Don't Toss that Indexable Tool

It’s a sound that makes a machinist’s stomach drop: The high-pitched squeal of a tool crashing.

Some crashes are minor and easily forgotten. Others leave visions of mangled tools lingering in your mind, causing sleepless nights and cold sweats. Well, maybe not, but some crashes are pretty messy, and the tools may look beyond repair. But that’s a decision better left to the experts.

Karen Brady, customer service manager at tool-repair company GKI Inc., Crystal Lake, Ill., estimated that 99 percent of damaged indexable tools can be fixed. She added that GKI can usually repair a tool if any part of its pocket remains. “Even if the tool is damaged through the screw hole and the customer thinks it’s wiped out,” said Brady.

She said that customers are often surprised at the amount of damage that can be repaired. Tools that the customer would have otherwise thrown away can be restored and made to perform as well as they did originally.

Tony Szafraniec, president of tool repairer Antech Tool Inc., Canton, Mich., agreed. He added that cost plays a big part in the decision to fix or toss a tool. He said most tool users are willing to spend about 50 percent of the cost of a new tool to repair a damaged one, a decision Szafraniec found logical.

“At what point do you decide a car is totaled?” he asked. “Any car can be fixed, but will it be worth it?”

If you decide it’s worth it to fix a damaged tool, there are certain things you should know. Szafraniec said some people believe a repaired tool can’t hold tolerances as tight as a new tool. He disputes that but understands why the belief persists.

“There are a lot of people out there who are not repairing tools correctly,” Szafraniec said, insisting that a properly repaired tool can perform within as tight a tolerance range as a new tool.

It’s important for the tool repairer to get the original blueprint for a tool, according to Szafraniec. This ensures that it’s being repaired to original specifications and not just built up from a damaged foundation—something he said other companies do too often.

“They’re trying to build off of whatever is left of the tool and sometimes it’s not correct,” said Szafraniec.

Rebuilding tools correctly takes time. Regular turnaround for both GKI and Antech is about four weeks. But customers can take steps to expedite the process.

GKI’s plant manager, Eric Klutke, said that when sending in a custom tool for repair, it helps to include components like setscrews and inserts in the package. Szafraniec agreed and added that specialized tools should always be accompanied by drawings.

Both Antech and GKI offer emergency services—at a premium. For a one-week turnaround, GKI adds 25 percent to the cost (up to $75). Twenty-four-hour service is available for an additional 50 percent (up to $150).

Szafraniec has a different tactic. He said that reliable customers are usually not charged for emergency service. Clients who pay on time and do not demand emergency service for every job are afforded this perk. First-time customers can expect a 25 percent to 100 percent additional charge, depending on the extent of the damage. He said this helps weed out customers who “cry wolf.”

“It’s amazing how when you add a premium it’s suddenly not such an emergency,” said Szafraniec.

The president of Antech also said tool users can minimize indexable-tool repairs by following a few basic rules:

• Be sure the inserts are clean and not damaged before indexing.
• Be sure your inserts are tightened to the recommended torque setting.
• Pay attention.

Szafraniec said that 75 percent of all crashes take place because the operator didn’t double-check something.

But accidents happen, and when they do don’t throw away a tool that’s always performed well. Send it out to the tool doctors and let them decide when to pull the plug. You just might sleep better at night.