Grinding mandrel ends

[ChurnHill]

Hi-

I have searched for the answer to this, but ended up more confused.:confused: My wire cutter doesn't cut as cleanly as it used to, so I am getting barbs when I cut up rod for mandrels. To smooth off the ends, should I use diamond cup burrs or wire rounders? Or something else? I have found wire rounders, but I don't know if they will hold up to grinding mandrels. I haven't had much luck finding the cup burrs. Who is a good source for those?

Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks!

Laura

[e. mort]

I would not use cup burrs or wire rounders if you are talking about the ones used for making jewelry. Those are designed for soft metals and you will ruin them very quickly with stainless steel. You can find an inexpensive bench grinder at a hardware store that can be used for a bunch of different purposes that will cost you less than $50. If that is too expensive, go to the hand tool section and buy a handfile and do them by hand. Also, if you have a dremel for flexshaft you can do it with heavy grit sandpaper (the stuff for metal - not wood) using a split flexshaft mandrel.

Eric

[Solana]

I have a couple of standard, metal files. I sit one of those in a plastic bag and rub the mandrel back and forth across it. It gives me really smooth ends and doesn't take much time at all! You can probably find a file pretty cheap at any hardware store. :)

[Cosmo]

I have a bench grinder that I grind the ends of mine on. A dremel with a cutoff wheel would probably work fine as well.

[dogsrlove]

Now don't laugh (too hard), but I sit on my concrete patio and one by one- swirl the ends against the cement. . .

Vanessa

[e. mort]

Hey, whatever works! (That is how I smooth down the charcoal blocks I used for soldering after they get all cruded up.)

Eric

[kbinkster]

For cutting mandrels, I use a chop saw with a cut-off wheel. I grind the ends on a bench grinder. I went through those little Dremel cutting disks too quickly.

I've down the concrete thing, too.:p It works.

[DesertDreamer]

DH cuts my mandrels for me. He uses my Dremel (yes, MINE) with a diamond cutoff wheel (got a 5 pack at Harbor Freight for $8). He cuts the mandrels 4 or 5 at a time (held in a bench vise) then rounds 'em with the face of the disk. He can cut and pretty up a dozen in about 15-20 minutes. I guess I'll keep him!

[ChurnHill]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll probably try them all. Concrete! I love it!

Laura

[Gayle_Herring]

DH cuts my mandrels for me. He uses my Dremel (yes, MINE) with a diamond cutoff wheel (got a 5 pack at Harbor Freight for $8). He cuts the mandrels 4 or 5 at a time (held in a bench vise) then rounds 'em with the face of the disk. He can cut and pretty up a dozen in about 15-20 minutes. I guess I'll keep him!

This is how I cut mine. Keep a bench vise stuck to the island in the kitchen (at least we do take it down if we know company is coming). I haven't sprung for a diamond cutoff wheel but just use the heavy duty ones for the Dremel, then round them on the face of the disk. She's right, it goes quickly.

Gayle

[Lisi]

I cut mine with a pair of fencing pliers, which "snap" the wire rather than cut. The ends are cut on a slight angle instead of the rough burr, and then I file that down with the Dremel.