astro bur bits

[lightning02]

is anyone else having problems with there astro burr bits? for the 2nd time the teeth keep breaking off. completely diff bit from the same set as the last bit that didnt do well and they replaced it. this time i was only opening up a hole in aluminum impregnated fiberglass 1/8 inch thick, litterly one hole and the bit looks like it was hugging out some AR steel 2in thick lol idk if i got a bad set of bits and the hardening wasn't done correct or what the problem is but its getting rather annoying everytime i use one of there bits its destroyed

 

[Bannik254]

Carbide burr on aluminium? Yikes. Carbide burrs are great for iron based metals, anything else and you'll need specialty burrs.

 

[lightning02]

Carbide burr on aluminium? Yikes. Carbide burrs are great for iron based metals, anything else and you'll need specialty burrs.

no, it was aluminum impregnated fiberglass, its basically fiberglass with strans of aluminum in it.

 

[Ign]

Yeah I dunno the fiberglass might be hard on the carbide. Also if you want to continue using on Al try some Relton Stik-Kut but I bet you'll need to reapply every 15 seconds (guessing)

Generally speaking I've had good results w Atrax - Made in the US. Most are scared off from them 'cause you gotta order from an actual MRO supply like MSC and everyone wants one-click Amazon or eBay (although they may exist on the latter, never looked).

I really like AP but they're not a cutting tool supplier, or at least not a good one.

 

[lightning02]

it was like for 15secs at most. just to open up a hole a very small amount. bit was brand new. before i bought these everyone was seeing they making 3inch holes in brick with them and i cant even open up a hole in fiberglass with them for a few secs without them going to **** lol


kinda makes me wish i saved the cash and just bought some cheapo's for 1/4 of the price. bet they would last one time just like these do lol

 

[2oolhound]

carbide burrs for aluminum or non ferrous metals are single cut flutes and the flutes are wider so they don't clog. The cross hatch type for general steel will clog up too fast.

Are you sure you have carbide? Shiny as opposed to the black or dull hss type. What tool and speed are you using?

 

[lightning02]

carbide burrs for aluminum or non ferrous metals are single cut flutes and the flutes are wider so they don't clog. The cross hatch type for general steel will clog up too fast.

Are you sure you have carbide? Shiny as opposed to the black or dull hss type. What tool and speed are you using?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061SFKK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

this is the set i have

nothing is getting clogged or anything like that. the teeth or flutes are braking off it looks like. last time the bit that took a **** was just opening up a cheap washer. again same ****. the teeth/flutes looked like they ripped off/chipped. both these bits are from the same set.

 

[ItsNemo]

I have an old set of those, don't use them too often, but they still look and perform like the day I got them.

Astro tools is on here as a user, maybe they'll speak up, might have just been a bad batch.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Typically broken teeth are due to chattering or bouncing of the tool against the media - too much down force resulting in binding, bent burr, loose or damaged collet, insufficiently secured work piece etc. Does the burr cut at a constant rate through the material? Or does it bind and slow down bogging the tool in the process?

FWIW you really want single cut burrs for that application. My astro burrs have done well, but they are consumables like anything else if used heavily. A rotary rasp file/burr may be ideal for that material.

 

[oldwino]

I have a set of these that came with combo pack grinders. Essentially they were free. Not the same quality as premium USA burs from MCS but ok as a backup set. They will wear quicker than $15-20 burs. Ya get what you pay for.

I do have several AP products and all the rest are first rate. Especially love their 90degree die grinder

 

[lightning02]

Typically broken teeth are due to chattering or bouncing of the tool against the media - too much down force resulting in binding, bent burr, loose or damaged collet, insufficiently secured work piece etc. Does the burr cut at a constant rate through the material? Or does it bind and slow down bogging the tool in the process?

FWIW you really want single cut burrs for that application. My astro burrs have done well, but they are consumables like anything else if used heavily. A rotary rasp file/burr may be ideal for that material.

It was a brand new burr. Never used. Cut fine. Literally used it for a few secs. To open a hole in fiberglass basically all it was the slightest amount. It took longer to plug the tool in then it did to actually use it. Then when I went to take the burr out and put it away I looked at it and just like before with the other burr I used from them the teeth or whatever you want to call them where all ripped off. Its freakin fiberglass. I can cut it with a box knife lol it shouldn't have done that in a matter of secs on that sort of stuff. I bet anything the 10 dollar set on Amazon would hold up just as good for 1/4 the price. Now im not talking bad about astro since I have alot of there stuff and never once had a problem but these burrs **** lol

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I'd guess then theres a defect in the set. Astro has a rep on the forum

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

We make some of the best burs anywhere. We make the same burrs under other top brands with lifetime warranty as well and warranty a very small %.
Happy to replace the pieces you damaged, or the set as it's probably under your 1 year warranty - but please stop using them on fiberglass.

