Cutter Storage

[KC2IXE]

Ok, another "General Interest" thread.

How do you store your cutters, say End Mills - I tend to keep them in my tool box, with NEW cutters still in their sleaves, sealed.

The real question start to come in with used tools, for instance, say double ended end mills, and other double ended tools. How do you remember which end is used (particularly when it's semi-new - when it's totally beat, it's obvious), and how do you remember what material you used the cutter on?

I tend to dip the new end of a cutter in dyekem, and the use of the cutter will wear off some dyekem asap, but have not come up with a good "material" marker (or do you not care)

 

[precisionworks]

WalMart sells the Plano 3770 CDS Stowaway tackle boxes:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E3C3NA/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Under $10 each, some places online have them for $6. I currently have six or seven of them, each one full of end mills that are mostly in their plastic sleeves.

How do you remember which end is used

Under magnification, like an Optivisor, edge wear is not hard to see. I use them till the force increases, or chips start looking "wrong", then send them out for sharpening (or replace them). Even the largest end mills cost no more than $10 to sharpen:

http://www.end-mill-sharpening.com/prices.html

 

[Torque1st]

Wood blocks with holes drilled in them are cheap.

 

[KC2IXE]

WalMart, what is this place, WalMart


NYC (where I live) does not have one, and has actively prevented WalMart from opening one. The city Govt actually has an active bias towards Bodegas, because "it keeps people employed" - of course, it also keeps the price of food and goods high, but... (NYC is a Union Town believe it or not)

 

[Torque1st]

A person can label the wood blocks; alum, steel, titanium, etc...

 

[kromeke]

I try to keep them in the plastic and cardboard sleeves. I keep old ones for the end mills I occasionally get donated.

On double ended end mills, a sharpie marker can be used to mark the first used end. I usually just look at them under a loupe, and determine the appropriate mill for the job. For example, a mill with chipped points on the end, I can still use the flank for edging jobs.

As far as storage, again, I keep 'em in the sleeves. I have a large selection, ball end, taperd, 4 flute, 2 flute, 3 flute, carbide, cobalt, etc. I've got a set of Bott drawers to keep them in. The mills don't take up that much room.

 

[StrikerDown]

I've got a set of Bott drawers to keep them in.

Bott Drawers? :thinking:

 

[kromeke]

http://www.kennedymfg.com/bottff.htm

It is a modular drawer/cabinet system. There are other brands, Stanley/Vidmar comes to mind. The one I have in the shop are Bott. Kennedy distributes Bott in the US.

 

[StrikerDown]

OK... those look very nice.:thumbsup:

 

[precisionworks]

This photo shows a few of my end mill "tackle boxes" ... hard to get any more in the picture & still see detail. Plus a couple of drill bit stands.

 

[KC2IXE]

I've been looking for Vidmar cabinets for a while - another brand to add to the list - that said, I have to be REAL careful - my basement steps are 27" wide - not 27+1/8 - 27. Getting things like washers/dryers down there is fun. Before I bought the house, I did measure with my lathe/mill