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Semi Finished Tools – The secret to getting non-standard sizes with a quick delivery


The majority of requests I receive for special tools ends with something along the lines of “…and I need them tomorrow.”  This is frequently possible if semi-finished tools can be used to make the tool the customer is asking for.  If the tool has to be made from scratch, forget it.  Best case scenario would be a couple of weeks.

What exactly is a semi-finished tool?  The semi-finished tools Super Tool offers have the carbide brazed to the tool but have not been finish ground to size.  This allows us to sharpen the tools to your desired diameter or width (and in some cases overall length).

Let’s look at each tool type individually.

Reamers
Super Tool keeps semi-finished carbide tipped and solid carbide reamers on the shelf.  Need an odd diameter; say for example a 0.1964”?  A semi-finished tool can be pulled off the shelf and ground to size with a 24 hour turn-around time.  It does not get much faster than that.  Super Tool also keeps semi-finished reamers on the shelf that can be cut to specified overall lengths.  Need that 0.1964” diameter reamer with a 9-3/64” overall length?  1 week delivery.  Every type of reamer we sell we keep on the shelf in semi-finished form including shell reamers, coolant fed reamers, stub reamers, reamers for steel, left and right hand spiral reamers, tapered shank reamers, expansion reamers, NAS reamers, and solid carbide head reamers.

Milling Cutters and Slitting Saws (Arbor Hole Style)
Super Tool keeps semi-finished carbide tipped milling cutters and slitting saws on the shelf with 3”, 4”, 5”, and 6” diameters.  The diameter can’t be changed but we can grind the widths to anything from 0.0600” to 0.5312” in 1 week or less.  Need a chamfer, radius, full radius or a combination of radii and chamfers?  1 week or less.

Keyseat Cutters
Super Tool keeps semi-finished carbide tipped keyseat cutters on the shelf in straight tooth and staggered tooth styles for both steel and non-ferrous applications.  The semi-finished diameters on the shelf are ½”, 5/8”, ¾”, 1”, 1-1/8”, 1-1/4”, 1-3/8” and 1-1/2”.  Each diameter can be ground to width ranges which are specified on our web site and in our catalog.  Need a 1-1/8” diameter with a 0.2340” width? 1 week or less.  Super tool also keeps semi-finished high performance keyseat cutters designed specifically for aluminum on the shelf that can be ground to specified width ranges.  These keyseats for aluminum are kept in diameters of 5/8”, ¾”, 1”, 1-1/8”, 1-1/4”, 1-3/8”, 1-1/2, 1-3/4”, and 2” with a delivery of 1 week or less.

Counterbores
Super Tool keeps semi-finished carbide tipped counterbores on the shelf with straight shanks, tapered shanks, and reduced shanks.  Need a 0.5629” diameter?  Delivery is 1 week.

Counterbore Pilots
Super Tool keeps semi-finished counterbores pilots on the shelf.  Need a pilot with an odd diameter? 1 week or less.

It is important to note that not all applications will be able to use semi-finished tooling, especially complex forms or shapes. But if you need something quick it is worth looking at your application and determining if there is a way to utilize semi-finished tooling for a fast turnaround.

If you have any questions about semi-finished tooling (or any other cutting tool questions) feel free to leave us a comment here on our blog or fill out the form on Super Tool’s Contact Us Page.

Bryan Enander
Super Tool, Inc.