy crap you need volumes & more volumes of air to operate that die grinder with a bit of grunt........continously.

Originally Posted by Disco_owner

they arrived this morning , haven't had a chance to put em thru the proper test yet but I used one this morning and holy crap you need volumes & more volumes of air to operate that die grinder with a bit of grunt........continously.

Flow gives speed and pressure gives force.

Die grinders don't need much more than 80 psi, but do need high flow to achieve efficient cutting speed. My 1/4" grinder overruns my 16 cfm compressor giving catch-up time whilst waiting for the tank to refill to inspect your work.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Flow gives speed and pressure gives force.

Die grinders don't need much more than 80 psi, but do need high flow to achieve efficient cutting speed. My 1/4" grinder overruns my 16 cfm compressor giving catch-up time whilst waiting for the tank to refill to inspect your work.

Thanks for clarifying this , I got your PM and have replied. look forward to do a comparison test between the 2 x sets.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

A drill won't run tungsten carbide fast enough to cut efficiently. You need a die grinder that runs 10,000 rpm or more. A 1/4" diameter TC burr in steel should be running at least 10,000 rpm. I have four, a long nose 1/4", a short nose 1/4", and two 1/8" pencil grinders. I also have an electric 1/8" flexible shaft grinder. The 1/8" Desoutter with proper air flow runs 40,000 rpm. Aluminium and many plastics will clog double cut burrs. you should buy aluminium cut (single cut) burrs for these materials.

Brian , I agree, but I use mine at home in an electric drill......I dont have an air compressor and you really need an industrial compressor to run a die grinder. You can use your burrs in a hand drill but I agree with you, they wont work as efficiently as in a die grinder.