Full Version: Refurbish diamond drag?

From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#1]
 10 Aug 2006
To: ALL

Howdy y'all!

Here's another silly question...

Is it possible / practical to resharpen or refurbish a dull diamond drag tool?

I need to get a new one (or two), and don't want to pay a "new" price if I can just repair what I have.

 

TIA!

Cody

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#2]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#1] 10 Aug 2006

Cody,

You can have them lapped, but I would recommend having at least three of these in your arsenal. This allows you the time to send several in at a time and not be without.

I am sure you recognize this already, but the quality of your engraving suffers terribly with a dull or chipped diamond bit.

EDITED: 10 Aug 2006 by DATAKES

From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#2] 10 Aug 2006

I have two of them now. One is still fairly sharp, but the other one is pretty well shot for doing anything but stainless steel data plates.

Who laps these?

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#4]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3] 10 Aug 2006

Then you have what you need except for a spare.

Once you lay the drag bit on stainless steel, it is useful only for stainless steel. The very tip breaks off, sometimes you can even feel that it is not sharp with your finger. You need a really powerful magnifier to see it, about 75X.

From: Specialist (ESPECIALISTS) [#5]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#1] 10 Aug 2006

Give Tony a call or go to his website

Tony's Cutter Resharpening Service
623-297-5298
www.resharpenservice.com

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6]
 10 Aug 2006
To: ALL

How much does it cost to relap a diamond graver?

Seems to me, it was about $12.00. Once you include two-way shipping, aren't you just as well off buying a new diamond?

I don't know. I've never had a diamond relapped.

From: gingem [#7]
 10 Aug 2006
To: ALL

I do it all of the time and I use Antares. I always stock about 20 or more bits having built them up over the years. I send them back like 12 at a time and I'm pretty sure it's only $7-8.00 to resharpen. I also have them cone the tips so that when working on curved surfaces you can engrave further along the cylinder without the bit touching. I do a lot of cylindrical work up to 14.0" at the moment. Thinking of going larger. I love all of you guys with the lasers because all of the shops around send their crazy work to me.

From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#8]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#2] 10 Aug 2006

I just got off the phone with Fred at Q1, and ordered (2) each of the 120* and 140* cutters. That should give me everything I need to make it through the next year.

We do a fair amount of engraving on stainless steel data plates, so I'm going to relegate my existing (dull) 120* tools to only doing these. Since these plates don't need precision engraving, that should work out fine.

I'll now be able to do the "finer" work on softer material with the new 120*'s, and use the 140* tools for "finer" work on hardened / stainless steel.

Thanks again for the help!

From: UncleSteve [#9]
 10 Aug 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#8] 10 Aug 2006

Cody,

You might want to order at least one 90* for working on pens and other thin, curved items as it will let you go further around the barrel without landing on the item due to the width of the 120*.

EDITED: 10 Aug 2006 by UNCLESTEVE

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