From: Robert Bastow <teenut@home.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Sorting Drills. How would you do This?
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 16:14:42 GMT

"Gauge Rollers"

Commercially available from Automation Companies like Morfeed or Syntron..both
in Indianapolis..but easy enough to make yourself

A pair of long, dead straight, rollers (I used to use Case Hardened,Thompson
Shafting). Chain driven together, contra-rotating and adjustable, independently
at each end, for the gap between them. Rotation is OUT of the gap.  48"long  x
2" diameter ought to work well here.

In use they are finely set to cover a small range of diameters, with a tapered
gap between and are set with their axis at a slight decline, narrow end at the
top.  Objects (drills) to be gauged or separated are fed end to end, onto the
narrow end and will proceed "down hill". As they approach the section of the gap
that first begins to match their diameter, they will first start to tilt
upwards, and then will drop between the rollers.

Adjustable baffles beneath, direct the flow of separated diameters to a series
of catch boxes.

This device will make "cuts" as finely as you want to make them..certainly on
drill diameters to a lot less than one thou., if you so wish. And well you may
wish, unless you want to physically measure every one!

A bank of Gauge Rollers set to  graduated sizes can be set up..you decide how
far to go!!

Obviously, a "pre-sort" into groups of similar diameters will be needed, similar
methods will work, or even the old eyeball!  But this is the tried and true
solution to the tricky end!

Email me direct and I will send sketches if you wish.

teenut

RStolz5833 wrote:

> I have a contract with a company to sharpen their drills. They come in a
> box and all together. 2,000 -3,000 at a time. MM, Alph. Number, and
> fractional, all together. I have to sharppen, and sort, before sending
> back.
>
> What would you do to sort them the most accuratly and fastest?
>
> Thank you in advance,
> Rick