Usually people think "Well if I can use these on steel, I can surely use it on X because it's softer" that's not how ferrous burrs work. You use ferrous burrs on ferrous metals. Burs for fiberblass looks like a rasp, and for a reason.

 

[lightning02]

Everytime i use these and I have a problem its bc it can't be used on that metal lol not sure what all the hype was about these then. Wish I could just return them tbh. Not going to use them on paper and hamburger meat lol if I was using them to hug out fiberglass eveyday cutting holes and whatnot id understand but that's not what was done. It was brand new. Opened up an existing hole maybe 2 times the thickness of a finger nail was all it was used for. Literally secs. I use these so rarely that this was only the 2nd time I have used these bits since I bought them in 2019. Literally the whole ******* bit is shot to **** over some junk 25 year old fiberglass in 6 secs lol yea ill pass. The 10 dollar ones will hold up just as long and I can buy 50 of them for what I paid for these. But like i said before I have nothing against astro. I have alot of these stuff and its all been top notch but these burrs don't do it for me sadly.

Ps your new spark plug mag sockets are good stuff. Thats the newest thing I bought from you guys. Love them just like all my other astro tools and ill continue buying from them. Just not the burrs lol

 

[Benito]

I've been using my 8pc set on stainless, iron, and mainly tube steel for about a year. Full of rust and metal dust, but still working well and minimal if any chipped teeth and I'm not gentile with them.

400 reviews, almost all positive from the link you posted.

You use them on something they aren't design for and have an immediate problem. I think we've already identified the variable here

 

[Bannik254]

Fiberglass is insanely abrasive, even more so than copper. I've drilled through hundreds of steel parts, and my drill bits remain sharp. When I go to make fiberglass reinforced square insulated parts for my DC motor brush holder mounts, both my M35 and M42 1/2'' drill bits will go dull in the mill in about 10, 3/16'' depth, holes.

If you've managed to find "cheap" carbide burrs that can do chew through fiberglass, job after job, I would be VERY interested in knowing the brand and product number.

 

[Bannik254]

https://www.mcmaster.com/4197A14/

First thing you'll notice with these, cost. You're looking at minimum $20 per burr with tax. You'll also notice For Use On, no iron based or non-iron based metals are listed. Right tool for the job, if you abuse a tool for its intended purpose, then complain about the tool being bad, makes you appear ignorant.

The Astro poster is amazing, btw, even knowing you abused their tooling, they are willing to replace it for you, Wow!

 

[619DioFan]

I have been using the astro set of burrs for at least 6 years now. I am not nice to them at all. zero issues , very good tools IMO.

 

[BiggityBen]

I have been using the astro set of burrs for at least 6 years now. I am not nice to them at all. zero issues , very good tools IMO.

same here. i have even have a second set to use on aluminum as a beater set when the occasion arises, looks like a couple teeth are worn but they still grind, just slowly

 

[RTM]

The Astro poster is amazing, btw, even knowing you abused their tooling, they are willing to replace it for you, Wow!

Yeah, I keep hearing that about them. Really have to place an order soon. Glad you all keep linking and liking their stuff.

 

[seanb02]

I've got a set of the Astro ones purchased for use in fabrication around the farm shop. Figured it was a good price point, and the ones I wear out in the set would be replaced with higher quality ones as time goes on. Have yet to wear one out or notice any broken teeth. But I also exclusively use them in mild steel. With that being said, I tend to work them hard and have worn out more expensive ones, so I am rather impressed with these for the year that I've had them so far.

 

[dnschmidt]

You guys do know that Astro specifically makes burrs for use on aluminum don't you. As Chris rightly noted they look like either autobody files or wood rasps. Horses for courses.

 

[seber]

I use Kennametal burrs. I've been using the same set for about thirty years. i don't worry about which tooth style goes with what material other than course teeth for soft metals to prevent clogging. The big difference is that mine will cost several times what the Astro burrs run. You do tend to get what you pay for.